Deliberate practice supervision for behavioral activation: a case study

The study: A case study of a clinician treating a client with major depressive disorder while learning behavioral activation under a deliberate practice supervisor.

What they found: Case vignettes illustrate each core element: direct observation of therapy, concrete feedback, defined learning goals, repeated behavioral rehearsal and ongoing assessment. The paper closes with challenges supervisors commonly face and practical implications for clinicians.

Why it matters for practice: A hands-on example of turning a treatment manual into practiced skill, written from inside the supervision room. (Written by Dan Sacks, founder of this site.)

Sacks, D. (2025). Deliberate practice supervision to enhance the effectiveness of behavioral activation for depression: A case study. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 81, 526–537. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23786