Pastoral Supervision
As the Church contends with the growing demands placed on those in ministry, many are recognising the value of effective supervision and opportunities for reflective practice.
Building on our existing and well established work in the training and provision of spiritual directors, we are now also developing the offer of pastoral superivision, specifically for clergy in the diocese of Durham.
PLEASE NOTE: These plans are still in the early stages of development, but anyone who is interested would still be welcome to get in touch to find out more.
What is Pastoral Supervision
Pastoral supervision offered at St Antony’s Priory will be accredited through the Association for Pastoral Supervision and Education (APSE).
Pastoral Supervision is defined by APSE as a regular, planned, intentional and boundaried space in which a practitioner skilled in supervision (the supervisor) meets with one or more other practitioners (the supervisees) to reflect together on the supervisees’ practice. It is:
a relationship – characterised by trust, respect, confidentiality, support and openness that gives the supervisee freedom and safety to explore the issues arising in their work
spiritually/theologically informed – works within a framework of spiritual/theological understanding in dialogue with the supervisee’s world view and role
psychologically informed – draws on relevant psychological theory and insight to illuminate intra-personal and inter-personal dynamics
contextually sensitive – pays attention to the particularities of setting, culture and world-view
praxis based – focuses on a report of work and /or issues that arise in and from the supervisee’s practice
a way of growing – in vocational identity, role competence, self-awareness, spiritual/theological reflection, quality of presence, accountability, response to challenge, mutual learning
- attentive – to issues of fitness to practice, skill development, management of boundaries, professional identity and the impact of the work upon all concerned parties.
From the APSE website https://www.pastoralsupervision.org.uk
Finding a Supervisor
At St Antony’s we aim to refer someone seeking a Pastoral Supervisor to a suitably qualified and experienced person within a small cohort of supervisors with whom we work.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss how we can help you find a Pastoral Supervisor.
When someone approaches us for help in finding a pastoral supervisor, we will initially ask them to complete a short online form and come for a half-hour interview. This enables us to understand a little about their context, and what they might be looking for. We will then try to refer them to a Supervisor appropriate to their needs.
All the Pastoral Supervisors within our network will have completed accredited training, and will also be receiving supervision themselves.
What We Offer
As well as facilitating referrals for clergy wanting pastoral supervision, we are also able to provide meeting rooms at the Priory, suitable for both one-to-one and small group supervision.
Next Steps
If you would like our help in finding a Pastoral Supervisor, or would like to find out more about what pastoral supervision might involve, please contact us and Michael, will follow it up with you.