The Concept of ‘Parallel Process’ In Clinical Supervision, And Its
Educational Potential for Trainee Psychodynamic Psychotherapists.
© Stephen Power
Hawthorne Resolutions Training
Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland
Email: Stephenpower1@eircom.net
Dissertation Submitted As Course Requirement Of The M.A. In Educational
Studies For Health, Southbank University, 1997
Abstract and Introduction only
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Abstract
‘The Concept Of ‘Parallel Process’ In Clinical Supervision, And Its
Educational Potential For Trainee Psychodynamic Psychotherapists.’
Stephen Robert Power, August 1997.
Through examination of contemporary psychoanalytic literature and a limited
study, this research will explore the educational potential of the phenomenon of
Parallel Process in clinical supervision for psychodynamic psychotherapists.
The introduction to the study outlines the intentions of the research, and offers a
reflection on its early use by the researcher, which led to his interest in the
concept. The literature review describes the concept and charts its origins from its
earliest manifestation as a reflection of the therapy situation (Searles, 1955), to the
current understanding of the term. It then critically examines previous studies into
the phenomenon - in particular the work of Doehrman (1976) - and considers the
similarity and differences of the phenomenon with that of other psychoanalytical
concepts, including Transference, Countertransference and Projective
Identification. Critical analysis of the literature also defines the work of clinical
supervisors of psychodynamic therapists and explores the various functions of
psychodynamic supervision.
A discussion of the role of the supervisor as an ‘educator’ differentiates between
instruction where the focus is an inanimate object and the teaching of trainee
psychotherapists who have in their care, human beings with thoughts, feelings and
minds of their own.
A limited research study which attempts to answer questions regarding the
educational potential of Parallel Process interventions is fully described, and some
evidence of the use of such interventions as educational tools has been offered. In
one case, a Parallel Process intervention offered by a psychodynamic supervisor
led to a change in the supervisory relationship and progress in the therapy under
observation.
Finally, this researcher has outlines limitations of his study which he feels that he
will need to address in order to make a more thorough examination of the topic in
the future and makes recommendations for further studies in the field.
This dissertation was submitted as a course requirement of the M.A. In
Educational Studies For Health, at Southbank University, London.
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Chapter 1
Introduction And Research Purpose
1.1 Overview
An interesting phenomenon of psychodynamic psychotherapy, is that the personal
responses of the patient to the therapist, may be not be confined to the therapy
relationship and may be seen to be repeated (or ‘Paralleled’) in the therapist’s
relationship with his supervisor. This pattern of repeating is not necessarily one
that the therapist is aware of - to use a Freudian concept (Freud, 1912, 1915) it is
an ‘unconscious process’ - and it may happen when the therapist is particularly
‘stuck’ in his work with the patient, or unable to express a feeling or idea by any
other means than by demonstrating it through his unconscious actions.
Hawkins & Shohet (1989), state that this function, which usually operates at the
‘unconscious’ or possibly ‘pre-conscious’ level of the psyche, serves two
purposes for the supervisee: One is that it is a form of discharge - “I will do to
you what he has done to me and you see how you like it”, and the second is an
attempt to solve the problem through re-enacting it within the here-and-now
relationship.
For example, the therapist who describes to his supervisor a patient who appears
very withholding (perhaps because he had a parent who was also withholding)
may do so in a way that appears to the supervisor as also withholding. In effect
the therapist has ‘become’ the patient and in doing so, attempts to turn the
supervisor into the therapist.
1.2 A Personal Reflection On The Use Of The Parallel Process
I first became aware of the possibility of this exciting phenomenon some years
ago when supervising a psychotherapist (‘Kate’) for a patient that she was
treating. Kate had been telling another supervisee (‘David’) and myself that her
client, a young woman called ‘Mary’, was constantly looking to Kate for direct
solutions to her problems, without ever trying to work on them herself. Kate had
made several carefully thought-out interventions to try and help Mary to find her
own answers - but had met with little success.
Despite being thwarted by Kate’s constant rebuttals and obvious unwillingness to
solve her problems for her, Mary had expressed no anger directly at Kate, but
failed to attend her last appointment for psychotherapy. This was discussed
during supervision in terms of Mary’s possible need for parenting, and her
difficulty in expressing anger directly to those that she also looks to for help, and
love.
