Collaborative Approaches to Family Systems Supervision: Differentiation of Self

Abstract

Many systems approaches speak to the importance of respectful mutual curiosity in supervision rather than linear teacher-learner didacticism. This paper provides an overview of collaborative approaches to supervision in family therapy. It then focuses on Bowen family systems and encouraging differentiation in the relationship process between supervisor and supervisee as a useful approach towards equal collaboration. The authors use case examples to illustrate what impedes and fosters mutuality in the supervision process where both supervisor and supervisee learn from each other.Keywords: collaborative, family systems, Bowen, supervision, differentiation Key Points1 The supervision field has lagged behind therapy with literature reviews showing a gap in writings on social constructionist and/or postmodernist approaches to training/supervision since the 1990s. 2 An important dilemma is which aspects of supervisory discussions are to be kept collaborative and what situations require more direct instruction? 3 Bowen family systems has always privileged a collaborative process of therapy, teaching and supervision and rings true with a philosophy of postmodern supervision given its core theoretical construct of differentiation of self. 4 With the concept of differentiation of self as the guiding theoretical construct for this style of collaborative learning (Bowen, 1978;Kerr & Bowen, 1988), the effort is for each person to direct their own thinking and learning rather than borrow this aspect of self from another. 5 Questions accessed out of learning in relation to the supervisor's own differentiation of self in their family of origin follow a more open and mutually collaborative path.For over 20 years the family therapy field has championed collaborative approaches to training and supervision where the hierarchy between the expert teacher and the "not knowing" supervisee have been replaced by a model aiming for equality and mutual learning in the supervisory relationship. From the 1990s family therapy was substantially influenced by postmodernism and its offshoots of social constructionist and poststructuralist philosophies. These emphasized that multiple perspectives can enhance the learning relationship and hence strengthen therapeutic practice. However in the actual practice of supervision achieving genuine mutuality can have its challenges. What does mutuality look like when there are differences in the clinical experience of the supervisor and supervisees? What process allows for a respectful constructive discourse when there is a difference in the theoretical lens of each party? These dilemmas will be described and explored using supervision case examples that consider the emotional process that underlies the supervision relationship.

The Effect of Collaborative Supervision Approaches and Collegial Supervision Techniques on Teacher Intensity Using Performance-Based Learning

“…Through collaborative supervision, supervisors and supervisees can build new knowledge. Thus, it performs an effective supervision activity (da Silva Pinheiro et al, 2014; Lau et al, 2019; MacKay & Brown, 2013). This finding is also in line with the experiment result of Wiyono et al (2015) which showed that collaborative active supervision based on humanistic principles is very effective in increasing teacher professional competence.…”

Addressing the Person of the Therapist in Supervision: The Therapist's Inner Conversation Method

“…A lot has been written about the power dynamics in the supervisor–supervisee relationship (e.g., Burck & Daniel, ; Todd & Storm, ), and often a collaborative relationship is favored in which the supervisor is at the service of the supervisee's process (e.g., Aducci & Baptist, ; Fine & Turner, ; MacKay & Brown, ). In the TIC method, the supervisor's main focus is not on noticing mistakes made by the supervisee, or on correcting the supervisee's practice or reflections.…”

Bowen family systems theory and practice: Illustration and critique revisited

“…Over the past two decades, it has received increasing attention in Australia and New Zealand, with a dedicated training centre in the theory started in 2004 and culminating in the development of an Australian AAFT‐accredited training program specialising in this approach (the Family Systems Institute, Sydney). Additionally, many articles on Bowen's theory have been published in this journal during this time by local and international authors 1 (see Brown, 2023a, 2023b; Collier & Villareal III, 2022; Cooper et al., 2023; MacKay, 2012, 2017; Mackay & Brown, 2013; Palombi, 2018; Papero, 2014, 2017; Wilt, 2023).…”

“…development of an Australian AAFT-accredited training program specialising in this approach (the Family Systems Institute, Sydney). Additionally, many articles on Bowen's theory have been published in this journal during this time by local and international authors 1 (see Brown, 2023aBrown, , 2023bCollier & Villareal III, 2022;Cooper et al, 2023;MacKay, 2012MacKay, , 2017Mackay & Brown, 2013;Palombi, 2018;Papero, 2014Papero, , 2017Wilt, 2023).…”