Exposing Operations of Power in Supervisory Relationships

Abstract

Through a poststructural lens, we examine how power may show itself in relationships between supervisees and supervisors, producing both helpful and harmful effects. Drawing from our own experiences, as well as conversations with other members of our supervisory group, we demonstrate how privileged discourses around professional status, gender, and race may bring about difficulties including a sense of doubt, worry, inadequacy, and a fear of speaking up. We also illustrate how these difficulties can be addressed in a manner that may lessen their influence, while increasing supervisees' sense of agency.

Creating a Space for Acknowledgment and Generativity in Reflective Group Supervision

“…American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, ; American Counseling Association, ; American Psychological Association, ; Arthur, Collins, Marshall, & McMahon, ) which, though motivated by the aim to protect the quality of therapeutic exchanges, are more often focused on individual attributes rather than relational processes. Under the influence of the notions that “it's all up to me”, that the clients' struggles betray the therapist's limitations, it is not surprising that practitioners often prefer to keep accounts of their work close to their chests (Markham & Chiu, ).…”

Participant Supervision: Supervisor and Supervisee Experiences of Cotherapy

“…Although potentially problematic, we believe that the challenges associated with role hierarchy may be minimized by utilizing a collaborative approach to participant supervision, being sensitive to the power differential in a supervisor-intern pairing, and striving to be persistently egalitarian rather than evaluative (Hair & Fine, 2012;Markham & Chiu, 2011;Sutherland, Fine, & Ashbourne, 2012).…”

Insider Knowledge

“…It is the process of reflexivity that allows those in the conversation to notice the operations of power. (See also Markham & Chiu, , current issue. )…”