Elizabeth Betts

I am a qualified and experienced clinical supervisor, offering individual and group supervision to both trainee and qualified counsellors and psychotherapists.

I hold a Diploma in Supervision of Individuals and Groups, with training that meets BACP supervision training standards. My core therapeutic approach is psychodynamic, although my supervision training enables me to work with practitioners from a range of therapeutic modalities.

Alongside my private practice, I am the founder of Aphrodite School of Counselling and Psychotherapy. I have six years' experience teaching counselling and psychotherapy, including previously working in higher education, where I taught and led psychodynamic counselling programmes.

My experience as a therapist, supervisor and educator allows me to bring together clinical knowledge, theoretical understanding and a genuine appreciation of the challenges therapists encounter at different stages of their professional development.

My Approach to Supervision
I believe that effective supervision is built upon a trusting, collaborative relationship where therapists feel able to explore their clinical work openly, including moments of uncertainty, vulnerability and challenge, without fear of judgement.

My aim is to provide a supportive, reflective and appropriately challenging space that encourages professional growth, develops clinical confidence and maintains a strong commitment to ethical practice and client wellbeing.

I work relationally, recognising that the supervisory relationship itself can offer valuable insights into the therapeutic process. My psychodynamic background particularly informs my interest in unconscious communication, transference, countertransference, parallel process and the emotional experiences that arise within therapeutic relationships.

I encourage supervisees to develop a deeper awareness of their own emotional responses, exploring how personal experiences, unconscious processes and relational patterns may influence their work with clients.

While theory is an important part of my approach, I believe supervision should also be a space for curiosity, creativity and reflection, where therapists can develop their own therapeutic identity rather than feeling they must work in a prescribed way.

I adapt my approach to the experience, therapeutic modality and developmental needs of each supervisee, recognising that supervision should evolve alongside the practitioner.

Experience and Areas of Interest
I have extensive experience providing supervision within private practice, counselling agencies and higher education settings, working with both individuals and groups.

My experience of teaching and supervising trainee therapists has given me a particular understanding of the challenges involved in developing clinical confidence, integrating theory with practice and establishing a professional therapeutic identity.

I enjoy supporting trainees as they begin to recognise and trust their clinical intuition, develop their reflective and reflexive capacities, and become increasingly comfortable working with the complexities and uncertainties of therapeutic relationships.

When working with qualified and experienced therapists, I offer space for deeper exploration of clinical material, including unconscious processes, complex relational dynamics, ethical dilemmas and the emotional impact of therapeutic work.

My clinical experience includes working with trauma, domestic abuse, attachment difficulties, neurodivergence, children and young people, and relationship difficulties. I bring an inclusive, LGBTQ+ informed perspective to my work and encourage reflection on diversity, identity, difference and the wider social context of our clients' experiences.

What You Can Expect from Supervision
I see supervision as more than a professional requirement. It is an opportunity to think deeply about our work, develop greater self-awareness and remain connected to the reasons we became therapists.

I aim to balance the supportive and restorative aspects of supervision with appropriate professional challenge, ensuring that ethical responsibilities, client safety and clinical development remain central to our work.

Whether you are a trainee finding your feet, a newly qualified therapist developing your confidence, or an experienced practitioner looking for a reflective space to explore your work in greater depth, I offer supervision that is thoughtful, collaborative and responsive to your individual needs.

Above all, I hope to create a supervisory relationship where you feel supported enough to be vulnerable, safe enough to question yourself, and confident enough to grow as a practitioner.