Clinical supervision after suicide: panacea or pretence?

Abstract

Much has been made about the need for therapists to engage in clinical supervision as part of their ongoing professional development. But just how effective is supervision in instances of client suicide? This paper examines ten therapists' experiences of supervision in relation to the suicidal deaths of their clients. Data analysis using narrative methods found varying degrees of therapist satisfaction in relation to the supervisory process, and suggests that clinical supervision does not always meet the needs of therapists, post-suicide, having become, to some degree, a risk management strategy rather than an experiential arena in which to discuss valid therapeutic concerns. In an effort to ameliorate this situation, recommendations are made with regard to required changes to current supervisory frameworks and practice.