Holding the Line: Boundaries, Self-Care, and Duty of Care in Clinical Psychology Supervision
Clinical psychology supervision occupies a unique position in professional practice. It is a dedicated space where complex clinical cases, systemic demands, and personal emotional responses intersect. Historically, supervisors have operated under an implicit duty of care: an ethical understanding that part of their role is to monitor a supervisee’s well-being, buffer against burnout, and encourage self-care. However, this obligation has always existed alongside a firm professional boundary; a supervisor must educate, mentor, and evaluate, but must never cross into becoming their supervisee's treating therapist.
With the Psychology Board of Australia’s Code of Conduct for Psychologists, this balance transitions from an implicit ethos into an explicit regulatory mandate. The code explicitly embeds self-care, health management, and supervisor responsibilities into the enforceable standards of Australian practice.
