Narratives of harmful clinical supervision: Synthesis and recommendations

ABSTRACT

Scarce information exists that considers supervisees’ experiences of harmful supervision despite research that indicates occurrences at startling rates (e.g., Ellis, Creaner, Hutman, & Timulak, 2015). This Special Issue attempts to serve as a starting point for stimulating conversation, action, and change around harmful supervision practices across disciplines and internationally. Specifically, in this article we aim to synthesize the introductory, narrative, and reaction articles (Ammirati & Kaslow, 2017; Beddoe, 2017; Ellis, 2017; Ellis, Taylor, Corp, Hutman, & Kangos, 2017; Reiser & Milne, 2017). In addition, we offer implications and recommendations to minimize the occurrence of and redress harmful supervision.

KEYWORDS:

• Clinical supervision
• counselor training
• professional ethics
• harmful supervision

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the insightful comments from Heidi Hutman, and Drs. Erica Ellis and Tony Crespi.

Notes

1. All respondents who indicated interest in writing a narrative about their harmful supervision experience were provided supportive resources.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mackenzie L. McNamara

Mackenzie L. McNamara, MS, is a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University at Albany. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Mackenzie worked as a school psychologist. Her research interests include clinical supervision and children’s mental health. She has published and presented on these topics at national and international conferences.

Kelsey A. Kangos

Kelsey A. Kangos, MS, is a PhD student and instructor in the Counseling Psychology program at the University at Albany. Her research interests include clinical supervision, the working alliance, psychotherapy process, and cultural humility. She has presented on the topics of clinical supervision and psychotherapy process at national and international conferences.

Dylan A. Corp

Dylan A. Corp is a doctoral student in University at Albany’s Counseling Psychology program. His research interests include clinical supervision, counselor training, and the power and influence of peers in meaning-making. He is a student leader in Division 17 of APA and in the Psychological Association of Northeastern New York.

Michael V. Ellis

Michael V. Ellis, PhD, a University at Albany Professor, is an experienced practitioner, clinical supervisor, and supervisor trainer, with teaching and research interests in multicultural clinical supervision, supervisor training, and research methodology, psychometrics, and statistics. He is an Approved Clinical Supervisor, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), a Fulbright Scholar, and a Distinguished Professional Achievement Award recipient (Supervision and Training Section, Division 17, APA, 2010). He conducts clinical supervision workshops nationally and internationally.

Englann J. Taylor

Englann J. Taylor is a PhD student and instructor in the Counseling Psychology program at the University at Albany. Her research interests include multicultural competence and cross-cultural considerations in clinical supervision. She has presented on the topics of international and multicultural supervision at national conferences.