Supervisor countertransference: A qualitative investigation into its identification and description

Interviews were conducted with II psychotherapy supervisors about an experi ence of supervisor countertransference with a predoctoral intern. On the ba sis da qualitative analysis, results revealed that supervisor countertransf erence manifestations consisted of affective (e.g., emotional distress), co gnitive (e.g., questioning one's own competence), and behavioral (e.g,, dis engagement components. Sources of supervisor countertransference always inc luded both the intern's interpersonal style and the supervisor's unresolved personal issues and at times pertained to intern-supervision environment i nteractions, problematic client-intern interactions, intern-supervisor inte ractions, and supervisor-supervision environment interactions. Supervisors typically believed their supervisor countertransference initially weakened but eventually strengthened the supervisory relationship. Most supervisors managed their supervisor countertransference reaction by talking with colle agues, and most acknowledged they had received little or no training in add ressing supervisor countertransference issues with trainees.