Supervision of Psychotherapy with Videotape: Pros and Cons

A combination of videotape and freewheeling is believed to be the most effective way of conveying to the beginning psychotherapist those elements of psychotherapy which can be learned through supervision.

Abstract

Videotape can markedly enhance supervision of the psychotherapist in training. It accurately records the session for later discussion and uniquely permits observation of the participants' nonverbal communication. However, the system is time-consuming and examines only the details of the psychotherapy. The author believes that a combination of videotape and freewheeling. imaginative discussion and synthesis of the case as a whole constitutes the most effective way of conveying to the beginning psychotherapist those elements of psychotherapy which can be learned through supervision.