An Ethnographic Study of the Live Supervision Group.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative systemic ethnographic study looking at relational dynamics in a ‘live supervision group’ in a training context.
IRAS ID
366530
Contact name
Stephen Mills
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Noclor Sponsor, on behalf of Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
A qualitative systemic ethnographic study looking at relational dynamics in a ‘live supervision group’ in a training context.
This research project is an eight-week ethnographic study of the ‘live supervision group’. The ‘live supervision group’ is a family therapy and training clinic that takes place once a week for five hours and is part of the training component of a systemic psychotherapy master’s course. In this clinic the team of one supervisor and four trainees meet with families, two a week, and provide family therapy. The researcher is proposing to observe this clinic for eight weeks and to interview both the family, trainees and supervisor about the group dynamics and experiences of ‘difference’.
The research aims to think about systemic theory in practice and think with decolonial thinking as a way to understand some of the dynamics of ‘difference’ and some of the relational tensions and break throughs that can be experienced in teaching and therapy contexts. Decolonial thinking is a type of thinking that proposes that there are many ways of doing and thinking about knowledge and many ways of being together and doing ‘difference’. It proposes that some of the mainstream ways of doing education and therapy neglect diverse and culturally attuned practices and qualities.
This research will use an ethnographic methodology that studies the ‘live supervision group’ in situ and observes real experiences as they happen. The researcher will develop notes, images and view recordings of family therapy and training. They will also be meeting with the families and the family therapy trainees and the supervisor to reflect on the researcher’s observations and thoughts; using a reflexive and progressive approach to research thinking and the development of ideas. The researcher will also be thinking with authors from a decolonial position and bringing this into the research conversations.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/WM/0087
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion