As I move into different seasons of my life I have
reflected on seasons gone by to see if there is anything I can glean from my
time there. It’s interesting that as I am
now more in the supervisory role I reflect on my time in the learner role. I have often asked myself, “did I get my
money’s worth?” For me it’s a value
thing. Did what I walk away with equal
what I invested into it. I have realized
it’s more about what I personally invested vs. what I monetarily invested. The experiences where I allowed myself to be
vulnerable, (not knowing), showing up in my mistakes and insecurities were the
most valuable of all. So it’s
interesting that it wasn’t necessarily about the supervisor I worked with, but
what I brought into the supervisory process, that made it valuable.
Now on the giving end of supervision I see the same
truth. Those supervisees who come
prepared with hard questions, wanting to explore their mistakes, who are
willing to show up and be taught in their uncertainty are the clinicians who
grow so much. The value of our time
together is time and money well spent. On
this end of the relationship I so enjoy the invitation into another clinician’s
growth process.
When continuing to grow as a clinician and move
through hard things, get your money’s worth!
A) Be
vulnerable- what are you unsure of, what
are mistakes you may have made, what are uncertainties about moving forward.
B) Be
prepared- write out your case in a conceptualizing way: history, facts,
clinical opinions, safety concerns, legal and ethics, treatment goals, where
you are stuck.
C) Be
Teachable- take in the feedback and be curious about it. Ask questions about
how to apply the feedback. Write down the feedback and form a plan.
We are always learning and growing in our profession
and often have limited time and resources set aside for this growth. To make the most of what you have, invest
wisely with vulnerability, preparedness, and teachability.
