Peer Supervision is just what it sounds like - peers (with
similar issues and professions) supervising
each other. The supervision word is confusing because it is not meant to
be the type of supervision that first comes to mind - someone telling you what
to do. The word Supervision is used here as a method of support and
a tool used to allow each person of the group to actually
find their own method of solving the issue that they are working on at the
moment. Supervision is the place where people in helping professions
can begin to reflect and learn about themselves and learn about their own
needs and learn to get them met in other places besides our practices.
Peer Supervision is based on the belief that we all have an inner teacher
inside of us who knows more than any school, therapist or religion. The
thing is that we need each other to see that inner teacher. We need the
support of others to make the journey to find our inner self. We can learn
from each other and challenge each other to stay present with ourselves and our
clients.
In early 2001, I read an article by Jack Blackburn
called "Caretaking -The hidden addiction in bodywork" which totally changed
my world. It began my almost obsessive search into the question "Why
do I help" (also the name of a well known book) and it is now my passion to
share what I have learned with others in hope that others will be able to
find the support they need to be successful in the massage profession.
What we need most as humans is to be listened to and heard. Peer
Supervision provides such a place of safety where it may be possible to speak
the unspeakable. It can give us a chance to stand back and reflect and
begin to learn the difference between helping/fixing and being of service.
The basic rule of such groups (as taken from Parker Palmer's Circle of Trust
concept talked about in his book "A Hidden Wholeness") is
"No fixing, no saving,
no setting each other straight".
Most of you will be wondering what you are going to be doing in such a group
if you can't fix, give advice or set each other straight which is some helping
professions entire reason for being. What you will be doing is listening
to your own soul and learning to sooth that part of you that needs to give
advice while allowing a safe place for others to speak their truth. The
habit of constantly needing to give advice will reveal the shadow side of
ourselves.
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"If the shadow could speak its logic, I think it would say something
like this: "If you take my advice but fail to solve your problem,
you did not try hard enough. If you fail to take my advice, I did
the best I could. So I am covered. No matter how things come
out, I no longer need to worry about you or your vexing problem".
- Parker Palmer,A Hidden Wholeness
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Learning to Listen will be integral to this process, as is
knowing yourself.
As the massage therapist becomes more aware of themselves,
the reasons for wanting to help and builds self confidence, the public will no
longer have to be protected from any harm (as many of our political
debates claim).
