If you're reading this blog about supervision, you may be looking because you want or need a new supervisor, but just as finding the right counsellor for therapy is important, so is finding the right supervisor for supervision. Sometimes we don't get a choice of supervisor if they are assigned to you through your agency or workplace, but if you do, how do you know who is the right supervisor for you? What do you look for?
There are many points to consider. Firstly there's the obvious ones, location, fees, availability, skills, training and experience, but have you considered what YOU want from your supervisor? What is important for you?
Consider what modality you want your supervisor to be trained in. The same as yourself so purely person-centred for example, or someone trained in different modalities or integrative to give you a broader perspective than your own. What about the supervisor's personal qualities? What's important to you, a supervisor that's caring, warm, boundaried, ethical, genuine, reflective, knowledgeable?
Then, there's what you are looking for from the sessions, supervision that's structured or more flexible? How do you best work and learn, will the supervision best facilitate this? Consider what you also want from the supervisory space, do you want a space that's feels safe, where you feel held, supported, not judged?
As you can see there is a lot to consider but it is important to get from supervision what YOU need to enable you to give your client a professional, safe and ethical service. You need a good supervisory relationship to be able to reflect on your work and facilitate your career so don't settle for second best! Think about what you want and find a supervisor to work with you to achieve this.
