Harmful supervision, a cause for alarm: Comment on Gray et al. (2001) and Nelson and Friedlander (2001)

The research presented by L. A. Gray, N. Ladany, J. A. Walker, and J. R. An cis (2001) and by M. L. Nelson and M. L. Friedlander (2001) offers an impor tant leap forward in understanding what contributes to problematic clinical supervision. First, to organize and extend this line of inquiry, the autho r proposes that a distinction be made between bad supervision (ineffective supervision that does not harm or traumatize the supervisee) and harmful su pervision (supervision that harms or traumatizes the supervisee). Second, t he author highlights the data from the 2 studies that were found most strik ing and disquieting (e.g., a sizable portion of the respondents experienced harmful supervision) and discusses the implications of these data. Third, the author offers 5 recommendations for research, practice, and the psychol ogy profession.