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Chapter One – An introduction to the study - Page 9
place in the discussion of case material illustrative of theoretical concepts, in the
supervised clinical practice required by the course, in clinical seminars and in
supervision), and personal learning (taking place in personal psychotherapy, and at
other times when opportunities for this present themselves, as in the reflective group or
in the course of the learning group under study).
There is some cross-over between these components of learning. For example,
theoretical teaching raises the issue of clinical application, which strays into clinical
learning. Many of the blocks to clinical learning, that are, for example, identified in
supervision or case discussion, are personal in origin, so at least personal lacunae or
blind spots for future attention can be broadly identified during clinical learning. On
occasions, personal therapy or even the reflective group experience can illuminate
theoretical understanding or promote clinical skill in otherwise unexpected ways. The
most profound experiences can have impacts in all three areas. The significance of this
point is to emphasise the need to be aware of a range of dynamics and processes when
considering the impact of a change.
There is a set of attitudinal predispositions that characterise the position of the staff in
relation to this work, and which can be seen as comprising another key component of
the course. As senior members of agency staff, the tutors were experienced
practitioners, and needed very little further authorisation in terms of what and how they
taught. They were clear that the task was to elicit an integrated clinical and personal
competence within each student, rather than to impart wisdom for the students to take
in. Their view was that the students had quite enough reading material, and rather than
yet more new ideas, the students needed to assimilate into their practice the concepts
and capabilities that they had already encountered in their practice outside the course