Censor, Persecutor or Protector? The Superego and Supervision

The superego sometimes acts as a censor determining what can be consciously thought in order to manage anxiety and inhibit unwanted thoughts and affects entering consciousness. It can persecute us with ‘shoulds’ and ‘oughts’ but it can also protect through consideration of what is appropriate and ethical. 

Key to psychodynamic and psychoanalytic work is an observing ego and the capacity to reflect on conscious and unconscious dynamics.  Supervision frequently requires us to think the unthinkable and consider and reflect on material that might be shame inducing or provoke anxiety. However, this requires the ego to allow unconscious thoughts and feelings to surface and not be inhibited by the superego. As Britton comments (2003) ‘self-observation is an ego function and not a superego function’ (72).

In this recorded presentation, Christine Driver explores the impact of the superego on supervisory and clinical work and examine its negative and positive impact on the development of a reflective and psychodynamic