1. Home
2. Community
3. Events
4. Event details

Supervision: talking about suicide

Supervision: talking about suicide

An exploration of risk

Jo Birch & Professor Andrew Reeves

Please be aware – this workshop will focus on suicide and risk. Pause a moment. What do you need to take care of yourself in this space? You can leave at any time, and you do not have to participate in Breakouts.

What do we mean when we think of ‘risk’ in supervision?

Perhaps, we go to the edge. The risk to life.

Within a wider context of 'risk' we will consider how we can talk about suicide, and suicidal thoughts, in supervision. Whether it arises from the work of the supervisee, or in the supervisee themselves.

However, let's begin a little wider.

What is the context of risk? The wider landscape?

How much have you thought about ‘risk’ in your work as a supervisor?

It’s a tricky area in which to ‘prepare’ as every situation we encounter is different. What then can we do as Supervisors?

How might we better equip ourselves to hold risk, to open conversations – and be receptive to what may arise?

What do we need to consider when we reach the edge of our own competence? Or perhaps we need to explore the competence of our supervisee?

We have put together this 2-part workshop to explore risk arising within Supervision in our professional communitites - counsellors, coaches, psychotherapists, counselling and coaching supervisors, and other practitioners.

We can never fully prepare for risk – however, there are things we can do to better equip ourselves.

In this 2-part workshop we will offer:

• Information in the professional field
• An exploration of context
• Catalysts for thought
• Our experiences
• Encouragement to you to reflect on your own current or past experiences
• Links to professional standards
• Ideas for best practice
• Opportunities for discussion and sharing

And more

What will be the focus of Part 1 and Part 2

We will be interacting and learning from the group. Therefore this is an idea of the ground we may cover – and this may be influenced by a number of factors including what arises in the group of people attending the workshops

Part 1 (6 Nov 2023)

• What do we mean by risk when supervising therapists and coaches?
• Understanding our own relationship to risk and considering how that might shape the supervisory process
• Different lenses that, as supervisors, we might bring to risk and how we subjectively interpret those perspectives
• The key responsibilities of working with risk in therapy and coaching and the key tasks in supervision

Part 2 (13 Nov 2023)

• Understanding our own areas of struggle around mental health and how they might relate to our work as supervisors
• Knowing how to make best use of a reflexive process in facilitating the supervisee to consider the particular aspects of risk
• Understanding how to draw on subjective perspectives and how to make them explicit to inform best practice around working with risk
• Understand the limitations of safety, and when and how to act, depending on context

Who is this session for?

Focused on Supervision and Risk, these workshops are primarily for SUPERVISORS, however we are all SUPERVISEES and there is a lot to explore about how we bring risk to our supervisor and to our supervision sessions; what expectations we may have regarding our supervisor; how we want to work with risk….and more.

Therefore, we welcome both Supervisors AND Supervisees to this workshop.

If you think (or if you gut 'feels') this workshop is for you….please do come along!

Share this event