Supervision for coaches
Coaches are increasingly recognising not only the benefits but also their responsibility as professionals to be in a self reflective process where they can examine their work, address difficulties and identify learning needs.
Those of us who are lucky enough to have excellent supervision will recognise that we do not want to practise without the high quality feedback, mentorship, challenge and learning that it provides.
Sally Blades is an experienced and skilled supervisor who will encourage and facilitate a relationship of warmth and trust, thus enabling you to reflect on your work and yourself. This process of support and growth will add to your personal development, increase your inner resources and ensure high quality in your professional life.
What is supervision?
Supervision is well known in people professions as a highly effective way of learning, growing and supporting yourself in your practice whether it is coaching, counselling, consulting, social work or health.
Although supervision is well known in the helping professions, to those from other backgrounds it can be misunderstood, perhaps because of the name. It is not hierarchical and does not involve evaluation, monitoring or controlling. Supervision is an equal supportive relationship that provides a safe and non-judgmental environment for a practitioner to explore any work-related issues.
Why have a supervisor?
As your supervisor Sally will ask useful questions that will assist you in expanding your skills and help identify your learning needs. Through facilitated and supportive self-reflection you will be able to examine and broaden your interventions. We all have limits and blind spots and it is useful to become aware of them. Through close observation of yourself as a coach and of the interactions you have with your clients you will expand your versatility and gain greater control of you inner state, flexibility and presence.
Supervision and self reflection
You will increase your understanding of the dynamics between coach and client by examining your own reactions and responses, and widen comprehension of the dynamics of workplace/team/family/organisations.
Sally will assist you in developing this self-reflective practice in a way that suits you individually.
As your supervisor she will provide the vital emotional support needed when working intensely and empathetically with clients some of whom will be troubled or going through difficulty. As you become more aware of the impact of client issues on yourself you can increasingly maintain clarity and presence and build emotional resilience.
Supervision and awareness
Supervision also raises awareness and provides support with frequently arising practice issues such as boundaries, multiple roles, contracts and agreements, ethics and confidentiality, endings or money. These are common issues and we all have or will encounter them.
It is easy for those among us who work for ourselves and mostly alone to become isolated. High quality cannot be maintained in isolation. Through supervision, especially in a group, you can build supportive relationships with your supervisor/mentor and fellow supervisees.
All of this protects your clients, develops highly competent and responsible practice, increases the effectiveness and satisfaction of both client and coach, builds confidence, grows you as a coach and grows the profession.
How does supervision work?
Supervision is available individually and in small groups, so do talk to Sally about your requirements. It is important that sessions are regular; the frequency depending to some extent on the amount of clients that you are seeing. Sally recommends that from the very start of your coaching practice you dont have very long gaps (more than two months) between sessions as supervision can help you build your practice and confidence. Sessions are available face to face or via telephone and Skype.
Group or one-to-one supervision
An advantage of group supervision is the richness of hearing other coaches' experience and the sharing their input, as well as that of the supervisor. We learn from others and can often be reassured to discover that our colleagues are encountering similar issues. This prevents isolation and builds a supportive network.
In one-to-one sessions there is more time and it might feel safer to open up and work more deeply. In Sally's experience a small group with a good supervisor will soon develop trust and safety, so it just depends on your preference.
For more information or to make an appointment, contact Sally >>
Sally also offers supervision for acupuncturists >>