I'm a Supervisor now!

If you've finished your Masters in Counselling Psychology and had your academic credentials checked, chances are you're thinking about where to do your Provisional hours and who you might like to have as a supervisor. I've been working as a supervisor for Provisional Psychologists since 2018 and I really do love the chance to connect, share what I know, and offer support at this incredible time.

So, how does it work?

Well, for starters, I'd be working as an external supervisor. What this means is you would still need a placement for your hours (whether it be another private practice, a non-profit organization, or community agency), as I don't have the capacity to provide clients. It can help to have an idea of where you'd like to work, although I'd also like to have a look at the contract you're offered before you sign off on it so that together we can ensure we both understand what we're agreeing to and go over any questions you might have. If you haven't had your academic credentials checked or started thinking about where you'd like to work: go do that now.

Once you set up with an idea of where you'll be working and ensured they're good with having me as your external supervisor, we can work through CAP's Supervision Plan together and I'll have you sign a supervision contract with me.

For those who are new to the idea of an external supervisor, it could be something to consider for a few good reasons. It means you get to have someone who potentially works in a very different way than your other colleagues and can bring in a unique perspective. I also think it helps avoid any potential dual roles that could arise and allows you to speak a little more freely about any difficulties you might have in the work environment itself - I typically won't know any of your coworkers so I may be able to offer more unbiased support.

The basics of what to expect

Part of our supervision would occur on site (with me observing you work with clients) and part would be off site (meeting at my office or by video, doing case consultation, having you observe my work with clients, etc). During our supervision time, my preference is to use a combination of live observation, video recordings, case consultation, and experiential exercises to best support your learning. Of course, as we go, we can absolutely adapt and work with what feels best for you. And I always like to assure people that the observation I do is not to search for flaws but to support what you're already doing, connect into the ways you work best as a therapist, and find moments where the work can be deepened in a way that feels authentic to you. I also like to frame any feedback I give as "here's what a feminist intervention might look like" or "this is what a somatic practitioner might do here". It's about noticing options and creating room to get curious and explore.

Philosophy of supervision

Primarily, I use an experiential approach to help you connect with what your head, heart, and body are telling you, and to develop the felt sense as a therapist. I aim to support your decisions as long as they are backed by ethical decision-making. I believe that the supervisor – supervisee relationship is akin to the therapist – client relationship, in that it is built of mutual trust and respect, and collaboration of goals. At the same time, it is also an evaluative relationship, and so I will aim to give specific, constructive feedback for you to integrate into your work.

I aim to continually learn and grow as a supervisor, so in addition to the ongoing training I do as a therapist, I also have committed to ongoing training as a supervisor. To this end, I am part of a monthly peer consultation group for supervisors. I also recently took a workshop on Decolonizing Clinical Supervision, and will continue to watch for opportunities where I can hone my supervision skills.

Populations

I work with adults and some adolescents. I do not work with children and do not have extensive couples training, so if those are your main interests then we may not be the best match. I also enjoy group work and can provide guidance in this area as well as individual counselling. I specialize in working with those who have experienced abuse and trauma, as well as those struggling with feeling burnt out and learning to say no. I also commonly work with shame-resilience and anxiety. Many of my clients identify as LGBTQ+, polyamorous, and/or feminist.

Additional opportunities

There may be opportunities for you to co-facilitate a group with me. I regularly run two 8-week groups, totaling 20 direct client hours. These would be unpaid but could be counted as supervision hours and might be a valuable learning opportunity. Clients from group may also choose to work with you 1-1 if you have room and it’s a good fit.

If you like the idea of running groups, I'd also be more than happy to help you design and start a group of your own. I'm a big fan of the healing potential of group work and I can share what I know about facilitation.