Utilizing Interpersonal Process Recall in Clinical Supervision to Address Counselor Countertransference

Counselors’ countertransference responses may interfere with their abilities to form therapeutic alliances necessary for desired therapeutic outcomes. Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) is a supervision strategy that may be utilized in clinical supervision to address counselor countertransference. IPR entails a focused review of specific sections of recorded clinical material, with attention to using discovery-oriented process questions to reformulate previously unnoticed but significant moments in-session. A brief overview of counselor countertransference is provided, followed by a description of the IPR technique and case example illustrating its application to addressing counselor countertransference within a clinical supervision session. Considerations for clinical supervisors utilizing IPR are also suggested.