I offer professional supervision for

Counsellors, Chaplains and Human Service workers.

Supervision
What is it and how do I use the time effectively?
Supervision has many definitions and is used in varied contexts. This paper provides
you with a broad picture of how I conceptualise supervision and what I value within a
supervisory relationship. You are invited to use this as a guide when entering into a
supervision contract with me. The suggestions below are intended to act as prompts for
increasing the effectiveness of your supervision time, in the hope that your supervision
experience will facilitate growth and bring beneficial change in your professional
practice, your life and the lives of those you work with.

Ideally the supervision process is directed by you and the needs and hopes you bring to
your session. Throughout, I seek to be empathically present, use attentive listening skills
and make available to you my practical expertise and theoretical knowledge. I trust
deeply in your capacity to make choices. I desire to offer space within supervision for
you to explore, discover and take the next step in your professional journey, thus
impacting those you work with.

Defining Supervision
Inskipp and Proctor (1993), provide a starting point by defining supervision as “a working
alliance between a supervisor and (supervisee) in which the (supervisee) can offer an
account or recording of their work; reflect on it; receive feedback, and where appropriate,
guidance. The object of this alliance is to enable the (supervisee) to gain in ethical
competence, confidence and creativity so as to give their best possible service to their
clients”. I conceptualise supervision as a „learning partnership‟ (Carroll & Gilbert, 2006).
In offering you supervision, it is my desire that our supervision time aids and assists you
to:
 Be effective and empowered in your professional role
 Prioritise healthy choices and self care within your role
 Provide ethical, responsible, duty of care to those you offer services to, within the
guidelines of your professional code of ethics
 Be well resourced and networked in your role
 Maximise your capacity to thrive long term in your role by minimizing burn out or
compassion fatigue. (Adapted from SU Qld, 2008).

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 1 of 7

… defining Supervision (continued)

Metaphors provide me with creative definitions of supervision. I encourage you to

identify one or more images that inspire your engagement in our supervision process.
„Supervision is:
 A TORCH which illuminates my work;
 A CONTAINER where I feel safe and held;
 A MIRROR where I see myself and my work;
 A PLAYPEN where we play with ideas, feelings, intuitions, hunches, theories;
 A DANCE where we learn how to work together in harmony;
 A CLASSROOM which contains two learners one of which facilitates learning.‟
(Carroll & Gilbert, 2006, p. 9-10)

Within our supervision time, I anticipate that we will incorporate discussion of

professional, personal and organizational issues that impact the integrity of your fulfilling
your roles and responsibilities (SU Qld, 2008). Supervision is not personal therapy,
coaching, or management. Whilst elements of these may at times be present within our
sessions, I am responsible for ensuring that these elements are integrated within the
confines of the supervisory relationship (Hawkins & Shohet, 2006, p 52-53).

Supervision is a place where I will seek to meet you with empathy, congruence,
unconditional positive regard and genuine relationship. I consider mutual respect, trust,
warmth and genuineness requirements for ensuring a safe environment for productive
supervision (Henry, 2010). It is my desire to create an environment that incorporates the
presence of „challenge, involvement, support, structure, feedback, innovation and
integration‟ (Henry, 2010).

As a supervisee I encourage you to be an active participant in the process, taking

responsibility for your own learning, whilst being open and hungry to grow. I respect
transparency, a willingness to take risks and to confront reality (Henry, 2010). It is my
hope that you will view our times together as a partnership into which you risk bringing
the joys and challenges of your professional life.

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 2 of 7

Suggestions for using your supervision time
effectively

 Prior to your first supervision appointment:

You may wish to purchase this book as a resource for your supervision experience.
 Carroll, M. and Gilbert, M. (2006). On being a supervisee: Creating Learning
Partnerships. Kew, VIC: Psychoz Publications.

From this text I highly recommend you read

 „Overview of Supervision’ (Carroll & Gilbert, 2006, p. 1-13)
 ‘Exercise in Preparing for Supervision’ (Adapted from Inskipp & Proctor,
2001) in Carroll & Gilbert (2006, p144). (Particularly helpful for Counsellors)

If you are an SU Qld Chaplain I recommend you download and read:

 ‘SU Qld Chaplains & Professional Supervision’ (SU Qld, 2008) from the Chappy
Lounge at www.suqld.org.au

 Prior to each supervision session:

Prepare – In the 24 hours prior to your supervision appointment take 10-30 minutes to
ask yourself some important questions and to plan for your supervision session. The
purpose of this is to organise and prioritise what you want to achieve in the upcoming
session. Preparation questions I have found helpful include (Carroll & Gilbert, 2006, p38-
39):
 Are there any crisis/emergency issues you need to talk about?
 Are there any themes emerging for you in your overall work you would like to
review in supervision?
 Are there any organizational/training areas you want to talk about in supervision?
 What do you want from this session of supervision? For yourself, your clients,
your learning?
 Are there any areas of the supervisory contract/experience you want to review
/re-negotiate?

Briefly plan the presentation of your supervision material. Consider how you will „tell the
story‟ of your concern or issue. For a possible supervision framework re-read and use:
„Exercise in Preparing for Supervision‟ (Adapted from Inskipp & Proctor, 2001) in Carroll
& Gilbert (2006, p144). This may be particularly helpful for counsellors.

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 3 of 7

… prior to each supervision session (continued):

Be Still – I encourage you to arrive 5 to 10 minutes early for your appointment. Find a
shady place to park and take time to slow your breathing, quiet your mind and still your
body in preparation for supervision.

