What do psychoanalytic supervisees say about good supervision?

ABSTRACT

This study explored psychoanalytic supervisees’ conceptualization of good supervision. Fourteen registered psychoanalytic psychotherapists recognized by the Irish Council for Psychotherapy were interviewed. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, interviews were analysed, and this process yielded two superordinate themes encompassing five subordinate themes. The superordinate theme providing illumination encapsulated the participants’ experiences of illuminating the self and illuminating the client. The superordinate theme helping with emotional management referred to the participants’ conceptualization of supervision as containing participants’ difficult emotions, normalizing clinical difficulties and feeling accompanied. The findings are discussed in light of their implications for practice and theory. Of particular interest is the relief that participants felt when their fears and anxieties were addressed and worked through in supervision. In addition, the study builds a foundation for future research studies to explore the supervisee insight and identify more specific types of insight.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychoanalysis
• psychoanalytic supervision
• interpretative phenomenological analysis
• transference
• countertransference

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the The Scholarship: Post-Graduate Research Scholarship within and funded by a Studentship scheme at the School of Nursing and Human Sciences.of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health under a scheme for the enhancement of research.

Notes on contributors

Ali Khoshfetrat

Ali Khoshfetrat is a PhD Psychotherapy Candidate at Dublin City University (DCU). He has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and has experience in conducting and publishing quantitative research and has presented qualitative research in seminars. Contact: [email protected]

Gerry Moore

Dr Gerry Moore a psychoanalytic psychotherapist is Associate Professor Psychotherapy at DCU. With a track record of a number of research projects in the field of psychotherapy, nursing and addiction at DCU, he has supervised numerous MSC, doctorate and PhD dissertations.

Gemma Kiernan

Dr Gemma Kiernan a Chartered Counselling psychologist is Associate Professor Psychotherapy at DCU. She has expertise in conducting applied research in the health, and social care sectors and is involved in projects using a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches in the areas of psychotherapy, therapeutic reaction and palliative care.