| Abstract: | Argues that just as infants not left alone (in the marginal presence of their mothers) will not find their true selves, but will develop false selves with conformative tendencies (D. W. Winnicott, 1965), supervisees not left to discover their professional selves in the marginal presence of their supervisors will not develop true professional selves. A false self will then emerge in the place of an authentically experiencing one. This false self will conform to the perceived needs and demands of supervisors, teachers, and various clinical tests. Supervisors must balance the welfare of the patient with the professional developmental needs of the supervisee. A case study is presented as illustrative. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
