ABSTRACT
Supervision in the mental health professions is an expanding market. Therapists are increasingly expected to seek out some systematic oversight of their work as a hallmark of good practice. Those searching for a reliable supervisor to take on this critical role would be well advised to shop carefully. The wrong choice could prove expensive or worse. When faced with important decisions of this order most of us cautious consumers might like to check out the qualifications of the several potential providers that people this particular marketplace. Where was she educated? What psycho therapeutic training has he received? With what professional associations is she registered? And so on. Sooner or later we should also be asking the question which is the focus of this chapter. What specific preparation for the task of clinical supervision has he undertaken? In all probability the honest answer is likely to be remarkably little. A brief historical overview may perhaps explain how this surprising state of affairs has come to pass.
