Integrating Adierian and Integrated
Developmental Model Approaches to
Supervision of Counseling Trainees
Jennifer N. Bornsheuer-Boswell, Monica M. Polonyi, and
Richard E. Watts
Abstract
Following an appropriate personal and professional model of supervision is an in-
tegral part of conducting ethical and effective supervision. A model of supervision
helps guide a supervisor in facilitating growth of the counseling trainee, teaching
counseling skills, and evaluating the trainee's growth professionally. The authors
describe an integration of the Adierian model of supervision with the integrated
Developmental Model of supervision along with a description of each model and two
case examples. The information includes an overview for supervisors following these
models of supervision along with examples in which the authors illustrate how these
models can be used together to facilitate greater professional growth of the trainee.
Keywords: Individual Psychology, Integrated Developmental Model, supervision
Supervision is an integral part of the counseling profession. It helps
novice counselors refine their skills, conceptualize clients' processes, and
effectively care for their clients. Supervisors need to be able to integrate
their own theoretical orientation to counseling and that of their trainees with
a model of supervision. In this article we address the use of the Integrated
Developmental Model (IDM; Stoltenberg, McNeill, & Delworth, 1998) and
Adierian therapy techniques in counseling supervision. IDM's framework
consists of four developmental stages that expand across three developmen-
tal structures. The precepts of these levels and structures will be discussed.
Likewise, Adierian theory, also known as Individual Psychology, is a holistic,
systemic, and goal-oriented perspective for helping people (Carlson, Watts,
& Maniacci, 2006). Developed by Alfred Adler in the first half of the 20th
century, it remains a viable theory and therapeutic approach whose con-
cepts continue to permeate many current theoretical approaches (Carlson
et al., 2006). Techniques used in Adierian counseling are also used by
supervisors in helping counseling trainees develop the needed skills to be
effective counselors. We examine these two models in relationship to the
goals of supervision, the procedures used in supervision, and the methods
The Journal of Individual Psychoiogy, Vol. 69, No. 4, Winter 2013
©2013 by the University ofTexas Press
Editorial office iocated in the Coiiege of Education at Georgia State University.
Published for the North American Society of Adierian Psychology.