Strengths based Supervision

Recently I attended a workshop about strengths based supervision facilitated by psychologist Michael Durrant. The skills I learned have hugely influenced how I approach supervision – for the better. Here’s how…

• Rather than asking “what issues are you bringing to supervision?”, I now tend to ask “How do you want things to be different with…(situation)?”.
• We don’t spend so much time unpicking problems…we focus on what went well, how, and why.
• I help people to identify their strengths, skills, abilities, experiences, and knowledge they are using in the situations they bring to supervision, in turn reinforcing their competence and success.

Often, we think we are in a strength focussed supervision relationship, however the traditional framework where the supervisor maintains control, plans, strategizes, problem solves and directs may still prevail. This is not an empowering relationship for supervision.

In your own supervision sessions, do you:

• get to focus in on what makes YOU a great therapist?
• identify strengths, skills, and competencies you use to achieve your outcomes?
• feel motivated to keep learning, growing, and pushing boundaries?
• come away feeling in control and doing a great job?
• spend time focussing on the future therapist you want to be?

If not, consider working with a supervisor who uses a strength-based approach.

If you’d like to know more about supervision with Catherine or Louise, click here to be in touch.

Supervision is helping people to change so they can become more competent and more successful.