This self-access class explores how power and authority operate within psychosexual supervision and how supervisors can create relationships that support psychological safety, ethical accountability and reflective learning.
The class examines both the explicit authority attached to the supervisory role and the less visible ways power may influence what supervisees feel able to disclose, question or challenge. Participants will consider how unacknowledged authority can silence supervisees, while minimising authority can create uncertainty around boundaries, responsibilities and decision-making.
The class also explores psychological safety as a relational environment in which supervisees can think aloud, acknowledge uncertainty and discuss mistakes or difficult material without fear of humiliation or punishment. It also considers the importance of transparent contracting, confidentiality, language, cultural and social context, professional responsibilities, safeguarding and ethical oversight.
Using the supervisory triangle of supervisor, supervisee and service user, participants will reflect on how power moves across supervisory relationships and how supervisory decisions may affect both practitioner development and the quality of care provided. Structured reflection points and applied examples support participants to examine their own use of authority and identify how openness, appropriate challenge and accountability can coexist within supervision.
These sessions are being developed as part of a wider pathway to supervision. At present, each self-access class can be purchased individually, either as professional development for those working towards supervision or as continuing professional development for existing supervisors. We will release further information about the pathway, including how the sessions fit together once the associated competencies and wider framework have been finalised.
Class Structure
- Understanding power and authority within psychosexual supervision
- Defining psychological safety and its role in reflective learning
- Ethical responsibilities, safeguarding and professional accountability
- Contracting, confidentiality, boundaries and organisational expectations
- The role of language, identity, diversity and systemic power
- Exploring power over, power with and power from within
- Applying the supervisory triangle to supervisory practice
- Holding authority transparently, relationally and reflexively
- Structured reflective exercises and applied examples
The class concludes with a 20-question multiple-choice assessment.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this self-access class, participants will be able to:
- Critically reflect on how power and authority operate within psychosexual supervisory relationships.
- Identify factors that promote or undermine psychological safety in supervision.
- Apply relationally and ethically informed approaches to managing supervisory authority and responsibility.
- Use reflective supervisory practice to support openness, appropriate challenge and supervisee development.
- Consider how language, identity, social context and structural inequalities may shape supervisory relationships.
- Use the supervisory triangle to explore the impact of supervision on the supervisor, supervisee and service user.
- Create supervisory environments that support ethical decision-making, professional integrity and high-quality service user care.
About the Trainer
Professor (Dr) Divine Charura is a Professor of Counselling Psychology. Divine is a counselling psychologist, registered and licensed as a practitioner psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council in England (UK).
Divine’s research interests are on the psychotraumatology and mental health in family and diverse community systems across the lifespan.
He has co-authored and edited numerous books. These include Love and Therapy: In relationship [co-edited with Stephen Paul] and with Professor Colin Lago co-edited Black Identities + White therapies: Race respect and diversity, (2021). His latest books are the Handbook of Social Justice in Psychological Therapies. Power, politics, change (co-edited with Dr Laura Winter in 2023) and Trauma Demystified (2024) (Co-edited with Dr Mark McFetridge and Dr Emma Bradshaw).
