Parallel Process in Supervision

1 April 1994 EDO-CG-94-15 Parallel Process in SupervisionMarie B. SumerelIntroductionThe concept of Parallel Process has its origin in thepsychoanalytic concepts of transference and countertrans-ference. The transference occurs when the counselor rec-reates the presenting problem and emotions of the thera-peutic relationship within the supervisory occurs when the supervisorresponds to the counselor in the same manner that thecounselor responds to the client. Thus, the supervisoryinteraction replays, or is Parallel with, the counseling and countertransference are covertbehaviors. Identifying their occurence requires an acuteand on-going awareness of one s own issues and theevents that trigger the issues. But awareness of oneself isonly the first step. Using the awareness as an interven-tion in facilitating growth in the counselor, and thus help-ing the client, is the ultimate of Parallel ProcessOriginally, Parallel Process was perceived to beginonly as transference, when the counselor acted out theclient s issues in Supervision .

2 Searles (1955) made the firstreference to Parallel Process , labeling it a reflection pro-cess. He suggested that processes at work currently inthe relationship between patient and therapist are oftenreflected in the relationship between therapist and super-visor (p. 135). Searles believed that the emotion orreflection experienced by the supervisor was the sameemotion felt by the counselor in the therapeutic relation-ship. Although Searles recognized that the supervisor sreactions also might be colored by his/her past, this wasnot the focus of the reflection hypotheses exist for why the counselor mayexhibit the reflection Process . First, the counselor maylook inward for similarities between himself/herself andhis/her client as a means to develop a therapeutic strat-egy that is appropriate, thus tapping into the same issueas that of the client. Secondly, counselors mayoveridentify with their clients and be uncertain of how toproceed with therapy (Russell, Crimmings, & Lent, 1984).

3 Wanting the supervisor to feel the same feelings they hadexperienced with the client, the counselor unconsciouslyrecreates the problem experienced in the therapeuticrelationship in an effort to get the supervisor to modelappropriate responses or make suggestions for resolutionof the problem (Mueller & Kell, 1972).Doehrman (1976) believed that Searles (1955) reflec-tive Process was too limited in scope. In a classic study,she found that Parallel Process could be bidirectional. Infact, all four therapists in her study identified with theirsupervisor to the point of playing (or paralleling) theirsupervisor with their clients. In psychoanalytic terms,this form of Parallel Process is countertransference. Sev-eral scenarios can be drawn to relate how this may , the supervisor may believe a discussion of thesupervisor s or counselor s emotions are not appropri-ate for Supervision but should be addressed in thecounselor s personal therapy sessions.

4 The supervisor,however, responds unconsciously to the counselor s emo-tions and the counselor responds in the same way withthe client, thereby creating the Parallel Process . Secondly,the supervisor may impose his/her values on the coun-selor who then imposes the values on the client. Third,supervisors who are inexperienced and have not acceptedtheir role as teacher/supervisor may act out their discom-fort with the counselor in the supervisory counselor, then, exhibits discomfort in the therapeu-tic relationship with the client. Finally, the supervisormay become impatient with the counselor in the super-visory relationship. The Parallel occurs when the coun-selor exhibits the impatience he/she felt with the super-visor in the therapeutic relationship with the should supervisors respond to Parallel Process ?Several authors ( , Doehrman, 1976; Loganbill,Hardy, & Delworth, 1982; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987)believe that it is important to the quality of supervisionto respond to the Parallel Process when it is have asserted that examination of Parallel processesencourage counselor growth.

5 In fact, Doehrman (1976)found that only when the Parallel Process was resolveddid the clients need not be only a teaching Process thatemphasizes theories and techniques (Ekstein &Wallerstein, 1972). Supervision can provide an experi-ence for counselors to learn how to use themselves in thecounselor/client relationship. By discussing the parallelprocess in Supervision , the counselor will become awareof how oneself is involved in the therapeutic and super-visory should supervisors respond to Parallel Process ?Authors of developmental models (Loganbill et al.,1982; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987) suggest that the tim-ing for discussing Parallel Process issues is indicate that beginning counselors do not possessthe self-awareness and insight needed to deal with trans-ference and countertransference issues. Unaware of howthey may impact the therapeutic relationship, they aremore concerned with learning techniques and transference issues are discussed, beginning coun-selors may become defensive and experience an increasein anxiety.

6 Doehrman (1976), for instance, reported thatthe only entry-level counselor in her study was not ableto gain insight into the transference and countertransfer-ence issues in Supervision and, therefore, terminated and Worthen (1989), however, indicated thatdiscussion of Parallel Process issues could occur withentry level counselors. They suggested that the interven-tions should be simple and concrete, and focus primarilyon self-awareness issues. Giving specific examples thatare obvious in the supervisory and therapeutic relation-ships help the counselor understand the dynamics thatare occurring. The specificity reduces the counselor sanxiety and provides a framework in which learning andself-awareness can DigestERIC Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced and disseminated. This publication was funded by the Depart-ment of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Contract No.

7 RR93002004. Opinions expressed in this report do notnecessarily reflect the positions of the Department of Education, OERI or information on other ERIC/CASS products and services, please call toll-free (800) 414-9769 or (910) 334-4114 or fax (910)334-4116 or write ERIC/CASS, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC advanced and experienced counselors, on the otherhand, have developed a capacity to understand and absorbself knowledge gained through transference and counter-transference reactions in their therapeutic relationships(Loganbill et al., 1982; McNeill & Worthen, 1989; Stoltenberg& Delworth, 1987). Advanced counselors are less defensivewith regard to their issues and identity becoming the focusin Supervision and, therefore, are more inclined to discusshow these issues are affecting the therapeutic have developed therapeutic skills and techniques andhave the capacity to address more advanced and conceptualissues such as Parallel though advanced counselors are more interestedin discussing the transference and countertransference issues,however, supervisors can overemphasize the Parallel processto a point that is exhausting for the counselor (McNeill &Worthen, 1989).

8 Therefore, how and when the Parallel pro-cess interventions are used is important to their success infacilitating growth and self-awareness in the must exhibit caution, as there is a proclivity tocross the line from a supervisory relationship to a therapeu-tic relationship when Parallel Process issues are (1976) found a form of Parallel Process in eachof the supervisory relationships she studied, thereforeimplying that it is a universal phenomenon. She posited thatthe supervisor should always be aware of how the therapeu-tic relationship and client issues are presented by the coun-selor in the supervisory session. If the Parallel Process is notworked through in Supervision , both the supervisory andtherapeutic relationships will , (1976). Parallel Processes In SupervisionAnd Psychotherapy. Bulletin Of The Menninger Clinic, 40, , R., & Wallerstein, (1972).

9 The Teaching And Learn-ing Of Psychotherapy. (2Nd Ed.). New York: , C., Hardy, E., & Delworth, U. (1982). Supervi-sion: A Conceptual Model. The Counseling Psychologist,10(1), , , & Worthen, V. (1989). The Parallel Process InPsychotherapy Supervision . Professional Psychology, 20, , W. J., & Kell, B. L. (1972). Coping With Conflict: Su-pervising Counselors And Psychotherapists. Englewood, , , Crimmings, , & Lent, (1984). Coun-selor Training And Supervision : Theory And S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Handbook Of Counsel-ing Psychology (Pp. 625-681). New York: , (1955). The Informational Value Of TheSupervisor s Emotional Experience. Psychiatry, 18, , , & Delworth, U. (1987). Supervising Coun-selors And Therapists: A Developmental Approach. San Fran-cisco: B. Sumerel, , is a counselor in Raleigh, NC.