Practicing Clinical Telesupervision During COVID-19: Chaos Into Competency

The global pandemic, COVID-19, changed how clinical supervisors conducted supervision with their supervisees. Clinical supervisors, most with limited to no training in telesupervision, shifted from providing primarily in person clinical supervision, to telesupervision. The purpose of our study was to better understand supervisor experiences of telesupervision, as well as provide a historical record of the influence of the pandemic on clinical training in mental health focused professions. We used qualitative and quantitative research methods to evaluate clinical supervisors' experiences with telesupervision precipitated by the global pandemic. We also evaluated the relationship between the working alliance and attitudes towards telesupervision. Overall, supervisors reported both benefits and challenges of engaging in telesupervision. Data revealed categories of technology, organization & productivity, and communication & connection, as the top three challenges experienced by clinical supervisors. Supervisors reported flexibility & organization, and productivity & growth, as the top two benefits of engaging in telesupervision during the pandemic. Quantitative data suggested a small to moderate, positive, relationship between supervisor perception of the working alliance and attitudes towards telesupervision. Data suggested that supervisors with more positive attitudes about telesupervision also had more positive perceptions of the working alliance. Implications for research, practice, and theory are discussed.