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Psychological safety as a foundation for equity-focused reflective supervision
Evandra Catherine1, Cinthia Palomino1, Deborah Perry2
1Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.
Infant Mental Health Journal
|May 5, 2026
Summary
Reflective supervision (RS) helps infant mental health consultants develop an equity stance. Supervisors build trust and safety, enabling consultants to discuss equity issues and promote equitable outcomes for children and families.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Mental Health Services Research
- Supervision and Consultation
Background:
- Reflective supervision (RS) is crucial for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC).
- It offers mental health consultants (MHCs) a space for reflection and professional development.
- Developing an equity stance is increasingly important in early childhood mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how MHCs develop an equity stance through RS.
- To understand the process by which supervisors foster equity-focused dialogue.
- To identify the role of safety in facilitating consultants' engagement with equity issues.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory qualitative study was conducted.
- Sixteen MHCs from a Southwestern IECMHC program participated in individual interviews.
- Data were analyzed inductively to identify patterns and develop a framework.
Main Results:
- A developmental and relational process was identified in RS.
- Supervisors' behaviors fostered trust, connection, and safety, enabling equity dialogue.
- Consultants' experiences of felt safety influenced their willingness to engage in equity discussions.
Conclusions:
- Intentional, equity-centered supervision supports MHCs' capacity for reflection.
- RS can cultivate an equity stance, promoting equitable outcomes for diverse children and families.
- Findings align with relational-developmental and parallel process models of RS.
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