Multicultural and Feminist
Supervision in the 21st
Century
Cindy M. Bruns, PhD and Carmen Cruz, PsyD
Who we are and our context as
presenters and supervisors
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to identify and articulate
knowledge of at least one multicultural and one
feminist model of supervision.
2) Participants will be able to identify several contextual
or identity issues that may affect the supervisory
relationship.
3) Participants will be able to apply at least one new
supervisory skill in their individual supervision of
interns.
1)
CLOSE YOUR EYES
(if comfortable)
 Mindfulness exercise to dig deep into supervisor identity
especially how it was informed for your own experiences
as a supervisee.
Brainstorming
Elements of “good” supervision
 Honesty
 Teaching/Learning
 Trust
 Respect for/valuing
difference
 Openness
 Quality relationship
 Dialogue
 Clear expectations
 Developmentally
appropriate
 Engagement in difficult
conversations
 Constructive and
supportive feedback
 Mentoring
 Feeling heard
 Others…
Brainstorming – Contextual/Identity
issues that can shape supervision
 Gender Identity
 Family of origin
 Age
 Generation of birth
 Race
 Values
 Ethnicity
 Biases
 SES
 Beliefs
 Political affiliation
 Prior learning/experiences
 Health status
 Privilege
 Ability status
 Oppression
 Nation/Region or origin
 Discrimination
 Education
 Marginalization
 Religion/Spirituality
 Others…
 Sexual orientation
 Body size/Appearance
Traditional 21st Century Supervision
 Teaching
 Consultation
 Competency Based
Supervision
 Evidenced Based
Supervision
 Multicultural issues can
be a part of these but
are not presented in
integrated ways
 Feminist principles are
largely ignored or made
invisible
Consistent Research Findings
about Supervision
 1. Power is rarely explored. Supervisors do not highlight
or discuss the power differential.
 2. The relationship is paramount.
 3. Most supervisees are anxious. Only about
approximately 10% have debilitating anxiety that affects
their performance.
 4. Many supervisors are uncomfortable providing difficult
feedback.
 #1 is SUPER important and relevant to this presentation.
Overlap of Feminist and
Multicultural Supervision Models
What is Feminist Supervision?
Definition of Feminist Supervision:
A collaborative relationship that is characterized
by mutual respect, genuine dialogue, attention
to social contextual factors, and responsible
action. It includes analysis of power,
maintenance of appropriate boundaries,
examination of the social construction of gender,
attention to diversity, social activism, and self
reflexivity (Porter & Vasquez, 1997).
Feminist Models of Supervision
 Examples of models include:
 Judith Jordan (RCT model)
 Dawn Szymanski (Feminist Supervision Scale)
 General principles:
 Analysis of gender
 Analysis of power
 Minimizing power differentials in supervision & therapy dyad
 Self-examination
 Diversity/Social Context issues
 Social justice/advocacy issues
 Last two are often through the lens of gender as it affects
other diversity/social justice issues
Feminist Supervision
 Feminist supervision models promote a lens or a way of
enacting the supervision process that is characterized
by:
 Collaboration
 Transparency
 Developmental considerations
 Active discussions of power and diversity
 Active discussion of boundaries
 Focus on social justice and advocacy rather than “just
therapy”
What is Multicultural Supervision?
Multicultural supervision refers to supervisory situations in which
supervisors and trainees examine a variety of cultural issues pertinent to
effectively counseling diverse clients (Leong & Wagner, 1994).
Multicultural supervision may involve the development of cultural
awareness, exploration of the cultural dynamics of the counseling
supervisory relationship, and discussion of the cultural assumptions of
traditional counseling theories (Robinson, Bradley, & Hendricks, 2000).
~Excerpted from Ancis & Marshall, 2010
Multicultural Models of Supervision
 Focused primarily on:
 Development of cultural awareness
 Biases, assumptions, knowledge of cultures, critique of cultural
assumptions in traditional approaches to psychology
 Processing of cultural differences
 In supervision and in therapy
 Delivery of culturally appropriate and relevant services
Multicultural Supervision Continued
 Domains of MC supervision include (Ancis & Landry
2001):
 Personal Development (for supervisee and supervisor)
 Conceptualization of the impact of cultural forces, including
oppression and discrimination, on people
 Interventions – the flexible use of interventions so they are
contextually appropriate
 Process – the ability of have open and honest conversations
about power and diversity
 Evaluation – the mandate for supervisors to remediate
weaknesses in other areas
Multicultural Models of Supervision
 Queer People of Color Resilience-Based Model (Signh &
Chun, 2010)
 Post-colonial Supervision (Hernandez & McDowell, 2010)
 Multicultural Assessment Supervision (Allen, 2007)
The Intersection of Multicultural
and Feminist Supervision
Putting it all together…
 Importance of Self-Examination (supervisor and
supervisee)
 Personal commitment to uncertainty and being
uncomfortable
 Decreasing isolation through decreasing silence
 Addressing power and privilege dynamics in ongoing way
 Deconstructing not just therapy, but supervision too
 Openness to complexity – of relationship and supervisee
development (nonlinear)
 Willingness to be human and vulnerable while also being
mentor and role model
Questions & Discussion
Discussion Questions
 How are, for you, feminist and multicultural supervision
the same or different?
 How do multicultural issues and feminism shape your
supervision practice?
 What are your reactions to feminist word and how are
you willing or not willing to use it?
 What are some sticky situations or dialogues you
encounter as you try to supervise from one or both
approaches?
 Who is a feminist or multiculturalist that you have as
your mentor/someone you emulate?
 How often, really, do you intentionally raise issues of
social justice/multiculturalism in supervision? Why or
why not?