Supervision
Supervision is one of the top three sources of positive professional and personal development. Effective supervision is associated with increased job satisfaction, improved emotional well-being , less anxiety, lower risk of burnout and a greater sense of being in control, compared to those with no supervision” (Hawkins and McMahon: 2020).
When we listen to experiences and stories of trauma it also affects us. Walking beside, and, shouldering the traumatic experiences of clients, overtime will take a toll on us, leading to burnout, stress, sometimes, vicarious traumatisation. Vicarious trauma can manifest as, loss of energy, spontaneity, creativity, connection to ourselves, others and our sense of aliveness, loss of hope, amongst other things.
Trauma informed supervision normalises vicarious trauma as a systemic issue rather than an individual failing. Effective supervision supports the worker to build resilience and reinforces the need for self-care strategies to lessen the impact of being immersed in emotion focussed work.
I am a trauma informed supervisor, I can provide 1-1 external supervision to workers in the ‘Third Sector’.
My approach to supervision is underpinned by the principles of trauma informed practice:
Creating Safety – physical and psychological, so that supervisees feel accepted, seen, understood and engage in honest and open discussions about the issues they have and the personal impact of the work they do;
Strengths based – focus on supervisees strengths and skills, what they already have, what they do well and how they can build on this;
Trust – establishing clear boundaries and expectations, listening without judgment, helping supervisees reflect on their practice and giving clear feedback;
Collaboration and Voice- Creating an egalitarian relationship with the supervisee by emphasising the relational nature of supervision and attention both parties need to pay to the relationship. Facilitate learning and work together to create learning goals.
Power inequalities - validate and explore how factors like, ‘racial’ trauma, gender, culture, and discrimination impacts supervisees experiences in the workplace.
Empowerment – Provide real time learning experiences and rehearsal, so that supervisees can practice skills and tools in a safe space. Support and encourage feedback from supervisees.
Sessions are currently online video or by phone, each session is 60 minutes in duration