PSY 4402 Consultation & Supervision

A stark and graphic documentary of the conditions that existed at the state prison for the criminally insane at Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Shows scenes of the daily life of the men, interspersed with shots from the inmates' talent show. Documents the various ways the inmates are treated by guards, social workers and psychiatrists.

Documents a behavioral program conducted by Dr. Richard M. Foxx to reduce or eliminate the bizarre, self-abusive behavior of Harry, who had been institutionalized for eighteen of his twenty-four years .

30 years after she was institutionalized at Kings Park State Hospital in New York, award winning filmmaker Lucy Winer returns to face her past and learn the story of the now abandoned facility. Her meetings with other former patients, their families and the hospital staff reveal the painful legacy of our state hospital system, and the crisis left by its demise.

The four lively vignettes include incisive commentary by Stephen Feldman, a renowned expert in the fields of both law and psychology.

Volume II of this series addresses ethics, and the particular concern of being investigated by one’s licensing board for an alleged violation. Specifically, these four lively discussions between a psychologist, lawyer and journalist cover such murky matters as: bartering, boundaries, touch, self-disclosure, gifts, multiple-member clients such as couples and families, the initiation of treatment, breaches in confidentiality, ending treatment, electronic records, HIPAA, client debt, client suicide and a clinician’s death.

Miriam Polster (2000) demonstrates supervision with Wendy, a clinical social worker who conducts therapy in the home. Polster’s supervision focuses on finding Wendy’s unique gifts and how these can be integrated into therapy. Next, Steve is working with a woman who has a history of bulimia and has threatened suicide. Polster follows this demonstration by explaining her work.

Kernberg (1995) demonstrates a supervision session with a therapist who presents a case of a 42-year-old male with a narcissistic personality and self-destructive tendencies. This male therapist feels as though the therapy has reached a stalemate. Kernberg suggests various hypotheses about the case. The volunteer then describes his reaction to the supervision.

This programme offers the viewer a unique opportunity to watch a supervision group "in action". Brigid Proctor and Francesca Inskipp have written about supervision on many occasions but this video brings their writing to life, demonstrating how they would work with such a group from its initial formation through to the discussion and exploration of case work. Four experienced counselling trainers, and one not so experienced counsellor, were asked to take on the role of new counsellors who were at the beginning of their counselling career. Brigid and Francesca then facilitated this group in coming to an understanding of the ground rules, developing a working agreement, and then taking part in a range of creative exercises that show the way in which the complexities of practice can be explored and understood at a depth which might otherwise not be possible.