Cognitive therapy supervision as a framework for clinical supervision in nursing: using structure to guide discovery

Cognitive therapy has an undisputed evidence base upon which its clinical a pplication flourishes. This approach is now a well-recognized and widely ad opted method used in the treatment of a diversity of psychological problems . More recently, prominent innovators of this psychotherapy have devised a framework to guide the clinical supervision of cognitive therapists. In kee ping with its therapeutic application, the cognitive therapy framework for supervision is focused, structured, educational and collaborative. It serve s to enhance the therapeutic proficiency of the cognitive therapist. In con trast, the supervision models reported in the recent nursing literature are less precise in their mission and when evaluated their contribution to nur sing is shown to be dubious. Following an overview of the supervision model s commonly cited in the nursing literature, a more focused comment on the e valuative research concerning Proctor's three-function interactive model wi ll be offered. It is suggested that the unconvincing research findings may be related to the conceptual muddle surrounding clinical supervision, and t he expectation for clinical supervision to deliver more than an opportunity for the progression of our therapeutic integrity. From this, a cognitive t herapy supervision framework is described and suggested by the authors as a structure from which supervisors can guide discovery.