TILT – Therapeutic Innovations in Light of Technology
Cyber Supervision Anne Stokes
In the first part of this article in May, I looked at the model itself and gave an overview of how it might be used online. This month, the focus is on the third stage, ‘space’, and two counsellors, who attended my recent online supervision workshop, have given me permission to use an extract of some work they did together. One of the questions that practitioners have is about whether they can work creatively online. Jones & Stokes, 2009 explores ways that image and sound can be used with clients and these can easily be adapted for supervision purposes. Below we look at how this may be done by simply using words within a live session. The ‘space’ is a time where the supervisor and supervisee respectfully play with ideas or
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techniques that may provide insight or ways of working with a client. Here in a group supervision setting, Mieke had been focusing on how she might work with a client and had wondered if working with an Inner Child might be possible online or not. To consider this, it was agreed that Jan (another member of the group) would take the role of a client and Mieke, that of counsellor. This would enable Mieke to learn about this way of online working first hand. llllll
Mieke: Inner child work has helped me a lot in the past, and this client reminds me of how I was in the past. This feels important. You are inexperienced in this technique… am I right in my thinking here? To start with,
would you like some more explanation first? Jan: I think I have enough of an idea – to engage with the feelings I had when I was young. Mieke: Jan I would like you to make a mental picture of your inner child Jan: ok Mieke: You can pick an age that feels important to you and imagine what your inner child would look like at that age... Jan: vision is fuzzy but there Mieke: How does she look? The colour of her hair, is it long or short? What kind of clothes does she wear. Just see what comes into your mind... if it helps just close your eyes for a little while and see what comes up