Building Therapeutic Competence

Clinical supervision has become a large part of my work. I’ve always had a supervisor, which has helped me navigate the deep waters and shifting seasons of the therapeutic relationship. “Supervision is an inquiry into practice. It is a compassionate appreciative enquiry … In supervision we re-write the stories of our own practice … supervision interrupts practice. It wakes us up to what we are doing. When we are alive to what we are doing we wake up to what is, instead of falling asleep in the comfort stories of our clinical routines” (Ryan, 2004).

I am invested in cultivating what I call an ecology of care. Therapists create safe places for clients. Supervisors hold space for therapists to lean in and develop their practice. Like any job, therapy skills get better when there is time and space for reflection and inquiry. And like any job, when a therapist simply rests on their laurels or stops growing and developing, the work gets stale and loses currency. This impacts the client in profound and concerning ways; therefore, supervision aims to amplify the wisdom of the supervisee, which builds and awakens in them capacity and therapeutic competence.

The dominant modalities I use as a therapist are person-centred and narrative therapy. I work from a trauma-informed and gender-affirmative perspective. These approaches also inform the way I run supervision. I am primarily interested in creating an authentic and trustworthy connection with a supervisee, developing a safe place and a secure base. This allows the supervisee to develop competence and confidence, feeling supported by a mentor and trusted ally. It’s actually not about what I know, it’s more about what I can hold.

Supervision is a relationship – one where both parties grow, develop, gain insight, and try to make sense of the complex and dynamic world of therapy. It’s an honour to guide and hold space for people on their journey to grow professionally and connect with clients with compassion and creativity.