The Importance of a Mentor’s Mentor and a Supervisor’s Supervisor

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. 

For Mentors 

Professional mentors are not legally required to have a mentor of their own, but it is the best practice to have an experienced professional to consult and provide feedback for your sessions. While it may seem like less pressure to avoid organisations and their requirements, mandatory rules, membership fees and eyes looking over your shoulder, it also means that you alone are responsible for your mistakes, and when you are struggling, you will have no one to turn to. This is why a professional mentor is so essential. 

For Professional Supervisors 

The reasons for finding a supervisor as a supervisor are similar to a mentor having their own mentor. We all need professional guidance.

As supervisors, our job is to maintain well-being and safe and ethical practices, and having a structure to provide guidelines, investigate collusion and corruption and offer opportunities for our work is something we should all be seeking. While the AAOS, the Australia Association of Supervision, requires a renewable membership, it also provides many opportunities for supervisors. In the United States different regulation and certification processes depend on the state, each state having a board that regulates these. 

Find out more about the AAOS here: https://supervision.org.au/

A professional mentor/supervisor can provide these three things: 

• Well-being Support offers a safe space to ask questions, express frustrations or new ideas, and help when you find yourself struggling. If you are in over your head with a client or burnt out from overworking, you will have a person on your side to ensure you receive what you need to be well.  
• Professional Development. Working with someone more experienced can provide many opportunities, such as paths for growth, new techniques and training, and new networks to explore. 
• Promotion of Professional Standards. We all need to be held accountable for our actions and encouraged to work with integrity and empathy. Required standards help our clients to understand that we are trustworthy and they are safe. Also, standards allow us to feel safe with our coworkers as associates, knowing they are following the same standards as us. 

A practical aid to constructive feedback from a supervisor. 

Share ten minutes from a session. If you seek specific feedback, a great tool is a ten-minute session recording with a client. Of course, make sure the client has given permission. I like to direct the camera on myself only to ensure the client’s anonymity or use voice recording only. This, better than any conversation outside of a session, will help show your procedures to your supervisors. 

Reflection Questions to ask your mentor/supervisor: 

• How am I doing? 
• What am I doing that I don’t see?
• What could I be doing better? 
• What did I miss?
• What else is going on?
• How was my presence?
• What questions should I have asked?

Are you looking for professional supervision or a professional mentor? We can help you!