Metaphors and dialogue in supervision

Metaphors, embedded in everyday life, art, literature and the theoretical frameworks of various sciences, shape our interests and influence how we observe, perceive, construct and articulate complex and abstract aspects of reality. Recognizing the metaphorical dimension of our theoretical perspectives prevents us from reifying them—mistaking concepts for direct representations of reality—and from rigidly clinging to our perceptions and beliefs. While analytic therapeutic literature has explored these issues, it has rarely examined them within the supervisory process that focuses on the meanings of therapeutic interactions. Drawing insights from psychoanalytic and philosophical literature, this paper explores the interrelations between recognizing the metaphorical dimension in supervisory theoretical perspectives, adopting a self-critical stance and fostering mutual recognition in the supervisory dialogues. It will be argued that these interconnected elements are essential for achieving the supervisory process's initial and most fundamental goal: making sense of what transpired within the presented therapeutic framework.