Transpersonal Approaches to Clinical Supervision

Transpersonal psychology offers clinical supervisors a framework that emphasizes an interconnected, self-expansive view of the self across time and space, and it provides a secular way to consider spirituality without supernatural assumptions. Transpersonal supervisors can challenge conventional ideas about what and how supervisees know, and even the nature of being a knower, by offering a more inclusive, holistic vantage that is critical of mainstream approaches and surpasses their ability to provide a coherent "super" vision. Background on transpersonal psychology related to the supervisor role is provided, along with discussion on how to conduct transpersonal clinical supervision and cautions about potential pitfalls.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Transpersonal psychology can provide unique approaches to clinical supervision by offering an interconnected self-expansive view of the self across time and space, as well as can provide a secular avenue to consider the importance of spirituality without relying on supernatural assumptions. Transpersonal supervisors can challenge conventional notions about what and how supervisees know, and even the nature of being a knower, through providing a more inclusive, perhaps even holistic, vantage that is both critical of mainstream approaches and surpasses their ability to provide a coherent “super” (i.e., going beyond the usual more-myopic understandings) vision. Background on transpersonal psychology related to the supervisor role is provided, and discussion on how to conduct transpersonal clinical supervision is offered, along with cautions regarding potential pitfalls in adopting this perspective.