Supervision Project

In our experience, as the facilitators of the IFF Academy Supervision Research Hand, it seems that our community has a real need for exploring feedback skills. We propose that interested practitioners think about presenting their findings at the next Academy Day. This could range from video presentations to theatrical skits, comedy acts, stories, role play, etc. and could be verbal or non-verbal. Participants could have a taste of all the discovered feedback styles. It would be interesting to use different languages.

Background

As a trained psychotherapist as well as Feldenkrais practitioner and Assistant Trainer, Francesca White works with the on-going support of a supervisor, sometimes in group supervision or one-to-one. She shared her experiences and training to an IFF Assembly Germany in a working party composed of Guild representatives. About 12 other reps joined to look at what the term "supervision" meant to them as Feldenkrais practitioners. Sylvia Weise, a Feldenkrais practitioner from Frankfurt began working more intensely with Frnacesca on the ideas. Between them arose a model which could be adapted to a 'facilitated peer review system'. They came to this point in 2002 in Norway, when they trialed a model known as a "Reflecting Team". Sylvia has begun to work with this model with a group of practitioners in Germany.

An Invitation

The Reflecting Team is only one of many possible styles of working. Our aim is to show the diversity of valid approaches. We began with this model so we could see how it could work, and there will undoubtedly be other ideas that grow out of this one. We are very interested in hearing from those of you who may already have experience with supervisory or mentoring models , whether in physiotherapy, counselling, occupational therapy, teaching, dancing or anything at all that has worked well for you. Some of you may have explored ways of giving feed-back within your own study groups. The list of suggestions for effective feedback is just a template to begin with. You may even be interested in trying this model, in which case we'd be very willing to speak with you about how to set it up, or if you attend the IFF assembly, come and be a part of a trial on the Amsterdam Academy Day.

Please feel free to contact either of us by email, and also watch this IFF Academy section for ongoing additions to supervision styles, explorations, experiments and evaluations of those already in use. We will be regularly posting people's comments and feedback letters, and hopefully practitioners will be able to dialogue with each other as they explore different ways of support and supervision.

Contact us!

The Supervision Hand coordinators are:

Francesca White: panchita@ozemail.com.au

Sylvia Weise: Mail@SylviaWeise.de