Cultivating self-compassion within the supervision relationship

ABSTRACT

The transition from clinician-in-training to mental health professional can prove challenging, marked by feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, and incompetence. The supervisory relationship aims to address such struggles, and is a process that can benefit from an infusion of self-compassion. By helping supervisees promote self-kindness, mindfulness, and recognition of a shared experience (the tenets of self-compassion), supervisors may better address both the cognitive and affective components underlying the development from student to professional. Learning self-compassion can prove beneficial throughout the span of a clinician’s career. Example exercises that may be incorporated into supervision are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-compassion
• supervision
• mindfulness

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Jody Coaston and Dr. Christopher Lawrence for their support and feedback in the development of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susannah C. Coaston

Susannah C. Coaston is an assistant professor at Northern Kentucky University. She also is an independently licensed professional counselor and supervisor specializing in clinical work with adults with severe and persistent mental illness, and a certified wellness counselor in the state of Ohio. Her research interests focus on wellness, counselor development, and creative teaching and counseling interventions.