Broadening the "ports of entry" for speech-language pathologists: a relational and reflective model for clinical...

To offer a framework for clinical supervision in speech-language pathology that embeds a mental health perspective within the study of communication sciences and disorders.

Key mental health constructs are examined as to how they are applied in traditional versus relational and reflective supervision models. Comparisons between traditional and relational and reflective approaches are outlined, with reference to each mental health construct and the developmental level of the supervisee. Three stages of supervisee development are proposed based on research from various disciplines, including nursing, psychology, speech-language pathology, social work, and education. Each developmental stage is characterized by shifts or changes in the supervisee's underlying assumptions, beliefs, and patterns of behavior.

This article makes the case that both the cognitive and affective dimensions of the supervisor-supervisee relationship need to be addressed without minimizing the necessary development of discipline-specific expertise. The developmental stages outlined in this paradigm can be used to understand supervisees' patterns of change and growth over time, as well as to create optimal learning environments that match their developmental level and knowledge base.