BACP Supervisor's Event 2024
Programme

View the programme and click through to read presentation information.

Supervisors event 2024

The event will explore the issues manifesting in supervision, including the challenges supervisors might face. It’ll also look at the contextual, contemporary, and practice-based issues that present in supervision. 

This event aims to create time and space to connect with peers working within contemporary supervision, whatever stage of your career.

We hope to establish a community and collaborative feel with the opportunity to network in-person with peers, learn from presenters and share knowledge. Along with the strand facilitators, you’ll also be able to identify ideas and solutions that can be explored further.

Join us in-person on Thursday 26 September  from 9:00am until 5:00pm at the Doubletree by Hilton Bristol City Centre.

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Programme

Time	Strand 1 Ethical considerations Bristow ballroom	Strand 2 Equality, diversity and inclusion Park suite	Strand 3 Practice considerations Cabot and temple suite
9.00am to 9.50am	Registration and welcome drinks
9.50am to 10.00am	Event welcome
10.00am to 11.00am	Keynote presentation: Fear and love in supervision (and beyond), presented by Robin Shohet
11.00am to 11.15am	Break
11.15am to 12.15pm	An introduction to AI for Supervisors, presented by Richard Miller	Global instability and anxiety/war, presented by Alix Hearn	Due to unforeseen circumstances this presentation is no longer taking place. You'll be able to watch the pre-recorded presentation through the on-demand service. Supervising trainees - dispelling the myths, celebrating the joys of fostering development, presented by Nicola Blunden
12.15pm to 1.15pm	Lunch
1.15pm to 2.15pm	Connecting together - The room will be divided into different areas of interest, for more focused and structured networking. You’ll be encouraged to move around the room and engage with colleagues, volunteers and BACP staff to network, share ideas and meet new people with similar interests. You’ll be able to add a new area of interest if yours isn’t represented.
2.20pm to 3.20pm	Working and ‘staying with’ the complexity of adoption work in supervision’, presented by Alison Roy	Developing inclusive supervision through the social model of disability, presented by Dr. Stuart Gore	Supervising Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) practitioners, presented by Jeanine Connor
3.20pm to 3.35pm
3.35pm to 4.35pm	Keynote presentation: Navigating local and global contemporary challenges: the counselling professions in times of turbulence, challenge and change, presented by Professor Lynne Gabriel
4.35pm to 4.55pm	Panel discussion and reflection
4.55pm	Final thoughts and event close

This programme is subject to change

Fear knocked on the door. Love answered and there was no-one there. (Sufi Maxim)

A book called A Course in Miracles says, “Teach only love, for that is what you are.”  It also suggests that there are only two basic feeling states, love and fear. Over the years (many) I have come to see that fear has many disguises that might not look like fear - competition, comparison, othering, gossip, conformity, achievement, qualifications, image, arrogance. I see part of my work as helping to dissolve the black clouds of fear which obscure the love ever present behind them. There is shame around acknowledging fear - we might feel 'less than’ but not recognising it and, worse, hiding it, can lead to dysfunctional relationships.

This talk will centre around how Robin has helped people unpeel the core beliefs that keep fear locked in place and how accepting that love is who we are gives us, supervisee and supervisor,  the courage to move into a loving presence which is both  bold and joyful.  Here we embody De Mello’s words, "Obedience keeps the rules. Love knows when to break them”  as we reclaim our own authority.

This keynote session aims to prompt thought and dialogue about contemporary UK and international challenges that counselling professions encounter and are subjected to.

Through simply being a human working with other humans, we are subject to local, national and global forces and factors that are beyond our direct control, yet which inevitably influence and impact our day-to-day work and, indeed, our very being. Such factors and forces include AI (artificial intelligence), the cost of living, climate change, and global conflicts. 

For those of us who work as practitioner or service provision supervisors, how might these forces and factors manifest in our supervisory and relational work?  We will consider this on the day and during the keynote, we will consider key challenges presented through AI, the cost of living crisis, climate crises, and uncertainties and dangers presented through global conflicts and hostilities.  

Through our shared space and conversation, we will consider how these challenges may be evident in our counselling contexts, training spaces and associated supervisory work. The counselling professions and workforce are not immune to these challenges.  Nor are clients or supervisees. Essentially, as change-makers and facilitators we have a responsibility to reflexively respond in the face of such challenges; we cannot ignore them.

