Do As I Say and As I Do: Reflections on Three Methods of Evidence-Based Clinical Supervision of Graduate-Level Trainees

Abstract

The clinical training many therapists received during graduate school ranks among the most intensive periods of direct feedback in their careers. We believe the efforts of supervisors in this pivotal developmental stage often receive too little attention. Supervisors may not know which training methods will be most effective for trainees with diverse clinical backgrounds and varying levels of prior knowledge and ability. This is in part because training in supervision remains limited or unavailable in a surprisingly large number of programs, leaving many supervisors to rely on their own experiences of supervision during clinical training. Despite these limitations, our clinical supervisors successfully implemented developmentally-appropriate supervision methods based on available research evidence and established theoretical frameworks. Here we describe and demonstrate, in order of increasing developmental demands, three methods our supervisors used to scaffold our training: deliberate practice, feedback on client progress, and embodying the spirit of the treatment. These methods are grounded in the research and theory of learning, relatively straightforward to apply in graduate practica, and flexible enough to adapt to diverse trainee backgrounds and abilities.