By Dr Melody Smith, Clinical Psychologist
If you’ve ever found yourself reacting strangely during a supervision session feeling unusually nervous, unsure, or even frustrated without knowing why you might have experienced something called parallel process. This is when the emotional patterns between you and your client begin to show up again, often without you realising, between you and your supervisor.
It might seem a bit abstract at first but understanding parallel process can really help you get more from supervision. For trainee or aspiring clinical psychologists, supervision is a key space where much of the learning happens not just about the client but also about yourself.
In their thoughtful paper, Morrissey and Tribe (2001) explain how parallel process can be a useful part of supervision when used carefully. It can highlight blind spots, deepen understanding of your work, and support personal growth. However it needs to be handled with care especially when working with trainees who are still building confidence.
What Is Parallel Process in Simple Terms
Parallel process is when the way a therapist interacts with a client starts to repeat itself in how they interact with their supervisor. For example if you find yourself holding back from challenging a client who intimidates you, you might also become hesitant or passive in supervision. These patterns can be subtle but meaningful.
The idea originally came from psychoanalytic theory and has since gained wider attention across different approaches. It is not about blaming or diagnosing anyone. Instead it offers a chance to notice repeating patterns and understand what might be happening beneath the surface in both relationships.
Supervisors who are sensitive to these dynamics often notice their own emotional reactions such as irritation, confusion, or even boredom. Rather than dismissing these feelings they may use them to open up reflection on what is happening in the therapeutic relationship and in supervision.
Why Therapy and Supervision Often Feel Similar
It makes sense that supervision can stir up emotions that feel familiar to those we experience in therapy. Both relationships involve trust vulnerability and a degree of power imbalance. For supervisees in particular supervision can feel exposing especially if it includes formal assessment or evaluation.
Morrissey and Tribe point out that this emotional crossover is part of what makes supervision such a valuable place for learning. But they also highlight the risks if these emotional echoes go unnoticed. Misunderstandings can arise or useful insights might be missed.
For instance a supervisee might avoid discussing a client they feel unsure about just as the client avoids difficult topics in therapy. If the supervisor also avoids pressing too far perhaps to preserve the relationship both people miss the chance to understand what is going on. But if the supervisor gently explores the supervisee’s reluctance it can help build awareness and support professional growth.
When Is It Helpful to Use Parallel Process
Parallel process is a powerful idea but it should not be used too freely or too early. Morrissey and Tribe remind us that supervisors must consider whether the supervisee is ready to explore this kind of dynamic. For those new to supervision raising complex emotional patterns too soon can create anxiety or confusion.
With early stage supervisees the focus should be on building confidence and encouraging basic reflection. As they become more experienced conversations around emotional dynamics and relational patterns can become more in-depth. However even experienced supervisees may not have had much training on parallel process particularly those from cognitive behavioural or biopsychosocial backgrounds.
A good supervisor pays attention to their own reactions and gently checks in with the supervisee. This helps create a safe and reflective space where the supervisee can think more deeply about what is happening in therapy.
A Real Life Example
In the paper Morrissey and Tribe share the story of Louise a trainee counselling psychologist working with a confident client. During supervision her supervisor noticed that Louise sounded hesitant both in sessions with the client and in the way she spoke in supervision. At first Louise was unsure how to respond to this feedback but over time she reflected on her own fear of being judged.
She realised that she felt intimidated by her client’s background and status and this made her afraid of getting things wrong. This same fear was showing up in supervision where she also felt she might be seen as not good enough. Through open discussion Louise gained confidence and took more risks in her therapeutic work. Her client improved and Louise felt the experience had helped her grow.
Using Supervision to Support Your Development
Supervision is a chance to develop your awareness reflect on your growth and build strong working relationships. Parallel process gives us a way of understanding how different relationships influence one another and how unconscious patterns may be playing out in subtle ways.
Morrissey and Tribe’s paper shows that when used sensitively parallel process can offer powerful insight. It encourages us to stay curious notice how we feel in supervision and consider how those feelings might link to the client work.
Next time something feels familiar or emotionally charged in supervision take a moment to reflect. It could be an opportunity to understand something new about your client your practice or yourself.
At ACPsych we’re here to support aspiring clinical psychologists with tools courses and resources that make supervision a meaningful part of your journey. Stay reflective stay open and keep learning.
Reference
Morrissey, J., & Tribe, R. (2001). Parallel process in supervision. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 14(2), 103-110.
