The peer supervisory group for psychoanalytic therapists

The recent interest in peer supervisory groups for psychoanalytic therapists raises important questions regarding both psychoanalytic training and group process. The present paper explores these issues and suggests that there exists a continuum from case-centered peer supervisory groups to process-centered peer supervisory groups. Transference and countertransference and the recognition of parallel processes in psychotherapy supervision are examined in their relation to the supervisory group experience. The authors suggest that the model a therapist employs regarding the role of countertransference will most likely influence the kind of peer supervisory group that s/he will choose. Further, there are specific techniques, as well as experiences, which may foster alteration of the group's psychic organization. Illustrative case examples are provided throughout.