Aspen Psychology Services
  • Home
  • Overview
    • Vision
    • Mission
    • Values
    • Services >
      • Core Educational Psychology Services
      • Coaching
      • Training/Events
      • Supporting Spoken Language Development
      • Mentoring
      • Supervision
      • Developing Coaching Cultures
      • Book a Place
    • Testimonials
    • About Our Team >
      • Mark Adams
      • Dr Jak Lee
      • Belinda Haslam
      • Dr Louise Copp
      • Vacancy
      • Dr Ioanna Bakopoulou
  • Resources
  • Books
  • Blog
  • Enquiries
  • Feedback
  • Coronavirus

Supervision

Picture
Supervision provides people with a safe, confidential, supportive (and, when appropriate, challenging) relationship in which they can think/talk about their work and wellbeing with a non-judgemental sounding board.  The aim is to help people to feel a sense of connection and collaboration, an experience of feeling ‘held’, while supporting them to find e.g. clarity, direction, focus, or enhanced resilience & wellbeing.  Sometimes it is simply giving people space to offload and feel validated.

Supervision can be provided for professionals at any level of an organization, individuals who may wish to regularly reflect on their practice, or individuals seeking specialist support in a specific skill area (e.g. supervision in relation to the development of coaching skills).

Coaching or Supervision?

​Coaching and supervision share many similarities, and for some individuals a supervisory relationship may be more appropriate than a coaching engagement.   Although the core skills and methods applied are very similar (indeed, sometimes identical), some of the similarities and differences are:
​
  • Both coaching and supervision focus on supporting the individual to reflect on their situation/practice and plan how to achieve specific goals in relation to either their practice or wellbeing.  Coaching is more likely to be specifically goal-oriented from the outset (but this isn't always the case).
  • Supervision may be more likely to involve detailed reflection on specific pieces of individual casework (but, again, this isn't always the case).
  • In coaching, the coaching participant is invited to write their own action plan at the end of the session.  In supervision, the supervisor will write this action plan in collaboration with the supervisee and send it to the supervisee after the session.  It is usually best for action plans to be kept confidential between coach and coachee, or supervisor and supervisee, as this enhances feelings of safety and encourages open participation.
  • While coaching is (predominantly) coachee-led in terms of the agenda covered, in APS supervision the supervisor may suggest that specific themes (e.g. CPD, wellbeing, safeguarding) are explored during the conversation.  This will be agreed in the agenda-setting part of the conversation or the contracting stage of the engagement.
  • In some (but not all) supervision engagements, the supervisor will have experience of either having performed the supervisee's role, or may have particular experience or knowledge of specific working methods or e.g. professional standards or frameworks, and this knowledge/experience can be drawn upon to inform the the conversation.  This may not be the case in a coaching engagement.
​  
For further details please either contact us or submit an enquiry through this website.

Delivery – proactive is best

​In our experience, this type of support is most effective when sessions are delivered on a regular (e.g. termly) basis, rather than being provided reactively (i.e. when a person identifies that they may have a particular issue and then tries to seek support).  This has the following benefits:

  • A regular review/check-in opportunity exists for each supervisee, and the supervisees are aware of this.  This can help people to feel held/valued.
  • Sessions can focus on the supervisee’s current concerns and issues so that they can be supported to find their own solutions to those issues.
  • People come to expect that supervision will happen, and know they have an outlet they can use to discuss particular matters if needed (“I’ve got supervision next week and I can discuss this then.”).
  • The contracting organization (should there be one) can suggest that particular matters are taken to supervision for discussion (“You might wish to consider talking that through in your supervision session”).
  • Such models do not require members of staff to: (a) recognise that they need support; and (b) seek it.  Instead, support is provided proactively, with check-ins/reflection becoming a part of the culture.
  • Issues related to practice and/or wellbeing can be explored and, if possible, addressed at an earlier stage before they escalate.
  • Regular sessions allow for a relationship to develop between supervisor and supervisee, a key ingredient for enhancing the effectiveness of the sessions.
  • Over time, people become more used to how supervision works and, in many cases, become increasingly proficient at using it effectively.
​

Aspen Psychology Services Supervisors

All APS Supervisors are HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologists who are capable of supporting people with matters related to practice and wellbeing.  We draw upon our professional knowledge and skills, as well as our experience of providing a range of helping relationships (e.g. consultation, coaching, supervision).
 
In circumstances where an individual’s needs are such that their issues may be more suited to another form of support, we may be able to make suggestions to signpost other support services.

What people have said about Aspen supervision

"This was an excellent session that was incredibly helpful, making me inwardly question why I hadn't accessed this before.  The session was skilfully led and reflective links were made to comments or statements that I had made in order to explore aspects more deeply.  I was highly impressed with the professionalism and high degree of skill shown in this session.  Thank-you." - Primary School Head Teacher
"I found it very helpful talking to somebody outside the organization and to have the time to reflect and put into words my thoughts, feelings, emotions and struggles." - Designated Safeguarding Lead.
"Supervision sessions have been a great way to discuss anxieties and concerns in a safe place.  It has also been a way to celebrate successes and get some fabulous practical ideas." - Early Years Foundation Stage Practitioner.
go to main services page
submit an enquiry
go to overview
© Aspen Psychology Services Ltd 2013-2022.  Registered in England & Wales No 8575723.
  • Home
  • Overview
    • Vision
    • Mission
    • Values
    • Services >
      • Core Educational Psychology Services
      • Coaching
      • Training/Events
      • Supporting Spoken Language Development
      • Mentoring
      • Supervision
      • Developing Coaching Cultures
      • Book a Place
    • Testimonials
    • About Our Team >
      • Mark Adams
      • Dr Jak Lee
      • Belinda Haslam
      • Dr Louise Copp
      • Vacancy
      • Dr Ioanna Bakopoulou
  • Resources
  • Books
  • Blog
  • Enquiries
  • Feedback
  • Coronavirus