As writers we have the advantage of accessing and writing in the voice of our Internal Supervisor. But nothing beats the process of supervision with another human being. The word itself means seeing as if from above.
In their book Supervision in the Helping Professions, Hawkins and Shohet outline different models of supervision and say: Supervision can be a very important part of taking care of oneself, staying open to new learning, and an indispensable part of the helper’s well-being, ongoing self-development, self-awareness and commitment to professional development (2012, p.6).
Psychotherapists and those in aligned helping rôles have a long tradition of receiving supervision. The practice of Writing for Wellbeing, as a relatively new discipline within the helping professions, I believe is no different.
The creative process involved when writing may be challenging. Paradoxically Writing for Wellbeing may reveal distress experienced by clients. Inevitably we are going to touch on the emotional pain of those we work with and open up vulnerable places. On top of that we work in relationship with others and this always has the potential to bring up tricky scenarios.
The practitioner consciously or subliminally holds and absorbs a lot of the emotional fall-out from others and needs somewhere to take their own personal responses. We need to know how to handle ourselves, guide others and have strategies and resources to help ourselves — and others — expand into our growth as human beings.
Sharing honestly with a supervisor will give a sense of relief and release for what is held. Careful listening from the supervisor allows for a contained and confidential space to unpack what may be going on; consider ways of handling difficult situations, and clarify any emotional entanglements. A supervisor will support the practitioner in their work, challenge them (kindly) when appropriate, offer guidance from a more experienced perspective, and look at the bigger picture underpinning their work.
The practice of Writing for Wellbeing has gained in popularity because of its power to heal and the pull to write, which anyone can do. It is not about a perception of good writing, but a need to express the self or explore narratives. All this gives writing a great depth of meaning which has the potential to touch the therapeutic, without at this stage of its development being a therapy per se.
What do we infer by the use of the word therapeutic? We are not, in my view, therapists; we have the possibility to use the power of writing to heal. Which is the simplest understanding of the word without connotations of psychotherapy. Indeed the Metanoia course in this field stresses the phrase ‘for therapeutic purposes’ to distinguish this form of creative writing from a practicing therapy.
Writing for Wellbeing comes in many forms: reflective, poetry, autoethnography, creative non-fiction to name a few. They may all fall within the overarching field of Writing for Wellbeing. Simply put, we are exploring our lives as human beings or the human condition through writing.
We are explorers through words; the power of exploratory writing is both creative and therapeutic. We explore an interior world of feelings and thoughts and may go into unknown territory like explorers of the physical world. Certainly in the last twenty years or so my own work has been continuously evolving; I have been involved in an unfolding, enriching process and needed to hold trust in this process of writing. With the support of peer and paid for supervision, I have been able to navigate my inner and outer landscape to find self-expression through writing and develop the approach to my work.
Practitioners too may have diverse backgrounds for example, teaching, theology, medicine, literature or psychotherapists and counsellors. Therapy, counselling, and coaching courses may help practitioners extend their skills. The practitioner needs to seek a supervisor who understands their modality and shares some fundamental belief system or approach.
During my own sessions with supervisees I use imaginative and reflective writing to uncover solutions for problematic issues, and open up a space to think about clients and ways of working. The strategies I favour for exploration are dialogue, metaphor and use of voice.
Gaining a qualification is not an end in itself but the beginning of life-long learning. Writers are always learning and so are practitioners. The desire to help others is not always straightforward. People have all sorts of behaviours in any sort of educational situation. Writing for Wellbeing is no exception. The skills involved in working in this relatively new discipline may be creative and fun, but the practitioner needs to know how to handle the unexpected and anything that proves to be challenging. The space which opens up in supervision is the place to address any kind of concern and feel supported in your work. Ideally supervision is co-created between supervisee and supervisor: both of you working together to improve professional practice.
© Monica Suswin 26 April 2022
Ref:
Hawkins, P. and Shohet, R. (2012). Supervision in the Helping Professions. Berkshire: Open University Press