Supervisor countertransference: A qualitative investigation into its identification and description.

Abstract

Interviews were conducted with 11 psychotherapy supervisors about an experience of supervisor countertransference with a predoctoral intern. On the basis of a qualitative analysis, results revealed that supervisor countertransference manifestations consisted of affective (e.g., emotional distress), cognitive (e.g., questioning one's own competence), and behavioral (e.g., disengagement) components. Sources of supervisor countertransference always included both the intern's interpersonal style and the supervisor's unresolved personal issues and at times pertained to intern-supervision environment interactions, problematic client-intern interactions, intern-supervisor interactions, and supervisor-supervision environment interactions. Supervisors typically believed their supervisor countertransference initially weakened but eventually strengthened the supervisory relationship. Most supervisors managed their supervisor countertransference reaction by talking with colleagues, and most acknowledged they had received little or no training in addressing supervisor countertransference issues with trainees.