Sexual Orientation Dynamics in Clinical Supervision

Some practitioners may question why sexual orientation would be discussed in clinical supervision dynamics. Such questions are significant because both supervisees and supervisors need to be aware of the potential issues that can either facilitate or disrupt a supervisory dynamic. Neither the supervisor nor the supervisee should assume anything about the other’s sexual orientation (or the “outness” of one’s sexual orientation identity), regardless of whether it is a mixed sexual orientation dyad (e.g., heterosexual supervisor and queer supervisee) or a similar sexual orientation dyad (e.g., a gay supervisor and a lesbian supervisee). It is also important to be mindful of the power issues that can arise between the supervisor and the supervisee. Like any supervisee, there is a desire to please and be judged favorably, ...