I recently completed supervisory work with a young therapist and this has given me cause to stop and reflect on supervision both as a recipient of supervision and as a clinical supervisory. I sometimes imagine this as the helping hand, helping mind, and helping heart of the supervisor assisting the supervisee to reflect and ponder on her/his work with client(s). Sometimes my hands are gesturing toward some piece of information and sometimes my guidance is reflective of the nuances of the work not yet spoken. As I work as in supervision with the arts, it seems that the stories shared become enlivened in the arts and this brings new possibilities and perspectives to mind for the supervisee.
My work as a supervisor is very rewarding and a way I give something back to others professionally. The rewards are many and some of them include refreshment, surprise, inspiration, and gratitude. I've found a level of renewal and refreshment from assisting another professional find some degree of success and helpfulness with her/his client. It seems like at times simply listening is huge help and other times a suggestion or simple reflection provides a glimmer of hope with a particularly tough clinical situation. Another wonderful reward in supervision has been the moments of surprise a moment where we are stopped and stunned in the supervisory process. The best of these moments are when when the supervisee says they trusted some "gut" feeling or her/he says "I finally understood my client this week". I think those are moments of real benefit for the supervisee and the client. Another reward for me as a clinical supervisors has to do with the moments of inspiration that I've received when the person I'm supervising shares something that gives me some hope and inspires my excitement about our clinical work or I feel impact in my own life. Lastly, I say gratitude is the real heart of the matter of supervision for me today. I have been the witness and co-traveler "walking beside" the supervisee in a particular way and felt my heart warmed and opened more during each encounter and this reminds me of the sacred opportunity the work of supervision is to me.
As a recipient of clinical supervision, I say THANKS. My supervisory life has been most colorful; specifically I've received such varied and creative supervision from many different professionals. I send this thanks to many supervisors in the many realms and roles including the music therapists, dance therapists, social workers, counselors, art therapists, psychologists and expressive arts therapists who have helped me along my way. All those wise and honest people have helped me to become the helper that I am today. In my own supervision, I have found enormous help when a supervisor has a easy way of balancing supportive with challenging questions, balancing teaching with a bit of a critique, and a balancing their memories with their broader view as a seasoned professional. I remember some of those early supervisions where my supervisor hearing my doubts urged me to claim some success in a particular session or the time where a supervisor very directly told me that I was "too hesitant" and my client's would be better served with some more articulate actions. The stories and learning are many and my debt to so many supervisors is large.
Closing this post for the week, I want to send big thanks to many people. I send big thanks to all the supervisee's who have asked me for a help and for all those supervisors who have helped me see the bigger picture and the wider view of a clinical situation. In reflecting now, I see how my professional growth and development as a music therapist, expressive arts therapists, and counselor have been lovingly nurtured in relationships with many wonderful people.
With deep thanks,
Aaron
My work as a supervisor is very rewarding and a way I give something back to others professionally. The rewards are many and some of them include refreshment, surprise, inspiration, and gratitude. I've found a level of renewal and refreshment from assisting another professional find some degree of success and helpfulness with her/his client. It seems like at times simply listening is huge help and other times a suggestion or simple reflection provides a glimmer of hope with a particularly tough clinical situation. Another wonderful reward in supervision has been the moments of surprise a moment where we are stopped and stunned in the supervisory process. The best of these moments are when when the supervisee says they trusted some "gut" feeling or her/he says "I finally understood my client this week". I think those are moments of real benefit for the supervisee and the client. Another reward for me as a clinical supervisors has to do with the moments of inspiration that I've received when the person I'm supervising shares something that gives me some hope and inspires my excitement about our clinical work or I feel impact in my own life. Lastly, I say gratitude is the real heart of the matter of supervision for me today. I have been the witness and co-traveler "walking beside" the supervisee in a particular way and felt my heart warmed and opened more during each encounter and this reminds me of the sacred opportunity the work of supervision is to me.
As a recipient of clinical supervision, I say THANKS. My supervisory life has been most colorful; specifically I've received such varied and creative supervision from many different professionals. I send this thanks to many supervisors in the many realms and roles including the music therapists, dance therapists, social workers, counselors, art therapists, psychologists and expressive arts therapists who have helped me along my way. All those wise and honest people have helped me to become the helper that I am today. In my own supervision, I have found enormous help when a supervisor has a easy way of balancing supportive with challenging questions, balancing teaching with a bit of a critique, and a balancing their memories with their broader view as a seasoned professional. I remember some of those early supervisions where my supervisor hearing my doubts urged me to claim some success in a particular session or the time where a supervisor very directly told me that I was "too hesitant" and my client's would be better served with some more articulate actions. The stories and learning are many and my debt to so many supervisors is large.
Closing this post for the week, I want to send big thanks to many people. I send big thanks to all the supervisee's who have asked me for a help and for all those supervisors who have helped me see the bigger picture and the wider view of a clinical situation. In reflecting now, I see how my professional growth and development as a music therapist, expressive arts therapists, and counselor have been lovingly nurtured in relationships with many wonderful people.
With deep thanks,
Aaron
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