Date of Award
Summer 2013
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
First Advisor
Burkard, Alan
Second Advisor
Knox, Sarah
Third Advisor
Edwards, Lisa
Abstract
As the paradigmatic shift of multiculturalism emerges in counseling, the constructs of culture and context warrant examination in the supervision process. With an understanding that conflict is inevitable in supervision relationships particularly when cultural topics are being discussed, investigation into the process of ruptures and rupture repair as they take place within multicultural supervision is warranted. Despite the attention paid to addressing culture in supervision, surprisingly little empirical attention has focused on supervisee experiences of ruptures in multicultural supervision. This study sought to provide a deeper understanding of supervisees' experiences of ruptures in multicultural supervision. Twelve participants were interviewed regarding their experience of ruptures in multicultural supervision. Participants described experiencing ruptures in their supervision relationships when discussing multicultural topics that were based on a variety of precipitating factors (i.e. clinical conversations, cultural identity conversations) in supervision. These ruptures proved to be difficult experiences for supervisees and resulted in negative consequences on the supervision relationship, and the participants. Some participants were able to repair these ruptures with their supervisors and others were not. The impacts of these repairs and non-repairs are also discussed in the study. Limitations and implications for training, supervision, and research are addressed.