Abstract
Narrative Group Supervision, a unique approach to clinical supervision based on the telling and retelling of trainees’ stories, is proposed as a model for enhancing the training of school psychology interns. This article reviews the goals of narrative supervision, implementation of the method, potential advantages of narratives in supervision over non-narrative approaches, and specific implications for the training of school psychologists. Sample narratives are provided and discussed. In almost all of the helping professions, students and supervisors alike value field placements as critical, integral components of the training process. The notion of “learning by doing” is perceived as a bridge between didactic coursework and independent practice, as well as a transition from theoretical foundations to applied work (Baird, 1996). Practica, internships, and other supervised field placements provide trainees the opportunity to work in Vygotsky’s (1999) zone of proximal development with the support and guidance of supervision, or in Vygotsky’s terminology, scaffolding. This article developed out of the first author’s experiences providing supervision to specialist-level school psychology interns. Student interns receive supervision both from university faculty and licensed professionals at the internship sites. This dual supervision provides interns with hands-on, ongoing contact with an immediate site supervisor, as well as a continuous opportunity to discuss training experiences with university faculty. At least once over the course of a semester, the university faculty meet with the interns and their site supervisors at the field placement for face- to-face, group supervision. University faculty also provide structured supervision for interns at the university once per semester and are available as needed to trainees throughout the duration of the field placement. Through the use of observation, student activity logs, and structured, face-to- face supervision, trainees and supervisors strive to better understand the training experience, identify strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and monitor progress. University and clinical supervision depend greatly on the trainee’s reporting of activities, perceptions, and subjective experiences. Noting the importance of students’ narratives, we have been exploring the application of storytelling to the supervision process. This article proposes a unique approach to supervision, narrative group supervision (NGS), to meet both students’ and supervisors’ needs.