Through listening to and engaging with this keynote’s content, the following will be key ‘take aways’:

identification and recognition of the nature and impact of local, national and global situations upon the counselling professions
opportunities to build on learning about and responding to, the socio-political, cultural and social justice dimensions associated with local, national, and global situations
experiential insights gained through a short period during the keynote, to reflect on ‘so what does this mean for me?’

Professor Lynne Gabriel, OBE, is Professor of Counselling and Mental Health at York St John University, York, UK. She is a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Accredited and Registered Counsellor and Psychotherapist, and an honorary fellow of the association. She is a trained supervisor of practitioners working within the counselling, mental health and helping professions. Lynne is also a trained coach member of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development. She has been a key player in the counselling and mental health fields for many years, contributing at local, regional, national, and international levels. 

Lynne's research interests include public and community mental health, domestic and relationship abuse, pluralistic approaches to ethics for the counselling professions, interventions for bereavement and loss, review and evaluation of standardised mental health measures, and evaluation of the provision of online counselling.   Lynne is working with co-editor Professor Andrew Reeves on a new Ethics in Action series for Routledge and is lead author for the series header book, Navigating Relational Ethics in Day-to-Day Practice.

"An Introduction to AI for Supervisors,” is a session designed to equip counselling supervisors with foundational knowledge and practical insights into the world of artificial intelligence (AI). Our aim is to demystify AI, making it accessible and relevant to your supervisory role in the counselling field.

The session will commence with a theory segment, introducing what AI is and how it functions. We'll explore essential concepts, including the alignment problem, highlighting its significance in counselling contexts. This theoretical grounding will serve as a springboard for further exploration and understanding of AI's implications and opportunities.

Following the theory, we'll shift to consider practical applications. You’ll begin to learn how to support counsellors who incorporate AI into their practice and assist clients affected by AI advancements. Using real-life examples, we’ll explore strategies to support both counsellor and client experiences in a changing world.

By the end of this session, you'll have a clear starting point for your journey into understanding AI. Join in to help bridge the gap between AI technology and ethical counselling practices.

Richard Miller lives with his family and works as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer working in private practice in Fife. Since 2002, he has studied Humanistic Psychotherapies and Psychology in Aberdeen University, University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University where he graduated with the best overall award for Psychology.

He has served as President of Aberdeen University Students Association, an executive officer of the National Union of Students Scotland and is currently serving as co-director of the Scottish Institute of Emotion-Focused Therapy. He has provided counselling in local high schools and St Andrews University. Richard is a current member of the British Association for Counselling Psychotherapy, the British Psychological Society and the International Society for Emotion Focused Therapy.

Richard has been closely following advancements of the AI field since 2015.

We now live in a post-pandemic world, one could argue, a world of increased unrest, displacement, climate anxiety and terror. The aim of this session will be to explore some of these themes of global anxiety and the continued impact of war and terror on individuals, families, and communities. In particular, how these issues and difficulties might enter the clinical space, and the supervisory relationship, both directly and indirectly.
I would like to explore this territory through presentation of overarching ideas, what this might look like in practice through group discussion & experiential exploration on these themes and the importance of resourcing, which can be transferred into direct work with supervisees and clients.

Drawing upon supervisory theory, deep ecology, neuroscience, psychodynamic thinking and attachment frameworks, my aim is to focus on how, as supervisors, we can support our supervisees to hold both hope and despair in their clinical work with clients. We will consider the use of holding platforms in supervision and how these can be used therapeutically, and how we can respond effectively, in the moment, to the gravity and weight of the suffering and grief in the world without falling into shutdown or collapse.

Session learning outcomes:

supportive theoretical underpinning and frameworks which can help to make sense of the unconscious and unprocessed clinical material
differing and systemic perspectives on the clinical themes of global instability, anxiety and collective grief
creative, tangible resources and shared ideas, which could be used both in supervision and with clients, for personal exploration / self-reflective practice for professional roles

Alix Hearn is an integrative child & adolescent psychotherapist, ecopsychotherapist and clinical supervisor with thirteen years’ experience of specialist working with children, young people and families. She has worked within schools, specialist trauma teams, child and adolescent mental health services, and private practice. She is also a qualified clinical supervisor to both child and adult psychotherapists and counsellors. In the last few years, she has focused more on her other first love of writing and her chapter ‘Ecopsychotherapy with children and young people in mind: attachment to place, nature, and landscape’ in One tree, many branches: the practice of integrative child and adolescent psychotherapy ed. by B. Merrick and D. Gammage was published by Phoenix in 2024. Alix is working on a number of non-fiction books including her forthcoming book, Places of Safety: how attachment shapes our parenting, and a co-written book on child psychotherapy supervision.

