Student Self-Disclosure in Clinical Supervision

• Published in: Training and education in professional psychology 2019-08, Vol.13 (3), p.216-221
• Main Authors: Staples-Bradley, Lindsay K, Duda, Bryant, Gettens, Katelyn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ability; Clinicians; Graduate Students; Human; Management Personnel; Professional Competence; Professional Development; Professional Supervision; Self-Disclosure; Therapeutic Alliance
• ISSN: 1931-3918; 1931-3926
• DOI: 10.1037/tep0000242

Determining how, when, and what information to self-disclose in therapy is a sophisticated skill that, like any clinical competency, should first be rehearsed in supervision. Information such as personal reactions to patients, fears associated with professional performance, or individual factors that may impact a students' ability to carry out their duties all represent relevant material that may be discussed between students and supervisors. Supervisors, however, differ considerably on beliefs and practices about how to guide students to use self-disclosure. Moreover, there are limited guidelines on how to appropriately elicit information that is relevant and necessary for resolving clinical issues or enhancing students' development as clinicians. Previous studies have demonstrated that a strong supervisory alliance is necessary for student willingness to volunteer such information. However, even within a positive supervisory relationship, many students hesitate to self-disclose to supervisors. This article utilizes existing research and illustrative examples to suggest guidelines for supervisors to help students develop this competency in a manner that respects professional boundaries and student privacy. We argue that, for appropriate student self-disclosure to take place, supervisors must (a) establish a positive supervisory alliance, (b) communicate to the student that a particular self-disclosure will not result in negative evaluation, (c) clarify the purpose of this specific self-disclosure to the student, and (d) reinforce appropriate disclosure to address remaining fears of future repercussions for self-disclosure. Public Significance Statement This article addresses supervisee concerns associated with the practice of disclosing personal information in the context of supervision. The authors identify guidelines for supervisors to elicit self-disclosure from students for the purposes of advancing students' development or completing effective clinical interventions with patients. This is an underdiscussed topic in clinical supervision that is relevant for many supervisees.