Creativity in Triadic Supervision: Using Mandalas to Impact the Working Alliance

This qualitative study investigated the use of mandalas as a creative appr oach with the potential to impact the supervisory working alliance within the context of triadic supervis ion. Participants (n=7) included master’s level counselors-in-Training (CITs), all femal , and ranging in age from 23 to 44. Data generated by the formal interviews gained support for using mandalas s creative approach in triadic supervision as they revealed the potential to i mpact the working alliance and the goals, task, and bond therein. Of further importance was the finding that the bond between paired CITs in triadic supervision sessions was also impacted by the us e of the mandala. This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. Dissertation Director: _______________________________________ Dr. Daniel B. Kissinger Dissertation Committee: _______________________________________ Dr. Roy Farley _______________________________________ Dr. James O. Hammons _______________________________________ Dr. Christopher Lucas DISSERTATION DUPLICATION RELEASE I hereby authorize the University of Arkansas Libraries to duplicate t his dissertation when needed for research and/or scholarship. Agreed __________________________________________ Kelly A. Dunbar Refused __________________________________________ ACKNOWLEDMENTS I would like to thank my committee members, family, and friends for their support throughout the dissertation process. To Dr. Dan Kissinger, my dissertation chair, thank you for your continual suppor t, guidance, and patience throughout this process. To my dissertation committee member s, Dr. Roy Farley, Dr. Jim Hammons, and Dr. Chris Lucas, thank you for your feedback and encouragement. To my family, thank you for supporting me in every way possible. You have always been my rock. Finally, to my friends, thank you for cheering me on throughout t his process. CONTENTS Chapter I: Introduction . 1 Creativity in Supervision . 2 Statement of the Problem . 3 Significance of the Study . 3 Research Questions . 4 Methodology and Data Collection . 4 Definition of Terms . 5 Limitations . 6 Summary . 7 Chapter II: Review of Literature . 8 Method of Systematic Review . 8 General Background of Supervision . 9 Types of Supervision . 11 Individual Supervision. 11 Group Supervision. 11 Triadic Supervision. 12 Models of Supervision . 13 Integrated Developmental Model . 15 The Discrimination Model . 16 Teacher role. 17 Counselor role. 17 Consultant role. 18 The Working Alliance . 18 Goals. 19 Task. 20 Bond. 20 Research on the Working Alliance . 21 Creative Approaches in Counseling . 22 Creative Approaches in Supervision . 24 Types of creative Approaches . 26 Music. 26 Narratives . 27 Psychodrama . 28 Visual arts. 29 The mandala. 29 Summary . 33 Chapter III: Methods . 34 Researcher Relationship to the Data . 34 Research Design . 35 Setting and Participants . 36 Approaches Used in Supervision . 37 Data Collection Procedures . 38 Demographics . 38 Data Analysis Procedures . 39 Findings and Significance . 40 Limitations . 40 Chapter IV: Results . 42 Discussion of the Focused Codes . 45 Discussion of the Axial Codes . 51 Discussion of the Research Questions . 76 Research questions. 76 Conclusions . 79 Chapter V: Discussion . 80 Key Findings . 80 Relationship to Current Literature . 80 Implications . 82 Limitations . 83 Future Research . 85 Summary . 86 References . 87 APPENDIX A.93 APPENDIX B . 94 APPENDIX C . 95 APPENDIX D . 96 APPENDIX E .