As noted by Joyce Scaife in the introduction, beliefs about the value of supervision outweigh the evidence for its benefits, but presumably this conviction reflects the fact that supervision is the place where theory meets practice. Although distinctions are rightly made between “training” and “supervision” it makes sense to see these as overlapping rather than separate activities, since supervision should create a context within which ideas can be translated into actions. However, supervision is not simply a forum for learning; it is also a source of support, and for novice therapists a form of evaluation. This makes it quite a complex activity, and it is risky to assume that supervision comes naturally to all therapists. Despite this, there are rather few contexts in which supervision training is required before taking up this role, and rather few members of BABCP are formally registered as supervisors. For most professional organizations a requirement to demonstrate formal training in supervision is still some way off (even if increasingly close to realization). This leaves us in a slightly paradoxical situation; while most therapists see supervision as central, its content is often unspecified and its practice unregulated.

In this context Scaife's clear exposition of good supervisory practice is just the ticket. This is the second edition of a book that will already be familiar to many practitioners and trainers, updated to include new research and to extend discussion. Its virtues remain the same: it includes thorough coverage of relevant research and of models of learning and of supervision, but at heart its intent is pragmatic and (to my mind) is the closest thing we have to a manual of supervision. It clearly describes the good practice that supervisors should aim for, carefully detailing the processes involved in initiating and maintaining a good supervisory relationship, and in that context identifying procedures that should enhance learning. It also alerts supervisors to the many and varied challenges that they will almost inevitably encounter, and by offering solutions to these challenges reduces the likelihood that supervisors will react to these unhelpfully.

It is fair to say that the book is generic in outlook, notwithstanding a chapter that focuses on supervision for specific models and which includes a brief consideration of the ways in which supervision of CBT can be structured. This means that experienced supervisors who are seeking to learn about CBT-specific supervision skills will find only limited direct discussion of this topic. For most readers I am not sure this is a serious deficiency, since much of the skill of supervision rests on a supervisor's capacity to instantiate basic educational principles. In addition, there is careful consideration of issues that (even if common across therapies) are central to CBT supervision. A good example is the section on direct and indirect observation of clinical work, activities that can be surprisingly difficult to implement. The pragmatic orientation of the book means that it identifies the practical and emotional challenges to observation and the various ways in which these translate into avoidance and “excuses” on the part of both supervisees and supervisors, making it more likely that this is something that will actually happen.

Traditionally a book review should identify shortcomings as well as virtues. Certainly there are some – for example, while it is good to see a section on the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy initiative, this contains a slightly misleading description of the programme. This is a shame, not only because IAPT is such a major development but also because of the central role accorded to supervision by this programme. However, small errors of omission or commission do not detract from the utility of this book for supervisors at all levels of experience. It has many virtues, and I recommend it strongly.