Coaches have different supervision needs at different stages of their development, and I tailor my approach to suit each person. However, as a dual-trained coach-therapist, I always bring my therapeutic knowledge and experience to bear on my supervision work with coaches.
I see supervision as a reflective space in which you can:
- gain a fuller understanding of your coaching work and of yourself as a practitioner
- develop your repertoire of skills, so as to be more responsive to the needs of each client
- experience care and support for your emotional labours as a coach
Drawing on my therapeutic experience means, firstly, that I help coaches to develop their awareness of the psychological complexities of the coaching process. This can enhance coaches’ understanding of all levels of a coaching assignment: individual, relational, organisational and systemic.
Secondly, I help coaches to work effectively and ethically with emotions – both their clients’ and their own. This enables coaches to take a more developmental approach where this is called for, and to make better use of themselves as instruments of change in the coaching process.
Thirdly, my therapeutic experience equips me to work with the strong emotions that coaches sometimes need to acknowledge and process in the supervision space – but without turning the supervision into a therapy session.
I aim to create a climate of trust, collaboration and non-judgemental curiosity, and I ask you to be honest with me and yourself about aspects of your work that you might be unsure or concerned about. However, it’s important to stress that supervision isn’t primarily concerned with exploring the limitations of your practice; it’s every bit as much concerned with considering what you’re doing well, and nurturing your signature strengths as a coach.
I receive my own supervision or professional consultation on all of my therapeutic coaching and supervision work, either from a qualified supervisor or from experienced colleagues.
York Coaching 