Take a risk – Come prepared to meet and connect with me. I am human, a fellow
colleague, a student of life, and your current supervisor. I value the profession you are
in. I honour the rewards and the costs of your commitment to work in the people helping
industry. I want to hear the good, the bad, the parts you are tempted to edit out and the
interventions you are most proud of. I am privileged when you take the risks
involved in letting me really meet you and your professional work.

 Within the supervision session:

The CLEAR supervision model – A supervision session typically will progress

through a number of stages. This CLEAR model of supervision (Hawkins & Shohet,
2006, p 61) is one that I find helpful. It may be a useful tool for you to be aware of in our
sessions.
 C ontract: At the start of each session I will seek to establish your desired
outcomes, gain an understanding of what you wish to cover and how I and the
process might be most valuable. This may include clarifying our basic supervision
contract and roles.
 L isten: Using active listening and reflection I will encourage you to engage in
self-directed problem-solving in order to assist you in broadening your
understanding of the situation in which you desire to see change. My focus at
this time is to „step into your shoes‟ and for you to know that you have been
listened to and heard deeply. My reframing and offering you new connections is
designed to help you hear yourself more fully.
 E xplore: I will use questions, reflection and invitations to new insight and
awareness as a means of working with you to generate new options for
responding to the issue or relationship.
 A ction: With a variety of options discussed and increased understanding of the
complexities of the situations dynamics I will encourage you to choose one initial
action and make a plan for implementing it. At this time it may be important to
consider future repercussions or role play the outworking of this action.
 R eview: In concluding the session, I will confirm with you the actions you are
wishing to implement. I encourage you to name what has been helpful, difficult,
or may still require further exploration. A future review of the action you are
planning may be discussed. You are welcome to request changes in the process
for future supervision sessions.

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 4 of 7

… within the supervision session (continued)

Tell me about you – My focus in any supervision session is on you and your
responses within your professional role. Whilst discussing clients, exploring a situation,
developing techniques and deciding actions are significant aspects of supervision,
focusing on who you are and how you bring yourself into your work situation is often
more likely to bring helpful growth and change into your work situation. I encourage you
to use time in session to look at your own responses to clients. Feeling „stuck‟ with a
particular client can sometimes shift when you risk exploring your own reactions and
interactions with them. Hawkins and Shohet (2006) remind me to ask you questions that
explore your internal reactions. Does this person remind you of some part of yourself
that you are uncomfortable / scared / critical of? Have you projected onto them your
reaction to someone else in your life? Does their story trigger your story and cloud your
ability to hear and see them?

Be mindful and notice – I invite you to be present in the here and now in our session
and be aware of the interactions that occur between us. Notice your body in the session
and its reactions. Be aware of your breathing, muscle tension, the speed of your thought
processes, the level of anxiety or calm you experience. I practice mindfulness. At times I
will invite you to bring your attention to your body responses or offer you an awareness I
have of my inner reactions as we talk. Experience has taught me that not only will this
enable us to talk more openly about our supervisory relationship; it will often reveal
parallel processes at work for you in your work situations (Shohet, 2008, p98-101).

Be proactive – if you feel I am not hearing or tracking well with you, or you wish to use
your time differently in the session. Let me know. This is your supervision session. Use
your time in a way that meets your current needs. Throughout the session stay alert to
any new theory, skill, technique that you wish to explore further.

Book your next session – Come often for supervision. Good supervision is an
opportunity for growth and change.

 After your supervision session:

Record your learning – In the hour or two following your session I recommend you
make a record of your significant learning‟s and document the specific action or steps
you will take as a result.

Take action – Act by taking the next step in your professional journey, and notice the
impact it has on yourself and those you work with.

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 5 of 7

… after your supervision session (continued)

Learning journal – In order to consolidate this new action or learning you may wish to
keep a learning journal and jot key challenges and discoveries about yourself and your
work. You are welcome to bring this to supervision sessions.

Go to counselling (if needed) – If the session unearths evidence of your own

unhealed wounds, then I encourage you to take them into a therapeutic space where you
can process them further. I am happy to suggest a referral if this will be helpful. Who
you are is your greatest resource. When wounds are untended you can also be the
source of your greatest blind spots and leave both yourself and those you work with at
risk.

Enjoy life and laugh often – I strongly encourage you to take time to be mindful; for
self care; to build strong personal relationships and to enjoy your professional practice.
If laughing and enjoying life is an area you struggle with, you may wish to put into
practice some of the suggestions offered in this book:
Reynolds, S. (2004). Better than Chocolate: 50 proven ways to feel happier.
London, UK: Penguin Books.

Written by: Esther Diplock (2010) Choose Life Counselling. Brisbane, QLD. Australia. Mobile:
0401677938. Website: www.chooselifecounselling.com

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 6 of 7

 References

Carroll, M. and Gilbert, M. (2006). On being a supervisee: Creating Learning

Partnerships. Kew, VIC: Psychoz Publications.

Hawkins, P. and Shohet, R. (2006). Supervision in the helping professions. (3rd

ed.) New York, NY: Open University Press.

Henry, P. (July 2010). Supervision. Paper presented at the meeting of Christian

Counsellors Association of Australia, Brisbane.

Inskipp, F. and Proctor, B. (1993). Making the Most of Supervision. Twickenham:

Cascade.

Reynolds, S. (2004). Better than Chocolate: 50 proven ways to feel happier.

London, UK: Penguin Books.

Shohet, R. (2008). Passionate Supervision. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley

Publishers.

SU Qld. (2008). SU Qld Chaplains and Professional Supervision. Unpublished

paper.

Written by: Esther Diplock (2010) Choose Life Counselling. Brisbane, QLD. Australia. Mobile:
0401677938. Website: www.chooselifecounselling.com

© Esther Diplock 2010 Page 7 of 7