Why Work With Me?
Choosing a Supervisor is a very personal choice, and I recommend contacting several potential Supervisors before making a final decision. At the start, the process can feel a bit like speed dating; a 20 minute introductory chat online might not feel overly substantial, but you'll learn a lot about yourself and the Supervisors during those conversations.
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Does the Supervisor 'feel' like a good fit? Not only from looking at their bio; what is your instinct telling you? Can you imagine yourself working with them?
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Is location important to you? Would you like to work face-to-face, or does it feel more comfortable to work with a Supervisor who is outside of your region?
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How do you both like to communicate? Are you someone who is most comfortable sitting with silence while you process your thoughts and feelings, or do you work more effectively when the relationship feels more conversationally fluid?
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Can they work with your processing style? Are you more tuned into your thoughts or your feelings? Where might you need additional support to process and understand your professional self?
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What are their unique skill-sets? Do you like to work creatively using art, play or story-telling? Is understanding the theoretical basis of your practice important to you? Do you need a culturally competent Supervisor who understands your intersecting identities?
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It is ok if your answers to some of those questions are "I don't know yet..."
You might find the answers during those initial conversations.
Neurodiversity
I am an ADHDer and I have substantial theoretical knowledge, as well as lived experience, of neurodiversity. As such, I am often contacted by colleagues who are looking to work with a Supervisor who 'gets it', and is able to hold a culturally affirming supervision space.
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A shared understanding of neurodiversity can be useful, but it also doesn't guarantee a successful working relationship. As these pages develop, I will be adding a list of neurodivergent colleagues, which will increase the chances of finding the right Supervisor for you.
Theory Vs Experience
If you have ever attended any of my training workshops, you might know that I am a bit of a nerd - I value evidence based learning and I like my information to have been well researched and considered.
What you might not know, is that I also place a lot of importance on the learning that take place unconsciously. On the face of it, this can look like pulling a thread on a strong emotional reaction, or a gut instinct - trying to work out meaning and what those responses might be telling you.
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If you need a theoretical framework, we can work together to explore ways of integrating theoretical structure into your practice. We can also use the sessions to work with any feelings that might remain after an assignment; this is usually an introspective process of discovery, where a Supervisee is able to learn more about themselves.
Communication Style
My default communication style embraces conversational reciprocity, I am socially orientated and I enjoy the process of co-creating a supervisory space.
I can also work comfortably with Supervisees who prefer the ebb and flow of conversational silence, so that they can process their thoughts and feelings before contributing.
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There isn't a right or wrong way to communicate and it should be dynamic, shifting to meet the needs of the moment. My process is to work with Supervisees so that we can negotiate those communication needs within the sessions.
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Creative Supervision
There is a lot of evidence to suggest that some of our most profound learning experiences are acquired through play. It supports both skill development as well as knowledge retention. Additionally, it allows us to tap into our subconscious, as well as sharpening our executive functions through problem solving.
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Full disclosure: I can't draw and all of my pictures look like stick people. However, you will be pleased to know that there are infinite ways to tap into our creativity; you don't even have to draw if you don't want to...
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Using creativity to engage with an experience can be entirely abstract - pastels or crayons on a piece of paper, word associations, creative metaphors, modelling, guided crafts, small-world play...
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Working creatively can feel liberating, but it can also make people feel really unsafe - it will always be an option when working together, and it will always be your choice.