IJSP Number 8, 2026

International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy, Number 8, 2026 Page | 29 and in the presence of two supervising therapists. Thus, while students conduct their first therapy sessions themselves, not only are about eight fellow students present, but also two instructors who, if necessary, can either intervene directly or contribute their reflections immediately after the session. Specifically, this means that two students take the lead for half a seminar day and guide the other group members in their therapeutic self-experience. This typically proceeds as follows: During an introductory round, the participants’ individual concerns are identified. This is followed by intensive therapeutic work on two of these concerns, with the therapists encouraged to schedule approximately 50 minutes per session to get a sense of this time unit. Depending on the need, this may involve individual therapy, but group dynamics may also be addressed, or clarification of relationships may be required. Each therapeutic session concludes with feedback to the respective client or an exchange between the other group members — including the training therapists — and the client. This allows the client to gain insight into further aspects of the problem they are currently working on (and its resolution) that may have been overlooked previously. If the situation requires it, the training therapists are available to provide support (either in an advisory capacity or through intervention). At the end of the half-day session, the students who served as therapists receive detailed and concrete feedback on their work from all other group members and the two training therapists. We consider the advisory and supportive presence during the therapy session and the subsequent feedback to be live supervision within the training. To what extent does this live supervision promote the development of the above- mentioned skills (interpersonal qualities and attitude, understanding of the therapeutic task, methodological competence, reflective knowledge) and the ability to then use and apply them in concrete work —or, as they say in sports, “bring them onto the field or perform”? After the therapeutic work, the students are first asked to reflect on their work by presenting and illuminating their therapeutic approach in detail. The following question areas may be discussed: ‒ How did you experience the therapeutic relationships in the therapeutic situation? We speak of two therapeutic relationships here because, as critical realists in Gestalt-theoretical psychotherapy, it is particularly important for us to be aware that the therapeutic relationship is perceived and experienced differently by both sides – therapist and client [1]. ‒ How did you get into the relationship and how did you stay in touch? ‒ Have you understood the client's concerns and, in line with GTP's holistic approach, grasped the client's entire psychological situation? This can involve a variety of things, such as encouraging, comforting, challenging, finding solutions, etc. ‒ Based on your understanding, how did you proceed, what goals did you pursue, and in which way did you try to achieve them? How did these goals relate to the client’s goals? ‒ What guided or hindered you in your actions, both in relation to yourself (objectivity) and in relation to the client's concerns? ‒ Did your personality, hypotheses, theories, and assumptions influence the therapeutic relationship and the course of the process, and if so, in what way?