In this session, we will dispel the myths about supervising trainee counsellors and psychotherapists. Supervision relationships with trainees can be challenging for various reasons such as: supervisee non-disclosure; evaluation and reporting; managing client recordings; preparing supervisees for course assessments; and supporting trainees with the stresses of placement. But working with trainees is rewarding too, because of the developmental and mentoring potential of supervision, in which you support a trainee to grow in confidence and ability to eventually become a qualified therapist. Supervising students is also a great way to develop skills and a professional network to transition into tutoring and training therapists in higher and further education.

In this session, you’ll receive practical advice for supervising students, learn how to troubleshoot problems, explore how to manage the complex 4-contract between you, the student, the placement, and the course.

Session learning outcomes:

explore the contextual challenges and benefits of supervising trainee therapists
understand the unique developmental purpose of supervising trainee therapists
identify and resolve a typical problem or ethical dilemma in supervising trainees
celebrate the qualities of an effective and collaborative supervision relationship with trainees

Nicola Blunden is author of Next Steps in Counselling: A Students’ Companion (3rd Edition), and programme leader of UWE Bristol’s MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She is a therapist, trainer, supervisor, and researcher who has worked with clients in the South Wales valleys for over twenty years. Her practice specialisms are in working with trauma and plural identity, and she loves incorporating creative methods into her work. She is a pluralistic therapist, committed to justice and anti-oppressive practice. She is a co-production specialist and has published articles about the ethics of co-production in a neoliberal world, decolonising counselling research, and co-producing case studies. She and Dr Mhairi Thurston are currently co-authoring a book on coproduction ethics for Routledge.

This presentation will explore the impact of adoption and early traumatic loss on an adopted individual, their attachment figures and on those professionals seeking to support them. I will pay particular attention to the supervisory relationship and explore how the adoptee’s experiences can enter or get played out in the supervisory dynamic and/or the professional network around the adopted individual or adoptive family.

Significant primary traumas have powerful aftershocks and can therefore affect so many aspects of an adoptee’s life and their relationships in the present. Being open to this reality and recognising our limitations as therapists is important, but staying with the discomfort and difficulty brought to the therapeutic relationship can also enable a shift in the way adopted clients see themselves and their relationships. However, it is painful work and the supervisor’s role is key in providing containment and “arms around” the counsellor or therapist doing the direct work. I will explore these themes and draw from my own experience of being a counsellor and psychotherapist and supervising adoption work across the age range, anonymised case material and practical as well as creative ideas.

Aims:

The experience of adoption – both adopting and being adopted – can stir up deep emotional pain, often related to loss and early trauma. The presentation therefore seeks to provide an opportunity to think about this pain and understand some of the projected and transferred feelings (transference and counter-transference) and how to make use of them. I would hope that attendees will gain:

a better understanding about the challenges facing counsellors and therapists doing adoption work and those supervising them
clear information based on decades of experience about how to create a space to think about complex dynamic processes and what gets “under the skin” and why

These themes will be explored using anonymised case material and creative images. There will also be plenty of time for questions and discussion.

“You don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to see how powerful themes of loss and sadness are going to be pretty central…. Adoption may be a new beginning – or another beginning – but new beginnings do also tend to stir up feelings left over from previous beginnings and endings.” (A For Adoption, Roy 2020)

Alison Roy is an experienced Psychotherapist, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, author, specialist consultant and trainer.

In her work with individuals, couples, families and groups she focuses on the deep significance of early attachments and the impact of trauma and loss on the personality. As the co-founder and previously the Clinical Lead for the CAMHS and East Sussex specialist adoption service – AdCAMHS, she has learned much from those who have experienced significant losses, shocks and challenges in their lives and just how complicated life can be. She has also written a book about adoption, a chapter about education through the arts and contributes regularly to the press and mainstream media.

Her specialist areas of interest are adoption, working with trauma and traumatised systems and the environment. She has experienced how seeing complex dynamics and difficulties through a trauma lens can give professionals the tools and resources to shift things that feel stuck and facilitate meaningful change.

