Supervision
Explore the purpose and requirements of spiritual direction supervision, and learn how this sacred practice supports your growth and accountability as a director.
Information for incoming and renewing members of UUSDN
All those who offer spiritual direction have an ethical obligation to engage wholeheartedly in supervision work. Supervision is not to evaluate if one is “doing it right” but is to create time out of time to savor the companion’s experience with the divine as they learn to de-center themselves and to develop a capacity to hold the spiritual direction experience.
The work of spiritual direction supervision is to support the following outcomes:
- Transformation
- Gain diverse perspectives
- Experience being seen and known
- Learn things one is not aware of
- Learn existing and emerging gifts (charisms)
- Grow my freedom so I can grow my seeker’s freedom
- Make me a better spiritual director/wisdom
- Model vulnerability
- Be held accountable (What is my stuff?)
- Be in a community of care
- Be in a community of growth
- Be witnessed
- Space to reflect and grow in intentional practice
- Inspire and encourage
- Witness how we nourish ourselves
MODALITY
Our hope is that all members of UUSDN are able to benefit from these outcomes through the following modalities (types of supervision). We ask that member covenant to participate in at least one of the below supervision modalities.
There are several types of Supervision
- Individual: Meeting with a trained supervisor
- Supervisor-Led Group: Meeting in a group with a trained supervisor facilitating (can be more affordable)
- Peer supervision: meeting in a group where the person facilitating rotates among the group. May or may not include a trained supervisor (can be free) If not working with a trained supervisor, we encourage UUSDN members to be vigilant and to commit to bringing anything significant or unfinished that comes up in a peer supervision group to a trained supervisor/supervised group.
- A mix of the above – Some may meet with a group 6 months of a year and with an individual supervisor 6 months.
- Any participant in one modality may wish to bring specific needs to a different modality (for instance, if something feels unresolved after a group meeting, make an appointment with an individual supervisor! Discern with your supervisor how to continue working on material that emerges with more supervision, or your spiritual director, or therapist.) One may wish to build in a mix of types of supervision across the year.
FREQUENCY
Our hope is that all members of UUSDN are able to benefit from these outcomes through participating in supervision frequently enough to support their work. We ask that UUSDN members covenant to engage in supervision consistent with the following frequency recommendations.
Frequency
- Presenting in a group at a minimum of 3 times per year OR Meeting with a supervisor (can be facilitated-group or individual) at a minimum of 3 times per year
- Increasing the number of meetings (group or individual supervision) based on the number of people you see in a typical month.
Other types of support that do NOT qualify as supervision, but are helpful…
- Peer support—In addition to supervision, we encourage members to meet with peers for support, continuing education/study, and consulting. It can be nourishing to meet with local colleagues and members of your training cohort monthly, quarterly, or annually.
- Consultation with a Specialist as needed—in addition to supervision, we encourage members to meet with individuals with specialized information. Topics where this might be appropriate range from dementia care to disabilities to neuro-diversity to parenting.
- Consultation – Consultation and education will occur within the supervision relationship, though they are not the primary purpose of supervision. We encourage members to find additional outlets to receive consultation as needed, such as peer groups and continuing education.
UUSDN will list the type and frequency of supervision, which you attest to in your membership intake/renewal form.
Spiritual Directors Who Provide Supervision
The following Spiritual Directors are qualified to provide supervision to other spiritual directors.