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It seemed, to us, possible that Mary was feeling let down by Kate, and that her
absence from therapy could be interpreted as an expression of her anger, which
she would never have been able to express directly, for fear of the dire
consequences (i.e. being rejected by Kate).
Kate then expressed empathy with Mary, saying that she felt sad that Mary had
obviously not got the answers that she needed, and could understand how she may
be feeling let down. David commented that Kate might also be feeling let down,
by psychotherapy, because she had not got enough from it to enable her to help
Mary; to which Kate replied, laughing, “you may be right”.
I told Kate that she might be feeling particularly angry with me, as - given that I
was her supervisor - I was the one in a position to help her just as she was in a
position to help Mary. I seems, I suggested, that I had not given her enough of the
‘answers’ to assist her in helping Mary, over recent weeks.
Kate’s expression changed dramatically and she folded her arms and glowered
intently at me before saying: “Yes, I am angry. You are my supervisor, but you
don’t tell me what to do, even though you have the most experience. I have been
looking to you for some answers for weeks and I still haven’t got them.”
After Kate had vented her feelings further, I then said: “I guess that Mary might
be feeling in a similar way towards you, as you are feeling towards me at the
moment. You are aware of the value of allowing people to find their own answers
to problems, and you have been careful to work in that way with Mary.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t stopped Mary from being angry because she feels you
could have done more for her. I have worked in a similar way with you and even
though you appreciate the value of my methods, it hasn’t prevented you from
being angry with me. In some ways, I think you might be telling us just how Mary
is feeling about you. The main difference is that you have expressed the feelings
directly, but she has expressed them in an indirect, and possibly less satisfactory
way, because she is afraid of your response.
Kate was able to use the insights gained from this, difficult but ultimately
educational supervision session to help Mary express, more directly, her feelings
of anger and disappointment and to understand their roots in her early childhood
experiences (Power 1994b).
This was the first time that I had personally experienced the powerful effects of
what I later understood as ‘Parallel Process’. It is perfectly possible, of course,
that there was no connection between Kate and Mary’s therapy session and our
supervision meeting and that I had fabricated the links between the two apparently
disparate situations. However, it made sense to Kate and she was able to use the
experience to help Mary.
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Generally I find the use of ‘Parallel Process’, personally difficult and challenging,
in that it brings real emotions into the otherwise serene and - sometimes sterile supervision arena and may, in some cases be seen as a way of avoiding feelings
that may be entirely directed at me, the supervisor, in the first place.
I also consider it to be it a fascinating and stimulating concept, that may have
powerful educational potential for the clinical supervisee and one that will
ultimately benefit the patient. That first ‘taste’ of the parallel process stimulated
my thirst for more information about its existence and how best it can be used by
supervisors.
1.3 Research Purpose
It is the purpose of this study to:
1.
Examine contemporary literature on the phenomenon of ‘Parallel
Process’ in clinical supervision for psychodynamic psychotherapists and
to assertain if there is agreement or otherwise on:
a) The reality of the phenomenon.
b) Reasons for its occurrence.
c) Ways in which it can be used as a teaching and learning aid for trainee
psychotherapists.
2.
Examine, through the use of questionnaires - to a small sample group of
psychodynamic supervisors and their supervisees - the possible
educational potential of supervisory interventions specifically intended to
make dynamic links between the therapist-patient and supervisorsupervisee/therapist relationships.
1.4 Intended Outcomes Of This Study
This study intends to raise, examine and, where possible, attempt to answer the
following questions regarding the use of the Parallel Process in clinical
supervision for trainee Psychodynamic Psychotherapists:
1. Can the use of Parallel Process interventions increase the understanding
of the patient’s ‘stuckness’, ‘core conflicts’ or ‘transference’ for the
therapist?
2. Is the therapist-patient ‘working alliance’ enhanced, freed-up or
otherwise positively affected from the use of by the supervisor (and
understanding of by the supervisee) such a specific interpretation?
3. Could a parallel process interpretation have a detrimental effect on the
supervisee-supervisor relationship?
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4. How likely is it that a Parallel Process interpretation will have any
effect at all on the therapy or supervisory relationships?
5. What else might need to happen before any effect is produced?
© Stephen Power
Hawthorne Resolutions Training
Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland
Email: Stephenpower1@eircom.net
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