International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy

Received: 02.03.2025; Accepted: 22.03.2025; Published: 15.05.2025

   Therapeutic efficacy, competency development, and professional development all depend on psychotherapy supervision in great measure. Using data from the Web of Science Core Collection, this work investigates the co-occurrence of keywords in the scientific literature on psychotherapy supervision using bibliometric analysis. Analyzed were386 papers in total, finding 937 distinct keywords of which 139 satisfied the minimal co-occurrence criterion of three. We produced network and overlay visualizations to map theme structures and changing research trends using VOSviewer. Key groupings discovered by the study included competency, therapeutic partnerships, nondisclosure, and multicultural issues in supervision underlining competence and supervision paradigms. Results show a growing emphasis on evidence-based supervision, professional development, and the part that disclosure dynamics and culture play in supervising relationships. The results offer a methodical summary of study paths and draw attention to important topics for further psychotherapy supervision investigation.

Bibliometric analysis, psychotherapy supervision, keyword co-occurrence, professional development, supervision models, therapeutic alliance, evidence-based supervision

1. Anderson, S. A., Rigazio-DiGilio, S. A., & Kunkler, K. P. (1995). Training and supervision in family therapy: Current issues and future directions. Family Relations, 489-500.
2. Auckenthaler, A. (1999). Supervision of psychotherapy: claims, facts and trends: Behauptungen–Fakten–Trends. Psychotherapeut, 44, 139-152.
3. Beinart, H. (2014). Building and sustaining the supervisory relationship. The Wiley international handbook of clinical supervision, 255-281.
4. Creaner, M. (2014). Current trends in clinical supervision: Introduction to the special section. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 27(4), 325-333.
5. Gammon, D., Sørlie, T., Bergvik, S., & Sørensen Høifødt, T. (1998). Psychotherapy supervision conducted via videoconferencing: A qualitative study of users’ experiences. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 52(5), 411-421.
6. Hall, R. C., Macvaugh, G. S., Merideth, P., & Montgomery, J. (2007). Commentary: Delving further into liability for psychotherapy supervision. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online, 35(2), 196-199.
7. Johnson, E. A. (2019). Recommendations to enhance psychotherapy supervision in psychology. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 60(4), 290.
8. Ladany, N., & Walker, J. A. (2003). Supervisor self‐disclosure: Balancing the uncontrollable narcissist with the indomitable altruist. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(5), 611-621.
9. Minieri, A. M., Reese, R. J., Miserocchi, K. M., & Pascale-Hague, D. (2015). Using client feedback in training of future counseling psychologists: An evidence-based and social justice practice. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 28(3), 305-323.
10. Murphy, D., Slovak, P., Thieme, A., Jackson, D., Olivier, P., & Fitzpatrick, G. (2019). Developing technology to enhance learning interpersonal skills in counsellor education. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 47(3), 328-341.
11. Nelson, M. L., & Friedlander, M. L. (2001). A close look at conflictual supervisory relationships: The trainee’s perspective. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 48(4), 384.
12. Ögren, M. L., & Sundin, E. C. (2007). Experiences of the group format in psychotherapy supervision. The Clinical Supervisor, 25(1-2), 69-82.
13. Ögren, M. L., & Sundin, E. C. (2009). Group supervision in psychotherapy. Main findings from a Swedish research project on psychotherapy supervision in a group format. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 37(2), 129-139.
14. Passmore, G., Turner, A., Prescott, J., Passmore, G., Turner, A., & Prescott, J. (2019). The Future of ISA, Mentoring and Professional Development. Identity Structure Analysis and Teacher Mentorship: Across the Context of Schools and the Individual, 137-172.
15. Plakun, E. M. (2023). Afterword to” When the Supervisor Needs a Supervisor: A Case-based Guide for Developing Psychotherapy Supervisors”. Journal of psychiatric practice, 29(1), 42-48.
16. Rodenhauser, P. (1996). On the future of psychotherapy supervision in psychiatry. Academic Psychiatry, 20(2), 82-91.
17. Rojas, A., Arbuckle, M., & Cabaniss, D. (2010). Don’t leave teaching to chance: Learning objectives for psychodynamic psychotherapy supervision. Academic Psychiatry, 34, 46-49.
18. Watkins Jr, C. E. (2012). Some thoughts about parallel process and psychotherapy supervision: when is a parallel just a parallel?. Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.), 49(3), 344-6.
19. Watkins Jr, C. E. (2017). How does psychotherapy supervision work? Contributions of connection, conception, allegiance, alignment, and action. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 27(2), 201.
20. Watkins Jr, C. E. (2017). On principles of educational change and principled action in psychotherapy supervision. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 47(3), 163-172.
21. Watkins Jr, C. E., & Riggs, S. A. (2012). Psychotherapy supervision and attachment theory: Review, reflections, and recommendations. The Clinical Supervisor, 31(2), 256-289.
22. Watkins Jr, C. E., Cădariu, I. E., & Vîşcu, L. I. (2024). “Let Us Begin Well Together”: A Preparation-Positivity-Purpose Checklist for Helping Beginning Supervisors Optimize the Start of Supervision. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 54(4), 363-372.
23. Watkins Jr, C. E., Cădariu, I. E., Vîşcu, L. I., & Viliūnienė, R. (2024). Psychotherapy Supervision: An Invitational, Clarifying, Educational, Empowering, and Transparent (ICEE-T) Written Agreement. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 77(4), 195-199.
24. Watkins Jr, C. E., Vîşcu, L. I., & Cadariu, I. E. (2021). Psychotherapy supervision research: On roadblocks, remedies, and recommendations. European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling, 23(1), 8-25.
25. Watkins, C. E. (2012). Contemporary visions of psychotherapy supervision: Sharing perspective, identifying need, and charting possibility. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 42, 125-127.
26. Watkins, C. E. (2012). Psychotherapy supervision in the new millennium: Competency-based, evidence-based, particularized, and energized. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 42, 193-203.
27. Watkins, C. E. (2014). The supervisory alliance as quintessential integrative variable. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 44, 151-161.
28. Weerasekera, P. (2013). The state of psychotherapy supervision: recommendations for future training. International Review of Psychiatry, 25(3), 255-264.
29. Westefeld, J. S. (2009). Supervision of psychotherapy: Models, issues, and recommendations. The Counseling Psychologist, 37(2), 296-316.
30. Worthington, E. L., & Stern, A. (1985). Effects of supervisor and supervisee degree level and gender on the supervisory relationship. Journal of Counseling psychology, 32(2), 252.