Human Development is the process of bringing a younger immature person to a place of greater maturity. In a positive environment the younger individual can mature to their fullest potential. So what does Human Development have to do with Supervision of LAC’s and LAMFT’S? Regardless of your theoretical perspective, it allows you the opportunity to reach your full potential.

Basic developmental approaches utilize sequences, stages, and/or levels to evaluate the process of supervisee/supervisor growth and development. Life Span Human Development professes to be a multi-disciplinary science, borrowing from biology, psychology, education, sociology and anthropology to name a few (Baltes, 1987), to produce a 4-dimensional view of human development: biological, psychological, emotional and social development.

The Integrated Developmental Model (IDM) of supervision has a developmental approach. Stoltenberg et al., (1998), and Ronnestad and Skovholt’s (2003), write about this approach. Stoltenberg et al., (1998), approach to the model pays attention to three stages: (1) self/other awareness, (2) motivation, and (3) autonomy. Furthermore, the supervisee’s activities such as intervention skills; competence; assessment techniques; interpersonal assessment; client conceptualization; individual differences; theoretical orientation; treatment goals and plans; and professional ethics are also considered along with stages.

Ronnestad and Skovholt’s, approach to IDM also has segmented stages of developmental stages start at a pre-educational phase where an individual notices that people are often drawn to him or her, as a source of understanding and listening.

Ronnestad and Skrovholt states supervisees go through stages called: The beginning student; advanced student; novice professional; and senior professional. Stoltenber et al., states the supervisee goes through stages called: A trainee with the least experience; a supervisee in transition; a supervisee developing a more personalized approach; and a supervisee who has a strong awareness of his or her strengths and weaknesses.

Development is slow, continuous, and sometimes erratic. Learning is a life-long process.

Learning can produce anxiety, yet over time most of the anxiety can be mastered. Over time, there is a greater integration between out external selves and internal selves. Supervisees develop a more mature view of human variability; and hopefully grow in wisdom and integrity.

The supervisor’s wisdom will help identify the supervisee “stage of development” and adjust the supervisory style to meet the ever-changing needs of the supervisee. Growth in the supervisee is not a straight line but will vacillate at times. Ideally the supervisor and supervisee will be able to adjust their relationship as the supervisee matures in self and other awareness; motivation and confidence; and growing autonomy. Dependency of the supervisee will gradually move into greater autonomy as the supervisee goes through stages of growth. Eventually, the supervisor and supervisee may grow to see each other more as colleagues.

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