Explore Creative Supervision for Counsellors and Psychotherapists

Why Creative Supervision Matters

Supervision is the backbone of ethical and sustainable therapeutic practice. It provides a supportive environment for processing, reflecting, and growing. However, when group supervision becomes repetitive, overly cognitive, or stuck in storytelling without any movement, we risk overlooking deeper wisdom. This applies not only to ourselves but also to our clients and the wider therapeutic community.

As a creative, embodied supervisor who integrates energy psychotherapy, I believe that group supervision for counsellors and psychotherapists can be lively and dynamic. It can serve as a space for experimentation and help us reconnect with our purpose and play.

In this article, I’ll share 10 varied tools you can bring into group supervision. These tools are designed to foster creativity, embodiment, and depth, whether you are a supervisor or a supervisee in a peer supervision group. Importantly, these practices work well in both in-person and online settings.

1. Metaphor in Group Supervision

One effective approach is inviting supervisees to describe their client, the therapeutic relationship, or even their own role using metaphors. For example, you can ask, "If your practice was a song, what would it sound like?" This exercise helps bypass rational thinking and allows for deeper insight.

2. Internal Family Systems-inspired Supervision

Encourage therapists to identify different “parts” that manifest in their client work. Consider parts like the pleaser, the critic, or the abandoned self. Each member of the group can embody one of these roles, while the supervisee takes on the "Self." This creative role-play approach draws from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and enables group members to explore unconscious dynamics in a safe context.

3. Embodied Group Supervision

Disclosing bodily sensations can bring valuable awareness regarding a therapist's client situation. Encourage supervisees to be open to their physical experiences. Body-based supervision tools like this support a deeper level of integration.

4. Art in Group Supervision

Art can be a powerful tool in group supervision. A prompt such as “draw your relationship with this client” allows all group members to visualize their insights after listening to a therapist’s presentation. This exercise can reveal new layers of awareness.

5. Role Play in Group Supervision

Role-playing is another fruitful method. One group member can embody the client and another the therapist. Meanwhile, the supervisee explores the dynamic, experimenting with different interactions. For example, you might prompt someone to "Move your chair back 4 feet." This role play can lead to significant perspective shifts and emotional insights.

6. EFT in Group Supervision

When a supervisee feels stuck, you can employ techniques from energy psychology, such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or tapping. These techniques calm the nervous system and create space for new ideas and perspectives to emerge.

7. Family Constellation-inspired Supervision

Drawing on the wisdom of the group body, therapists can take on different roles within a system: like a client’s husband, son, or mother. This method, which adapts family constellation work, reveals unseen dynamics and enhances understanding.

8. Waterfall Chakra Clearing and Acupoint Tapping in Supervision

Utilizing the chakra system or meridian pathways can assist supervisees in clearing emotional burdens related to specific clients. This often helps them perceive situations without being clouded by personal issues. Involve all group members in the process, and consider muscle testing to determine if it is safe to proceed.

Final Thoughts

Supervision doesn’t have to be rigid or purely analytical. By integrating creative, embodied, and energy-based tools, group supervision can become a source of insight, resilience, and joy. Whether you’re exploring transference, addressing client stagnation, or confronting your self-doubt, these tools open doors to wisdom beyond words.

If you're a counsellor, psychotherapist, or psychologist looking for a fresh perspective on group supervision, I invite you to connect. My model combines creativity, trauma-informed care, somatic listening, and energy psychology.

Want to explore further? Visit my Creative Supervision page to learn more about my current groups.