Constructive Clinical Supervision in Counseling and Psychotherapy

Constructive Clinical Supervision in Counseling and Psychotherapy articulates a practical, theoretical approach to supervision that integrates salient elements of a number of diverse but complementary theoretical perspectives from the fields of human development, psychotherapy, and clinical supervision to assist in facilitating supervisee growth and change from a constructivist framework. This constructive approach to supervision is designed to serve as a practical, integrative meta-theory for supervisors of any theoretical orientation. For readers who already identify with constructivist ideas, this book will provide a theoretical grounding for their work, along with strategies to deepen their clinical practice. For those who are new to constructivist thinking, this book offers an innovative possibility for conceptualizing their role as clinical supervisors and alternative interventions to consider during times of impasse.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Bernard Preface 1. A Brief Introduction to Constructivist Counseling, Development, and Learning 2. Influential Theories of Psychotherapy 3. The Process of Constructivist Clinical Supervision 4. Reflective Activities 5. Assessment 6. Answers to Common Questions about Constructive Clinical Supervision Appendix

About the Author :
Douglas A. Guiffrida, PhD, is associate professor in the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester. He is an approved clinical supervisor, a nationally certified counselor, and a licensed mental health counselor in New York State.

Review :
"The balance of theoretical concepts with practical ways of working, illustrated with examples from the authors own experience, make this an absorbing and accessible read . . . I found [this book] highly relevant to me as a supervisor and wished I could have read it when I was in training as supervisor. I have no hesitation in recommending it to fledgling and experienced supervisors alike."—Helen Tattersall in Private Practice, a journal of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy "Professor Guiffrida has written a book that all supervisors will want to own. His articulation of a constructivist model is clear and compelling, and his liberal use of metaphor is both engaging and consistent with the constructivist approach. Regardless of their theoretical orientations, though, supervisors will appreciate the exercises he suggests as means to expand supervisees’ awareness of process and to facilitate their reflection."—Rodney K. Goodyear, PhD, professor, school of education, University of Redlands "Like therapy, clinical supervision begins with who you are, and extends to what you do. In this thoughtful gem of a book, Guiffrida deftly demonstrates his inveterate constructivist respect for the meaning-making capacities of those therapists he mentors, engaging them in a deep-going dialogue that sharpens their own skills as reflective practitioners. I found his approach as practically presented as it was conceptually coherent, and I am confident that this book will polish my own skills as a constructive supervisor fully as much as it will add new dimensions to the practice of my more cognitive behavioral colleagues." —Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD, author of Constructivist Psychotherapy and editor of the Journal of Constructivist Psychology "This volume is a rare find for a clinical supervisor: a book that is both theoretically informed and yet at the same time clinically practical. It is both useful for the teaching of supervision at the graduate level and also for inspiring thoughtful reflections among even the most experienced supervisors." —Richard M. Ryan, PhD, professor, Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University, and professor of clinical psychology, University of Rochester "As someone outside the constructivist mindset, I experience this book as both inviting and intriguing. I am confident that it will resonate with many supervisors-in-training as they attempt to find an approach that honors their personal principles." —from the foreword by Janine M. Bernard, PhD, professor and doctoral program coordinator of counseling and counselor education at Syracuse University "I found Dr. Douglas Guiffrida’s work to be very thoughtful, integrative, and novel. I found myself reading this work slowly because I wanted to more fully consider and reflect on his unique ideas for conducting constructive clinical supervision."—L. DiAnne Borders, PhD, Burlington Industries Excellence Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro "The book highlights the benefits of the constructivist counseling approach to promoting supervisee development and learning. [...] This book highlights the importance of supervisors being mindful of how they are facilitating the growth and maturity of their supervisees. [...] Guiffrida also provides activities to help facilitate a supervisee's growth and development. And when it comes to delivering difficult feedback to supervisees, the author covers that, too. Overall, the book is a short, engaging and easy read that can add a great deal of insight to the new or seasoned supervisor looking for a different way to educate professionals in training. [...] Worth your time!" --Tamara Hill, MS, PsychCentral "Consturctive Clinical Supervision in Counseling and Psychotherapy by Douglas Guiffrida is a very different and a very interesting approach to clincial supervision... After reading the book, I wondered why I had used any other model of supervision... I believe that using this approach could produce better clinicians in a shorter amount of time, benefitting the client and the clinician." -The New Social Worker "[This] book is worth reading for anyone who wishes to foster a supervisory relationship that promotes supervisee autonomy and trust in their own judgment... At the heart of it is a collaborative, trusting and genuine relationship based on the core conditions outlined by Carl Rogers in the person-centered approach. Guiffirda's background as a teacher is reflected in the way he presents each chapter - by sandwiching the main content with a brief synopsis and concluding with a summary - an approach I found helpful for processing and retaining the text. The balance of theoretical concepts with practical ways of working, illustrated with examples from the author's own experience, make this an absorbing and accessible read... I enjoyed reading this book; it is very accessible while being a rich source of material. It left me with a desire and motivation to learn more about a constructive approach to therapy. I found it highly relevant to me as a supervisor and wished I could have read it when I was in supervision training. I have no hesitation in recommending it to fledgling and experience supervisors alike." - Helen Tattersall, British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy Private Practice Journal