WHAT IS SUPERVISION?
Supervision is an opportunity for you, as a professional, to engage in the practice of guided reflection. Supervision supports you to become a resilient practitioner; providing you with the time and space needed to explore your thoughts and feelings about the work that you do, regularly and in a truly meaningful way.
A good Supervisor will work with you to foster a professional relationship that is underpinned by the principles of authenticity, confidentiality, respect and trust. As a Supervisor, I am committed to practices which embed radical acceptance into each session; inviting a Supervisee to be fully present and engaged with the supervision process, without any expectation that they should mask their feelings or filter their truth.
When we are able to tell our stories in safe spaces, it can work to validate our experiences and it allow us to feel seen and heard. This is the first step towards restorative work, which happens when a safe space also feels like a brave space. Over time, the supervisory relationship will continue to offer the opportunity to reflect on, develop, and sustain good practices. It will also challenge you to be more accountable for those practices, becoming more aware of your own personal blind-spots and empowering you to question habits or behaviours which may no longer be serving you well.
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Click here to learn more about why professional supervision matters.
WHAT SUPERVISION ISN'T...
Supervision is not therapy, counselling or a pathway towards ongoing emotional support in your personal life. Although engaging in the process of supervision may yield some supplementary and protective benefits in those areas, it should not be the primary aim when seeking out supervision.
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We are only human... Despite our best efforts to maintain a healthy work-life balance, our boundaries often falter and we will carry our work home with us, or aspects of our personal life will leak into work settings. Engaging in professional supervision is an ongoing commitment to reinforcing those professional boundaries, so that we can practice our work safely. Supervision can be cathartic for many people; being able to process our work in a dedicated space often results in us having sufficient headspace, so that we can be fully present with our friends and families when not at work.
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​If it becomes apparent that something in your personal life is creating a substantial blocker in your work life, preventing you from engaging with supervision effectively, I may suggest that you explore more therapeutic interventions instead.
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Supervision shines a supportive light on to our professional practice; celebrating a job well done, as well as holding space for exploration when things don't go as expected.
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WHY PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION MATTERS
Dr Jonathan Downie and Dr Jules Dickinson the importance of attending to our professional practice with regular supervision.
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Click here to view the clip on YouTube.