Clinical Supervision Handbook - CAMH Knowledge Exchange ..

Clinical Supervision Handbook
Another emotion that can impede the supervision encounter is shame. Lybarger
(2001) describes three progressively deeper levels of shame: embarrassment, humiliation
and mortification. Embarrassment is associated with feeling self-conscious, ill
at ease, disconcerted or flustered; humiliation occurs when there is a perceived loss
of pride or dignity and mortification occurs when humiliation is deep and is associated
with feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and despair. Tummala-Nala suggests
that the lack of supervisor initiative to explore issues of diversity can contribute to
lowered self-esteem and the experience of shame, which in turn may trigger defensive
reactions such as avoidance and withdrawal on the part of the supervisee. Although
it is important to explore diversity issues in the supervisory encounter, it needs to be
done with an awareness that racial discourses continue to be highly emotional and
can lead to feelings of vulnerability. For these reasons it is critical to determine the
extent to which the supervisory relationship is a safe space for exploration of such
issues (Tummala-Nala, 2004).
Supervisory competencies and
strategies for addressing diversity
While there is no one approach to developing cultural competence for clinical supervision,
there are a variety of methods that can assist supervisors. It is critical that
supervisors “walk the talk.” The walk is a journey that enhances personal growth and
identity development. “Culturally skilled counselors are constantly seeking to understand
themselves as racial and cultural beings and are actively seeking a nonracist identity”
(Pedersen, 2000, p. 20). The cultural awareness and skill development of clinical staff
is often dependent upon clinical supervisors who consistently model behaviour that
is reflective and acknowledges the power held in a supervisory relationship.
Clinical supervisors are in the unique position to be mentors, teachers, supporters
and evaluators. This unique relationship of supervisor-supervisee is markedly different
than the relationship staff members form with a client (Baird, 1999). Culturally
competent supervisors are able to understand and put into perspective the worldviews
of their diverse supervisees and clients and reflect the experience to the staff.
During supervision they are able to create a positive environment where there is
an opportunity for staff members to address and discuss issues that may be related
to culture in an open and explicit manner (D’Andrea & Daniels, 1997). Culturally
competent supervisors have the ability to work across cultures and work with clinical
staff to do the same.
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