How (and Why) I Bring Compassion to Clinical Supervision

What if I told you one of the best ways to ensure you’re able to offer your clients compassionate care is by experiencing compassion yourself in supervision? Today, I want to explore why this theory works and how I bring compassion to clinical supervision. But first, what do I mean by compassion?

What Is Compassion?

Compassion is about offering warmth, empathy and support in a way that is caring and considerate of the individual’s needs. Compassion is something we can offer other people, receive from others, and give to ourselves.

A compassionate approach is rooted in a shared humanity. We are all people with the same biological makeup, connected by common needs and aspirations. Our lives may be different, but we are all existing as human beings in the world.

Why is a Compassionate Approach Important?

Supervision can have a huge influence on your ongoing practice, so it’s vital it’s a space that embodies the compassion you ought to be showing your clients.

I believe creating a compassionate supervision space encourages reflection and learning. There’s also a degree of role modelling in supervision – a process by which the supervisor and the supervisee hold in mind a client. When this is done in a compassionate way, it enables the supervisee to tap into their own compassionate stance.

Perhaps most importantly, supervision is an opportunity to check on a therapist’s wellbeing and encourage them to take compassionate action for themselves. This ensures they are healthy and in a good frame of mind to do their work. We all have emotional needs, and compassionate supervision is a safe space in which these can be explored.

About the Supervision Relationship

The quality of the supervision relationship is extremely important. When I reflect on my own experiences of supervision, it is often this that has been most useful in my learning and development.

An atmosphere of psychological safety and encouragement enables people to be vulnerable and honest, showing up to supervision as their whole self. In my opinion, people need to feel their supervisor is there for them and attuned to their needs in an empathetic, validating way. Only then will they feel safe enough to explore difficult things.

Supervision relationships aren’t always straightforward. They can be tricky, and like any human relationship, there can be ruptures along the way. It’s being given the opportunity to repair that matters most.

Approaching supervision through a compassionate lens allows us to address any difficulties and navigate them together. Establishing clear expectations and using feedback to adapt and amend the supervision experience also plays a crucial role.  

How I Bring Compassion to Clinical Supervision

First, I attend to my supervisee by actively listening and working hard to understand what they’re finding difficult. This might mean delving into an issue and exploring it more deeply. Alternatively, it can involve validating their feelings and just giving them space to process the situation and feel heard.

I focus on working collaboratively with my supervisee to make sure I fully understand what they need from supervision. So often, I’ve seen and experienced less helpful supervision where the supervisor hasn’t taken the time to fully understand what I need. Although they might have shared some great ideas, they’ve been mismatched with what I was seeking at that point in my career.

Having empathy for a supervisee is key. As much as possible, I try to put myself in their shoes and think about how they’re feeling. What is it they need from me to be able to move to a position of learning and reflection? Sometimes, they require my help to come to a conclusion or learn a new skill. Other times, they just need me to support and guide them to a conclusion they’ve already reached.

About Shelley

I am a qualified, trauma informed Clinical Supervisor with experience supporting individuals, groups and trainees. I’m also an EMDR Consultant and Training Facilitator, a BABCP accredited CBT therapist and lecturer and a RN(MH). My supervision style is relaxed, supportive and focussed on providing a safe space to learn and share knowledge. Learn more about my services here and please get in touch to discuss working with me.