My background prior to entering the coaching profession has been in adult learning, especially in communications skills and cross-cultural training.

After gaining accreditation in 2003, I have since worked across a broad range of sectors and contexts which range from NGOs, banking, insurance, education and health. I've been most inspired by opportunities to support transformational learning and change, whether in individuals and teams, and hold strong personal values about supporting individuals or organisations to find and express their full potential and values.

Supervision values and approach:
I take the same attitude into my supervision because I believe that most coaches do what they do because they seek to be the change they want to see - they do what they do because they have a sense of vocation and purpose which is a lifelong journey of exploration.
My model of supervision is described in my chapter 'The Self in Supervision' in the forthcoming Coaching and Mentoring Supervision: Theory and Practice by Bachkirova, Jackson and Clutterbuck, and describes a person-centred, holistic and non-prescriptive approach which places particular emphasis on the self as instrument, as well as the self-care and reflective practices which coaches need to develop for themselves in order to keep their practice well oxygenated, life-giving, grounded and connected to their source.
I like to encourage my supervision clients to be curious about their practice, and to dig deeper into the themes which emerge from their practice. For myself this has involved exploring, writing and running workshops around use of metaphor and whole body intelligence, as well as the spiritual dimension to our work as coaches. I am in the process of developing as a Focusing practitioner, a somatic approach developed by Gene Gendlin, colleague to Carl Rogers.

Standards and Accreditation:
Whilst I hold an approach to supervision which is about developing the coach's own authentic practice, I believe this also means being accountable to professional ethics and standards. I'm personally accredited to EMCC's Master practitioner EIA (European Individual Accreditation), and am an EMCC assessor and consultant for EIA, and EQA.
In 2010 I completed The OCM's Advanced Certificate in Coach-Mentoring Supervision with distinction, and Oxford Brooke's Masters in Coaching and Mentoring Supervision. My supervisees are often in the process of completing various accreditations for themselves, and this can form part of the supervision content if relevant.

Building Internal Supervision Capacity:
In addition, I design and deliver supervision programmes through the OCM, where I acted as their Director of Qualifications.
I have a keen interest in supporting organisations to develop their own internal supervision practices as a way of keeping their coaching cultures healthy and effective, and recently completed a piece of research to uncover key trends regarding supervision in organisations ('Supervision and the Internal Coach; findings from an action research project' Coach and Mentor Journal Issue 11, 2011).
Building Standards within Supervision:
I'm committed to supporting the development of best practice within supervision, and was honoured to run a workshop at the 1st Conference of Coaching and Mentoring Supervision held at Oxford Brookes. I am also currently working with a youth mentoring charity in growing their supervision practice so that they can become a centre of excellence to other similar charities - it's disturbing but true that in many cases youth mentors receive no supervision.

Formats for Supervision:
I believe that supervision works best when it comes in a range of formats, i.e. regular 121, ad hoc 'emergency', group, online etc and I believe it's important for me to work harmoniously with the other supports which a coach may already have in place. I see my role as being part of the bigger picture of a coach's overall development, offering a truly safe space to examine themselves and their practice to bring about the shifts they need to serve more effectively, flexibly and with ease and enjoyment.

I therefore offer both individual and group supervision, face to face and on Skype. I aim to create packages which are tailored to the individual or group of coach's specific needs, availability and finances. I like to make sure that before entering an agreement that the coach(s) gain a clear sense of how I will work, and whether it will be compatible to their needs. After all - it's all about a good working relationship.

Katherine is an active contributor to AOCS's Strategy Group, co-created and ran our first supervision unconference, and was our Chair from late 2015 to 2018.