Peter Wyatt

My job as supervisor is to make sure you are safe to practice: are you safe for the client, and are you safe for yourself?

For the client, are you counselling ethically, working within your confidence and competence? Are you up to date with your CPD? I'm happy for the session to be more “teaching”, discussing different ideas and concepts, different ways of approaching each client.

Are you safe to practice? Are you tired, overworked, stressed? If you just lost someone you love, are you safe to do grief work? If you're going through a messy divorce, are you safe to see couples? What aren't you telling me about this client? My first question every month is “How are you?” Not as in “I'm fine, how are you?” but really how are you?

I'll actively encourage reflection on your practice. What did you do well? What did you learn? What would you do different?

Here's some questions I ask myself from time to time. Maybe I'll ask you the same questions...

Is your client safe in your care?

Are you more interested in accumulating your hours for accreditation/making money than in working ethically?

Are you outside your level of confidence and competence?

Are you up to date with your CPD?

What did you do well?

What did you learn?

What would you do different?

What aren't you telling me about this client?

How are you? No, really, how are you?

Are you tired, overworked, stressed?

Are you seeing too many clients?

Can you say no to more clients?

If you just lost someone you love, are you safe to do grief work?

If you're going through a messy divorce, are you safe to see couples?

Where will your practice be a year from now?

What's your plan for personal and professional development?