ABSTRACT
The chapter aims to capture something for the increasing diversity of those who are enrolling on analytic training courses today from Black, African, or Asian backgrounds. The author seeks to fill the void that has historically elided the importance of cultural humility and cultural sensitivity in supervision. By fostering cultural humility and openness to self-reflective supervisory practice, the author argues that future psychotherapists will be equipped to work psychoanalytically with increasingly diverse client groups, be better prepared professionally, and enhance clinical practice that will later form their future professional selves.
The author presents a view of supervision that enriches clinical practice as both a learning and a cultural endeavour. This chapter provides an opportunity for the expansion and strengthening of clinical supervision, understanding, and application. The focus is on cultural awareness in supervision practice and the professional development of Black, African, and Asian psychotherapists. Clinical supervision, the supervisory relationship, and cultural competency are emphasised.
This is explored through established psychoanalytic learning and teaching methods. The chapter introduces the concept of the supervision matrix that extends beyond the supervision triad to refer to all those unconscious and conscious dynamics that influence the supervision or group including extraneous elements and socio-cultural relationships which then become relevant in the supervision space. The author provides case histories that show how this can occur.
