Creating a Context to Provide ACT-based Contextual Behavioral Supervision: Fundamentals and Practice Sonja V. Batten, Ph.D. & Robyn D. Walser, Ph.D.

Typical supervision Supervisee conceptualizes case (a little) Supervisee conceptualizes case (a little) Supervisee reports on that case every week, commenting on what happened in session Supervisee reports on that case every week, commenting on what happened in session Supervisor gives suggestions about what the supervisee should do in the following session Supervisor gives suggestions about what the supervisee should do in the following session It is generally topical in nature It is generally topical in nature

ACT Training A process through which trainees learn to apply behavioral principles flexibly to client problems A process through which trainees learn to apply behavioral principles flexibly to client problems Certainly, even in ACT, there is a general didactic component, but there is a simultaneous focus on working through principles, and dealing with emotions in session Certainly, even in ACT, there is a general didactic component, but there is a simultaneous focus on working through principles, and dealing with emotions in session

ACT Training There are some skills that cannot be directly instructed – they are better learned through experience There are some skills that cannot be directly instructed – they are better learned through experience Supervision is a unique opportunity to model working with difficult emotions and still moving forward with values Supervision is a unique opportunity to model working with difficult emotions and still moving forward with values –Anxiety –Shame

Informed Consent If you’re going to do this type of supervision, you have to make sure that the trainee has really signed on for it If you’re going to do this type of supervision, you have to make sure that the trainee has really signed on for it –Cannot force trainees to disclose personal information during the course of supervision –Power differential –Provide an appropriate, sound rationale for working with emotions in supervision

So, does this mean that the goal is to make my supervisees cry???

NO!!!

In fact, humor and irreverance for the purpose of defusion are equally (if not more) likely to occur than crying in ACT-based supervision!

Additional Considerations Effective training in this model can focus on: Effective training in this model can focus on: –What has been going on in the session –Working through specific protocols –Emotional reactions that show up in supervision when discussing the client/session –Role plays or exercises with the supervisor –Issues that come up in the supervisory relationship

Additional Considerations How to decide whether certain emotional topics are appropriate for supervision vs. for the trainees own therapy How to decide whether certain emotional topics are appropriate for supervision vs. for the trainees own therapy When is it time to refer your trainee to therapy? When is it time to refer your trainee to therapy?

Obvious forms of avoidance Carrying protocol into session Carrying protocol into session Reading metaphors/exercises Reading metaphors/exercises Sticking to an agenda no matter what Sticking to an agenda no matter what One metaphor after another One metaphor after another Poor eye contact Poor eye contact Obvious body language Obvious body language Ignoring emotion Ignoring emotion Eating/drinking Eating/drinking

Subtle forms of avoidance Continuous talk Continuous talk Moving quickly to problem solve Moving quickly to problem solve Moving quickly to provide comfort Moving quickly to provide comfort Excessive talking during session Excessive talking during session Leaving a topic too quickly Leaving a topic too quickly Describing and intellectualizing Describing and intellectualizing Being rule-bound Being rule-bound What else? What else?

So, does this mean avoidance is bad? No! No! This is something we see frequently in those initially learning ACT This is something we see frequently in those initially learning ACT The goal is to learn to flexibly identify whether avoidance is or is not workable for a given individual in a given circumstance The goal is to learn to flexibly identify whether avoidance is or is not workable for a given individual in a given circumstance

Special Considerations Group supervison Group supervison Supervision via remote technology Supervision via remote technology

Supervisory Posture Nonjudgmental Nonjudgmental Work on instilling faith, hope Work on instilling faith, hope Modeling of not being perfect Modeling of not being perfect Solid and reliable Solid and reliable