Kay Hoggett
Coach, counsellor, Consultant, SUPERVISOR
Market harborough, leicesterSHIRE, city of london & ONLINE
Supervision
A reflective and supportive space for coaches, counsellors and dual practitioners.
I offer one to one supervision, usually on a monthly basis. We can meet at my premises near Market Harborough, or online via the Zoom platform. Some people prefer a mixed model in which some sessions are face to face and others online.
Scroll down to see my philosophy of supervision.
My philosophy of supervision
What is supervision? There are probably as many answers to this question as there are practitioners. I have tried to capture here my own answer to the question.
Normative, formative, restorative
One framework that I find valuable is Inskipp and Proctor's (1995) 'triangle' model. This suggests that effective supervision comprises three key functions: normative, formative and restorative. The normative function is concerned with ethical practice and monitoring the work to ensure it is in line with professional standards (for me the BACP Ethical Framework) and legal requirements. This function of course encompasses a wide range of issues, from professional competence to boundary management and GDPR.
The formative function is concerned with the learning and development of the supervisee, including skills, knowledge, abilities and personal qualities. The restorative (or supportive) function relates to that aspect of the supervisory relationship that allows the supervisee to feel heard and supported, part of a collaboration in which issues can be safely raised and successes joyfully celebrated.
For me, the last of these is the starting point. Supervision should not feel like an inquisition or an exam. It is a collaborative process in which you need to feel able to explore your thoughts and feelings about your client work, without fear of a judgemental response. We need to pay significant attention to your own wellbeing - you are after all the one that is in the room with your clients. In this environment, learning can flourish. Learning and development is likely to come more from your experience and conclusions from collaborative reflection than from me giving instructions as to what to do. Finally, the normative function can only be effective if you feel able to tell me what is happening in your client work. Ethical issues do arise, and it is essential that we can talk about them. Usually they are complex and nuanced, and we will explore the balance of the six principles of the Ethical Framework to arrive at a way forward. Rarely a supervisee will act in a way that is contrary to the requirements of the Framework, and in this situation clarity is important - I will be clear as to what the issue is, and the options we have.
My personal beliefs and values
Whilst the Innskip and Proctor framework is valuable, not least in helping is to ensure we are paying attention to each of the three functions in our supervision, for me it does not quite capture the whole. I agree with Carroll (2014) that the relational foundation of supervision is key - this accords with my own beliefs, values and experience of the conditions in which people do their best work. Just as with our clients, there needs to be a relationship of trust, and part of my role is to create the conditions in which trust can flourish.
I see supervision as essentially a process of learning through collaborative reflection. This mode of learning can be ultimately transformative, rather than being just about the exchange of knowledge and the acquisition of skills. The goal of supervision is to support the development of ethical maturity, wisdom and the practitioner's own 'internal supervisor'.
The request from me to you is simple but profound: 'Tell me about your work. Be transparent. Let us review it together'.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me using this form if you have any questions about how we might work together. We can discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to me, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right person to help.
You can also contact me by phone 07976 419793 or email at kay.hoggett@hoggettconsulting.com.
All enquiries are usually answered within 48 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential. Find out more by reading my Privacy Policy.
Some frequently asked questions
Many therapists tend to view Counselling as ‘short-term’ work; when someone has a problem that can be looked at and discussed in a clearly-resolvable way. This work often requires undertaking sessions for a certain number of weeks, to explore, discover and clarify a way forward. Therapy is a word used more to describe ‘long-term’ work; discussion that tends towards substantial issues and things that might be life-changing on a deeper level.
Whether counselling or therapy work best as a short- or long-term option depends on the client though, and the difficulties they are facing. In some cases counselling can prove helpful as a continuing, longer-term option, or therapy can help resolve an issue in just a few sessions.
There’s no fixed or ideal length of time for the counselling process; it varies from person to person and will often depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. While I can work on an open-ended basis with clients, I find it is helpful for us to both agree before we start on undertaking a certian nunebr of sessions and reviewing where we are at once we reach that point. You are able to decide how long your therapy willl last, and in return my aim is to make sure therapy continues for only as long as it is of benefit to you.
This depends on what your needs are. Some people find that after only a very few sessions they have some clarity and focus and are ready to end the therapy. Other people value the ongoing support and relationship with me and will continue to come for weeks, months, or even years. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' when it comes to therapy.
My aim is to offer you a first appointment, known as an assessment session within 1-2 weeks, this is once we receive your completed client pack back. However, waiting times will vary according to pressure on our resources, your own availability and the service you seek.
An appointment to our short term counselling, which is not subsidised, can be offered within about one week.
Confidentiality is one of the main ways in which therapy differs from many other forms of helping - for example, talking to friends or family can rarely offer the same degree of confidentiality as talking to a counsellor. Because of this confidentiality, you will find that - as you get used to coming for therapy - you are freer to talk about whatever you wish to.
No therapist can offer 100% confidentiality: there are some situations where the law requires disclosure of risk (e.g. certain child protection issues) and in common with most other therapists, there are some situations where I may not be able to keep total confidentiality. In particular, if someone tells me that they are thinking of harming themselves in a way that I believe puts them at serious risk, or if someone tells me that they are doing something that could put others at risk, I may not be able to keep such information confidential. However, breaking confidentiality is rare, and only happens after talking to the person concerned.
When you come for counselling it's important that you feel free to talk about whatever is important to you. Sometimes, you may not be clear what those issues are. Having a friend or family member with you is not usually helpful because they may have their own agenda for you. Even if this is just that they want to be supportive, or want you to 'get better', this agenda can prevent us opening issues up. When you come for therapy, you may need to explore thoughts or behaviours about which you feel ashamed or embarrassed and you may censor yourself so as not to hurt someone, or you may find that what they want you to talk about is not really what you need to discuss.
Sometimes, family/friends can even be part of an underlying issue which needs to be aired and discussed. Usually, people who ask this question are nervous about coming for a session alone, or they are anxious for the person who is thinking about arranging sessions. This anxiety is quite normal, and you will not be forced to talk about anything you feel uncomfortable about - but you do need to be able to talk about whatever is important. For this reason, I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family