IJSP Number 8, 2026

International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy, Number 8, 2026 Page | 45 SUPERVISION AS A REFLECTIVE EDUCATIONAL SPACE FOR DEVELOPING SELF-REGULATION AND PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY IMPLICATIONS FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY-INFORMED TRAINING IN EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL PROFESSIONS Carmen- Mihaela BĂICEANU VĂRĂŞTEANU 1,2 1 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța , Romania 2 Institute of Psychotherapy, Psychological Counseling, and Clinical Supervision E-mail: mihaela.baiceanu@365.univ-ovidius.ro Abstract: In the current context of professional training in educational and psychosocial fields, emphasis is progressively shifting from the exclusive acquisition of technical competencies toward the development of professionals’ reflective, self-regulatory, and identity-related capacities. Although traditionally established as a mechanism for monitoring and guiding practice, supervision is increasingly recognized for its formative potential; however, its explicit role as an educational space that supports self-regulation and the formation of professional identity remains insufficiently conceptualized, especially outside clinical settings. This paper proposes a reconceptualization of supervision as a reflective educational space grounded in the paradigm of integrative psychotherapy, approached as an epistemological and relational reference rather than as a clinical intervention. Supervision is examined as a structured relational framework that supports self-regulation, guided reflection, and the integration of professional experience into professional identity development. A central contribution of the paper is the introduction of the concept of reflective holding, defined as a non-clinical educational function of supervision that integrates relational containment, guided reflection, and the support of self-regulation. Building on this concept, the paper proposes a coherent conceptual framework that articulates the relationship between supervision, reflection, self-regulation, and professional identity in educational and psychosocial contexts. The implications of this framework are discussed for initial and continuing training, mentoring, and professional development, with a focus on the role of reflective supervision in supporting professional sustainability and the ethical delimitation of practice. Keywords: supervision, reflective holding, reflective practice, self-regulation, professional identity, integrative psychotherapy