Managing supervisory drift in cognitive behavioral therapy: A narrative review with case vignettes

Drift is a phenomenon that can occur in cognitive-behavioral supervision, where core components of supervision are omitted, avoided, or deprioritized. This narrative review explores the signs, reasons, and impact of supervisory drift at the experiential, cognitive, and emotional levels for both the supervisor and the supervisee. Additionally, the article presents potential solutions for preventing and addressing supervisory drift, such as staying on track, anticipating problems before they arise, adapting supervision to the supervisee's needs, using active supervision methods to understand drift better, engaging in Supervision of Supervision (SoS), and using alliance measures. Through the use of case vignettes, we illustrate the potential solutions. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of supervisory drift and offer practical strategies for its prevention and management.