Supervision for people in healing and teaching professions

People who work with people in need of help and/or minors face special challenges. Here, there is an increased need for reflection on one’s own work, dealing with the people entrusted to one’s care and working in a team!

In addition, supervision serves the purpose of “mental hygiene” and thus the prevention of widespread burn-out among teachers and helpers. In addition to reflecting on the professional situation, the interplay between professional and private life must always be examined, or important professional decisions must also be discussed.

Supervision provides a framework for discussing things under professional guidance that there is not enough time for in everyday working life, but which are very important for day-to-day work and for functioning cooperation as a relief function. The topics are determined by the supervisee and range from case management and conflict resolution – possibly also within the group – to the development of new concepts or structures. However, the aim of supervision is always the work: supervision is not a substitute for psychotherapy.

It is important – especially in the case of team supervision – that the supervisors come “from the outside” so that they can view the situation independently as outsiders.

Supervision can be used as individual supervision (e.g. for managers), as group supervision (e.g. for colleagues from different institutions) or as team supervision (e.g. the team of a ward).

Sabine Schäfer is a recognized supervisor of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Psychotherapists. Supervision for licensed psychological psychotherapists, child and adolescent psychotherapists and physicians is eligible for recognition by the relevant chambers as recognized continuing education within the meaning of SGB V.