I really enjoy my role as a psychotherapist working with individuals and couples. Not only do I have the opportunity to sit down with a wide variety of people and learn about them, their lives and their experiences, I have the joy of walking alongside them as they grow and heal. That would be enough to leave me feeling blessed and humble. And yet, there is more! My role gives me the opportunity to continually learn more about myself, and to grow and develop my own ways of being in the world.
Clinical supervision is a key part of this process for me, and for any therapist. In supervision we reflect on the cases that are at our growing edge. The stuff we are not so confident with, the things that trouble us and make us want to expand our capacity and skill. The places we need to take risks and do something different. Supervision is the safe place that lets us stretch out of our comfort zone. It is the things that we take to supervision, and the way that we take them, that enables us, in relationship with our supervisor, to shine a light on the patterns in what we are saying. There is always a theme, a direction, a message that lets us know where to focus in our own development as a person and practitioner.
Seldom is it just that we need a new technique or approach, although this is more prominent in the early days of clinical work. More often it's something that we have been growing towards for a while, a blindspot we need to bring mindsight to, an area we need to explore differently or more deeply, or something we need to take to our own therapeutic process to make sense of.
When the student is ready, the teacher appears. Staying open and being humble are the things that mak
e therapists truly effective. I am thankful to be in this area of work where not only can I help my clients and myself by continually expanding my awareness and practice, but also I can facilitate this process for my own supervisees.
For clinical supervision that goes beyond the obvious and the task based, get in touch.
