Developing Clinicians of Character - (Christian Association for Psychological Studies Books) by Terri S Watson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Terri S. Watson equips you to excel in "the helping profession within a helping profession" as you provide clinical supervision for other mental health workers. Grounding our thinking in the historic and contemporary wisdom of virtue ethics, this resource aims to identify and strengthen supervision's important role for character formation in the classroom, in continuing education for practitioners, and in clinical settings.

Book Synopsis

ECPA Top Shelf Book Cover Award

Is there more to clinical supervision than our current theories and methods can provide? Whether we intend them to be or not, our mentoring practices are personally formative for supervisees and supervisors alike. Developing Clinicians of Character grounds our thinking in the historic and contemporary wisdom of virtue ethics and grows out of a love for the practice of clinical supervision. It aims to identify and strengthen supervision's important role for character formation in the classroom, in continuing education for practitioners, and in clinical settings.

After an overview of the role of character formation in clinical supervision, Developing Clinicians of Character examines each classical Christian virtue in turn, its corresponding professional ethical aspiration, and how we can use the practices of clinical supervision and spiritual formation together to foster character formation for Christian maturity and Christlikeness.

Dr. Terri S. Watson welcomes and equips you to excel in "the helping profession within a helping profession" as you provide clinical supervision for other mental health workers in counseling, psychology, and marriage and family therapy. This book will shape your own character through spiritual disciplines in the classical virtues--and outward in expanding circles of encouragement, formation, and healing.

Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

Review Quotes

"Developing Clinicians of Character is an essential read for both practitioners and students who approach their clinical work from a core foundation of integrative practice. Dr. Watson draws from a theological framework and her extensive experience as a clinician, educator, and clinical supervisor to illustrate a thoughtful and intentionally collaborative structure for supervision. She highlights the necessity of moving beyond the basic application of theory and method to include character, values, and virtue development for the emerging therapist. Dr. Watson provides practical insight for addressing transformative growth in both the supervisee and supervisor through intentional commitment to spiritual discipline, reflective and contemplative practice, social justice advocacy, and what she terms, 'clinical humility, ' the cornerstone for competent clinical practice. This text is a vital resource for any professional in the field who plays an influential role in the development of next generation therapists."

--Deborah Gorton, clinical mental health counseling at Moody Theological Seminary

"Dr. Terri Watson's Developing Clinicians of Character will be used in my doctoral level supervision classes. Supervision is to provide clarity for clinicians who work in the obscured environs of intense human suffering. Her contribution to this process is to advocate for the integrity found in Christian virtue as a vital aspect of the process. I am grateful for this valuable resource to prepare effective supervisors."

--James N. Sells, assistant dean of psychology and counseling, Regent University

"Professor Terri Watson's new book, Developing Clinicians of Character: A Christian Integrative Approach to Clinical Supervision, is a delight and just what the doctor ordered! It is well written and researched, very engaging and practical, and highlights the critically important and mostly neglected topic of character and ethical formation among clinical supervisors in mental health fields from a uniquely Christian perspective. Certainly this is a must-read for any clinical supervisor who embraces the Christian tradition, but it likely would be of interest and value to those of other faith traditions as well. This is a winner for sure and will surely help generations of supervisors and trainees alike."

--Thomas G. Plante, clinical adjunct professor in psychiatry at Stanford University, director of the Spirituality and Health Institute at Santa Clara University

"Terri Watson's Developing Clinicians of Character is a well written and substantial work on a Christian integrative approach to clinical supervision. It comprehensively and clearly covers faith, hope, love, practical wisdom, justice, temperance, courage, and personal and spiritual formation in counseling, psychology, and MFT education. I highly recommend it as essential reading in Christian clinical supervision."

--Siang-Yang Tan, professor of psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, and author of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Christian Perspective

"There is now a wealth of research showing that psychotherapy is generally very effective, but now we need to understand how to develop mature, virtuous therapists who relate well, care about justice and diversity, and embody transformative forms of hope and courage over the long haul. In Developing Clinicians of Character, Dr. Terri Watson offers us an integrative and holistic model of clinical supervision that charts pathways toward this goal. She has worked for many years providing training and studying the processes of trainee character formation to generate the approach described in this book. Those of us in clinical practice and clinical training know the core challenge involves developing the character necessary for the deep exposure to suffering that accumulates over a clinical career, and Watson is our wisest integrative voice on this topic for Christian training communities."

--Steven J. Sandage, Boston University

About the Author

Terri S. Watson (PsyD, ABPP) is associate dean of psychology and associate professor of psychology at Wheaton College as well as a board-certified clinical psychologist, an approved clinical supervisor with the Center for Credentialing and Education, and an approved supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She maintains a private practice and also provides supervision and clinical consultation for community and private organizations.