Clinical Supervision in Ottawa

Definition of Systemic Thinking

“System thinking in therapy and supervision includes awareness of differences of values, attitudes, and ways of understanding the world, and the influence these have on professional work.  Increasing awareness of differences should inform assessment and other interventions and result in personal commitment to enhancing services to diverse client families in diverse settings.  This is a matter that goes beyond “Cultural Competency”  This is a matter which must pervade CFT education and training, and be attended to on a continual bases. “ ( Lee & Nelson , 2014, p 5.)

Clinical Supervisory Philosophy (general):   

I regard our supervision as a space of mutual trust,   Our confidential working relationship is foundational to our work together.  My primary aim is to help you fulfill the competency requirements for your chosen credential, or to further your interest in enhancing  systemic approaches to your work.  I am committed to maximizing  a collaborative, open learning environment for post-graduate practitioners of various fields to achieve their goals within the necessary hierarchical structures of clinical supervision .  (Bernard & Goodyear, 2009, p. 7)  I achieve this  by way of developing a relationship that invites jointly creating ideas that further your potential as a practionner and  encouraging you to take responsibility for your learning..  I support a space to  identify, access, elaborate and produce  your unique competencies  ( Anderson, 2000)  My philosophy of supervision draws from systemic, attachment-based, experiential, process-oriented, constructivist, multicultural  and postmodern perspectives, Post-modern in the sense of - "a critique of meta-narratives  that represent over-aching universal truths,  and the inherent risks in this certainty tradition" ( Anderson 2000) as it pertains to application of those truths in clinical situations. 

Clinical/ Professional  Expectations

Supervision can be an informing and simultaneous transforming experience for both supervisees and supervsior.  Co-constructing  a culturally safe clinical supervision experience, and building cultural awareness and humility is of salience to our work together.  In order to build this,  I must live consistently with my philosophy (continually acknowledging the intersections of race, culture, indigenous identity, ethnicity, age, gender, ability, spirituality/religion, sexual orientation, social economic circumstances) in relation to my work.  As a supervisor, I am committed to being open to learning about your lived experiences and how it  interacts with my knowledge and experiences of systemic psychotherapy, with genuine validation, compassion, curiosity, positive intent and professional direction.  I will be open also about my lived experiences too where it might be professionally applicable.  My philosophy acknowledges that human suffering and culture are inextricably linked and  highlights the ways in which the supervsior-supervsisee relationship, as well as the context in which it is in, is powerfully shaped by the intricacies of culture. This is ideal for practitioners who work with a breadth of populations,  (EAP, community agencies, private practice, walk-in counselling, ministry work, pastoral care, front-line workers).

I expect participating practitionners are committed to, and comfortable with challenging themselves to confront the occasional discomforts of continued growth, learning and sharing in relationship, while developing their professional identity and relationships.   "This capacity is a function of personal maturity characterized by good-enough boundaries, social judgement, self-observation, and self-control."  (Lee and Nelson, 2014, 44) While Clinical Supervision is not therapy, therapists may potentially become increasingly aware of unresolved personal issues that may be negatively impacting their clinical work.  For this reason,  I recommend  that practionners, seek their own sources of support both personally and professionally.  Some may be recommended.

Emphasis on Equitable Service Delivery. 

In recent years, an increasing emphasis on competency based approaches and manual-based supervision can make assumptions that exclude contextual and diversity factors,  leaving strengths built out of personal experience, mutual pain and contextual factors unacknowledged.  Inapprapriately applied applications have  been shown to sometimes have adverse macro and micro counselling impacts on service delivery and effectiveness to marginalized populations.  I believe that paying close attention to these human factors from a system perspective at a supervisory level is critical to offering equitable services across diverse populations as well as having a positive impact on therapist growth and satisfaction at work.

Contact

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any further inquires at 613 523 0791 or you would like to meet. If you re interested in my services, you'll will be asked to send your resume and invited for an opportunity to discuss your goals for supervision, your preferred approaches to therapy, and whether there is likely a good enough fit between our approaches to our work.  If a mutual fit seems to exist, a Supervision Contract will be offered for your review.  If in agreement,  you will be offered a welcome to sign the contract and commence a supervisory relationship.

I abide by the Code of Ethics for Supervisory Practice set out by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.  

Accepting Supervisees for Septmeber  2019.