The workshop aims to equip psychological therapists with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver accessible clinical supervision, underpinned by the social model of disability. The session will provide a understanding of this model, focusing on recognising and removing societal barriers that impact disabled supervisees.

Through interactive discussions and vignettes, participants will explore practical strategies for implementing these practices within their supervision sessions. The session will also address how to seek, evaluate and provide constructive feedback on supervision practices, emphasising continuous improvement and ensuring accessibility by identifying and dismantling societal obstacles. By engaging in workshop activities participants will develop actionable plans for integrating feedback and making necessary changes to enhance the accessibility of their clinical supervision.

By the end of this session you will:

understand the principles of accessible clinical supervision through the social model of disability
develop practical strategies for the implementation of accessible supervision
understand how to seek and use feedback to ensure the delivery of accessible supervision

Dr. Stuart Gore is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with over 20 years of experience in the NHS, third and and private sectors. He specializes in third wave cognitive behavioural approaches, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and explorative relational therapy. Dr. Gore is programme lead for a masters degree in psychotherapy and counselling at the University of Leeds, where he focuses on inclusive education and overcoming societal barriers for marginalised communities. As a blind academic, Dr. Gore brings a unique perspective to his practice and research, aiming to understand and dismantle systemic challenges faced by disabled people. His work is highly regarded for its compassionate and tailored approach, particularly in areas such as neurodivergence, addiction, and traumatic brain injury

Contracting
We will consider the supervision needs of CYPF practitioners and how they might be different from practitioners working with adults. We will explore the specific skills and training that supervisors require to meet the supervision needs of CYPF practitioners.
Aim: consider the supervision needs of CYPF practitioners.
Aim: consider the specific skills and training that supervisors require to meet those needs.

The work
We will consider the challenges and ethical dilemmas that inevitably arise in working with CYPF. The focus will be on confidentiality and information sharing (e.g. helping supervisees to think about when to share with parents/carers or other professionals), safeguarding and managing risk. We will consider the responsibilities of the supervisor and of the CYPF practitioner.
Aim: consider ethical dilemmas such as confidentiality/information sharing, risk and safeguarding.
Aim: consider the responsibilities of the supervisor and of the CYPF practitioner.

Wider social context
We will discuss topical issues affecting CYPF and share examples from supervision of practitioner’s good practice, as well as challenges and frustrations.
Aim: facilitate discussion of participants’ experiences of supervising CYPF practitioners bringing topical issues to supervision.

By the end of this session you will:

an awareness of how the supervision needs of CYPF practitioners may differ from those of practitioners working with adults
an awareness of the specific skills that supervisors require to meet the needs of CYPF practitioners
an ability to recognise and manage ethical dilemmas faced by CYPF practitioners, such as confidentiality/information sharing, risk and safeguarding
an awareness of the responsibilities of the supervisor working with CYPF practitioners
an increased awareness of topical issues affecting CYPF practitioners, how to manage challenges and identify areas for continued development

Jeanine Connor (MBACP, MSc, MEd, BSc (Hons) is a psychodynamic psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and training facilitator in private practice, as well as Editor of BACP Children, Young People & Families journal and Reviews Editor for BACP Therapy Today. She is the author of three books about psychotherapy with children, adolescents and young adults and one book about human anatomy and physiology.

You’re Not My F*cking Mother and other things Gen Z say in therapy (PCCS Books, 2024) is a collection of therapeutic stories which bring to life psychological theories. They illustrate how mothers show up in (almost) everybody’s psychotherapy, and how they, their and our own heritages and baggage shape us all. www.pccs-books.co.uk/products/youre-not-my-fcking-mother-and-other-things-gen-z-say-in-therapy

Stop F*cking Nodding and other things 16 year olds say in therapy (PCCS Books, 2022) is a book of vivid short stories which explore sex, gender, body image, self-esteem, self-injury, loss and despair with frank dialogue, informed analytic understanding, laugh-out-loud humour and mercurial charm. www.pccs-books.co.uk/products/stop-fcking-nodding

Reflective Practice in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy (Routledge, 2020) models a thoughtful approach to understanding CYP. It considers fantasy and lies, sex and identity, labelling, play, endings and loss. www.routledge.com/Reflective-Practice-in-Child-and-Adolescent-Psychotherapy-Listening-to/Connor/p/book/9780367149406

Supervisors event 2024

Book your place

Programme

Time

Strand 1

Ethical considerations

Strand 2

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Strand 3

Practice considerations