Can I still be a qualified supervisor
The contribution of the qualified supervisor to online professional guidance in corona times
Because of Covid-19, expectations in professional guidance suddenly broke. This caused feelings of togetherness and confusion about lost obviousness at the same time. New expectations had to be explored to regain grip and confidence in supervision. Supervisors and supervisees together had to deal with digitalization of supervision, which was new to them. Individually we experienced all different kinds of feelings related to the loss of personal and professional routines and habits. Below the surface this caused feelings of mourning, which in the upstream showed up as resistance to video-calling. As a supervisor the autor 'swung' between presenting and facilitating learning by doing. Awareness of individual needs in relation with collective values is important to constantly justify what is 'the right to do'for both supervisee and supervisor. The supervisor is challenged to be vulnerable and act differently. To guarantee quality by video-calling, the supervisor has to be aware and share his - and wherever 'he' is written, 'she' is meant as well- experiences with colleagues, to justify his different way of professional acting given the current uncertain societal context. In COVID-19 times the author developed a workshop on professional guidance by video-calling. Her motivation is to guide professionals in their 'good work', by facilitating the awareness of their professional identity.
In my opinion we have to open up for supervision guidance in a digital way. After all the societal context and the rapidly moving world influences the way of individually professional acting for supervisees, but also for supervisors.
At first it is important to revise expectations in digital supervision. Besides that, we collectively have to be aware of the choices in professional acting as innovating professionals – innovating supervisors - and must have the dialogue about how video calling can take place. Parallel to supervision guidance, supervisors need to discuss personal and collective values of supervision, differences respected. Recognition in what you feel, think and where you’re good at, contributes to confidence. From that, supervisors together are capable to find collective answers for their professional identity, in a digital way, related to today’s societal context.
Supervisors are individually responsible for self reflection on thoughts, feelings and acting. You have to search (again) what you find important as a professional and what you are good at. Experience who you want to be as a professional in todays societal context. Besides the awareness of mourning feelings below the surface of supervisees, be aware of your own lost habits and mouring feelings. Sometimes it may look like you have less choices, or you don’t know how to use your freedom of choices to act differently. But self reflection in a professional way gives you insight how to relate to your professional role and the dilemmas about quality in your profession. It asks to take your place again, increasing your space and autonomy (Ruijters & van Luin, 2020).
Awareness of our needs and importance, gives us meaning of our own acting and the professional justification of it. This contributes to quality of our professional guidance in supervision in the societal context of today where digitalization takes place.
