In the last few weeks, we have explored the value of client feedback and feedback from our own mentors and supervisors. Today, we look at the importance of peer feedback to complete the evaluation trifecta…

In this series, we have considered the importance of evaluation and feedback for mentors and supervisors. Recently, we looked at what sort of feedback we can gather from our clients and how valuable their opinions are. Today, we explore the importance of feedback from our own mentors or supervisors. We all need someone to help us see what we don’t see about ourselves and our practice. We have blindspots, and blindspots can be dangerous. Well-placed feedback and guidelines from those wiser than us can provide a safety net for ourselves and our clients…

The old adage, “Things are not always as they seem,” is one that, despite its simplicity, holds a profound truth, especially for mentors and supervisors. Our clients are complicated humans, full of contradictions, blind spots and self-deceit. When they come to us with a problem, there is almost always more to the issue than meets the eye…

Recently, I wrote about our mentors/supervising tools as an axe; it’s a tool that needs to be sharpened often. Likewise, we need to find ways to keep us sharp. Here, your client’s feedback can be a great asset to sharpen your tools. Unlike speaking to a third party, your client knows exactly what is happening in your sessions, and they also know what they need personally. They are the best people to review your work…

It can be difficult to know what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong when it comes to analysing your own methodologies in mentoring or supervising. What might work with one client might not work with another. Sometimes mentoring/supervising will come easily, but sometimes it will feel like pulling teeth. It can be hard to see your own patterns, especially if you are not taking the time to reflect and review your actions. Here are a few ways to make sure you are making the most of your sessions and connecting effectively with your client…

New Series!It is important to continually analyse and adjust your own mentoring methods, not just assume that you are being effective. You should apply assessments, self-reflection, and the assistance of outside perspectives and wisdom to discover what is working and what needs adjusting, your strengths and weaknesses…

What is the role of professional development in mentoring or supervision? I see it as a journey of discovery. Just like we are available to others to help them see what they cannot see on their own, we also need an outside perspective when developing our own skills. Even the best mentor/supervisor is not all-knowing or all-seeing…

We have spent a lot of time looking at the nitty-gritty elements of the relationship between mentors and mentees/supervisors and supervisees; how to handle delicate information and situations, how to treat clients with integrity and dignity, how to navigate conflicting interests…. Many of these issues come back to the parameters of the relationship. A parameter is a fixed limit on

How can we be sure that we are acting in the best interest of our mentees or supervisees? When in doubt, I always look to Jesus. Jesus was a servant leader. He led his disciples with humility. A classic example is how he washed the feet of others; he took the place of a servant because he wanted to show how he cared about the well-being of his followers. He wanted to help them feel clean…