This self-access class explores how supervision develops and changes across the professional lifespan, from the transition into supervision through periods of established practice, significant life events and professional endings.
Participants will consider the tasks, content, process and guiding functions of supervision, including the responsibilities involved in contracting, assessing competence, maintaining ethical practice and supporting supervisees at different stages of development. The class examines how personal and professional experiences can affect supervisors, supervisees and service users, and how these interconnected relationships can influence therapeutic and supervisory work.
Particular attention is given to life events such as illness, disability, pregnancy, fertility experiences, relationship changes, bereavement and financial pressures. Participants will consider how to recognise and manage their impact while maintaining service user safety, professional boundaries and appropriate levels of disclosure and trust. The class also explores planned and unexpected endings, periods of incapacity and the role of an ethical executor.
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
- The stages of development across a supervisor’s professional lifespan
- The tasks, content, process and guiding functions of supervision
- Moving from experienced practitioner to new supervisor
- Contracting, assessment, competence and professional responsibility
- The relationship between supervisor, supervisee and service user
- Managing the interface between personal and professional experiences
- Life events, boundaries, disclosure, trust and service user safety
- Professional endings, incapacity and ethical executors
- Reflective exercises to support professional application
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:
- Recognise how supervisory needs and responsibilities change across the professional lifespan.
- Identify the key tasks, processes and guiding functions of supervision.
- Consider how personal and professional experiences may affect supervisors, supervisees and service users.
- Evaluate the implications of life events for boundaries, disclosure, trust and safe practice.
- Reflect on competence, professional responsibility and the management of planned or unexpected endings.
- Explain the purpose and responsibilities of an ethical executor.
About the Trainer
The class is led by Anne Chilton, who has worked as a therapist for more than 40 years and as a supervisor for approximately 25 years. It is suitable for practising and developing supervisors, therapists, counsellors and other professionals involved in clinical supervision.
