Say What Needs to Be Said: Values-Aligned Conversations in Supervision

Difficult conversations are part of supervision, yet knowing a conversation needs to happen doesn’t make it any easier. When you care about supporting your supervisees and maintaining a positive relationship, it can be tempting to put off feedback, soften an expectation, or take over a task yourself. Exploring what matters to you as a supervisor can help you approach these moments with greater clarity and a willingness to listen. This interactive session examines how escape, avoidance, and negative reinforcement can influence difficult conversations in behavior-analytic supervision. Participants will also consider skill deficits, unclear expectations, power differences, and organizational conditions that may affect both supervisor and supervisee behavior. Using practical concepts from Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), participants will apply the Choice Point to connect a supervisory conversation with their professional values and identify an effective response when discomfort arises. Guided examples will address describing observable performance, inviting the supervisee’s perspective, identifying needed instruction or resources, and establishing follow-up. Humility and self-compassion will frame opportunities to question assumptions and repair missteps. Participants will leave with a plan for one supervisory conversation that supports clear expectations and supervisee development.