What is supervision?
A working agreement between supervisor and practitioner during which the practitioner can discuss and reflect on their client work, receive feedback and, where appropriate, guidance.
The term “Client” in the ASIS Ethical Codes refers to any person who pays for practitioner services, or acts as a Client for a Member who is in training, and includes individual Clients, workshop participants, online course participants, supervisees and mentees.
Benefits of supervision
Supervision provides a confidential space for practitioners to:
Share achievements and breakthroughs
Reflect on client interventions and on ways to improve professional effectiveness
Flag boundary slippage to prevent violation
Highlight safeguarding issues / policies / risks
Explore instances of transference / counter-transference, including romantic / erotic transference
Create / support practitioner accountability
Receive constructive feedback about unconscious patterns and misjudged interventions
Identify collusion / blind spots
Highlight where Continuous Professional Development would be useful
Be heard, acknowledged and validated
Why supervision is essential
Strive to provide the best possible service to clients
Supports practitioners when they are setting up their practice and ongoing
Practitioners are often working alone & confidentiality means they cannot openly discuss their clients
Recognised (tried & tested) process for managing safety of clients and practitioners
Supports ethical conduct and promotes self-reflection
Provides the structure of a formal working relationship between supervisor and supervisee
Helps to identify limits of practitioner competence & ensure practitioner is working within these limits
Fundamental component of practitioner self-care & ongoing professional development
Is a mandatory requirement of ASIS Professional Membership
ASIS recommendations for supervision
Supervision is a requirement of Professional membership and applicants are asked to include their supervisor’s name on the application form. Point 8 of the ASIS Ethical Codes of Conduct states: “Professional Member-Practitioners are required to have regular supervision as a routine part of their practice to maintain their ability to serve clients ethically and effectively. This can be peer/group supervision and/or professional supervision or, optimally, both. Member-Practitioners agree to request supervision and guidance when experiencing ambiguity or difficulty with interpretation of what constitutes ethical behaviour. Member-Practitioners commit to their own self-care, personal growth, and continuing professional development (CPD).”
It is the responsibility of members to ensure they meet this requirement and keep a personal log. A member who does not meet the minimum supervision requirements is in breach of the Ethical Codes and therefore their agreement as an ASIS Member.
Supervision frequency
Suggested frequency for supervision relates to the number of client sessions and applies to any professional work, including to one-on-one client work, teaching, workshops, and online programs etc.
The following table shows the recommended minimum frequency of supervision according to case load:
ASIS members need to retain a record of their supervision and continuing professional development on an on-going basis.
The minimum number of supervision sessions per year is 3. ASIS strongly recommends supervision beyond the minimum and recognises that the case load of members (and the supervision requirement) varies considerably between members.
How to find a supervisor
It is important to find a supervisor who is a good fit for your approach and modality. Points to consider when looking for a supervisor include:
Significant experience and knowledge of working in the field of sexology
Supportive of somatic work
A good understanding of the role of supervisor
We recommend that members choose supervisors who are knowledgeable about working with diverse client groups e.g. awareness of Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity (GSRD), neurodiversity, racial and cultural differences, and trauma-informed practice
People you could approach might include your teachers and trainers or reputable practitioners working in your field. Someone trained in supervision may be appropriate too, however, be aware that supervisors who do not have bodywork experience, may not be supportive of, nor understand, hands-on work (if the scope of your practice includes hands-on work).
Types of supervision
We recognise that ASIS members work in different ways so practitioners need to choose supervision options that best support their practice. Supervision may be in person or online, and can be provided by more than one supervisor and/or type of supervision, all of which are considered equally valid.
Supervision options:
Professional one-to-one supervision
Professional group supervision
Peer-led group supervision or peer one-to-one supervision
Potential benefits & drawbacks of different types
Professional one-to-one supervision
Professional one-to-one supervision benefits
Time that is exclusively focussed on you and what you want to explore
Higher probability of receiving constructive feedback about unconscious patterns and misjudged interventions
A relationship with someone you have built trust with over time can be supportive in identifying blind spots as well as growth and development
Receiving the perspective and wisdom of a highly experienced practitioner
Professional one-to-one supervision drawbacks
Can be difficult to find someone who you want to work with, where there is a good fit, who is supportive of somatic sexology and who is available
Financial investment can be an obstacle
Professional group supervision
Professional group supervision benefits
Professional facilitation brings structure and focus
Potential to learn about different types of practitioners, different ways of working and/or receive feedback from a variety of points of view
Opportunity to keep up to date with developments in your field and allied fields
Lower financial investment than 1-2-1 supervision
Having the experience of being a contributing member of a supervision group
Group dynamics should be managed by the supervisor (unlike peer supervision)
Professional group supervision drawbacks
There is less time per person so can be a less depth compared to 1-on-1 supervision
May focus on a single modality or graduates of a single training organisation
Peer-led group and one-to-one peer supervision
Peer-led group and one-to-one peer supervision benefits
Builds network of professionals for community building, support & referrals
Exposure to (and learn about) different types of practitioners, different ways of working
Receive a variety of feedback points of view
Opportunity to keep up to date with developments in your field and allied fields
Recognition that you are not alone in encountering certain client situations
The opportunity to share tips & resources
Low or no financial investment
Peer-led group and one-to-one peer supervision drawbacks
Reluctance to challenge and call-in colleagues can lead to collusion
There is less time per person so can be a less depth compared to 1-on-1 supervision
Requires creation of and adherence to agreed parameters - respect for others and the group process
Dependant on participants - the quality of feedback will be a reflection of others’ levels of experience and expertise
There can be a lack of commitment & focus
Group dynamics can interrupt learning
Can be difficult to coordinate schedule and higher chance of no-shows
If the peer group is formed by graduates of a training programme, it can lack wider experience
Some peer group supervision resources are linked at the end of this page.
Supervision Agreements
It is important to agree the scope and terms of any supervision. Some of the key points to consider in making a Supervision Agreement include:
What is the focus of the supervision?
The structure of the sessions
Frequency & location of sessions
Terms of confidentiality
Boundaries and dual relationships
Supervision fees & payment terms
Access to supervision outside of booked sessions
Cancellation & termination of supervision agreement
Supervision and Complaints
In the event of a complaint or other proceeding against a member, the ASIS Board or others may request evidence of supervision and professional development and may contact the member’s supervisor or peer group.
Some peer group supervision resources: