PASTORAL SUPERVISION
What is pastoral supervision?
Supervision is a proactive approach to wellbeing and professional longevity.
Pastoral supervision is a safe space to look after you. Let's face it, pastors, chaplains and lay leaders can be extraordinary at looking after others, but... their own self-care can be an afterthought. Working in helping professions is costly to the health of your soul, your spirit and your physical wellbeing. During pastoral supervision, you strengthen your own health and longevity in ministry, and the overflow of the support profoundly impacts you and the people you minister to.
During supervision, you can unpack the complexities of your role, the uniqueness of your context and the impact on your soul in a confidential and accompanied space with your supervisor.
Do you have a space where you can speak truthfully about how your work in ministry impacts you, your life and the people you minister to each week?
What is the difference between individual and group supervision?
Supervision occurs in two ways – individual supervision (supervisor and supervisee) and group supervision. Individual supervision sessions are 50 minutes to 1 hour in length. Group supervision is most often the supervisor and at least 4 supervisees. These sessions are 2 hours in length. These arrangements vary across organisations and their requirements.
Who is pastoral supervision for?
Pastoral supervision is for staff pastors, lay pastors, chaplains, ministry leaders and volunteers who work or serve in the church or other ministry context that involves helping people.
Supervision is an investment in your personal growth. Your experiences become the teacher, and the learning is applied to your ministry life. Pastoral Supervisors are the facilitators of reflective learning for supervisees.
Supervisees are the central focus of professional supervision. Supervision is for the supervisee but casts its glance towards those that the supervisee practitioner impacts in their professional practice. The decisions we make in our professional lives affect other people.
During supervision, supervisors work alongside supervisees, creating a safe and creative space for critical reflection. Critical reflection involves the honest consideration and investigation of what happens in the supervisee's work context. Under the guidance of their supervisor, supervisees critically reflect upon their professional practice and use this information as a springboard for learning.
During supervision, the supervisee and their supervisor explore the intersections between the supervisee's soul (inner world), professional role and unique context. The supervision experience transforms this learning into a resource that supports the supervisee in their ongoing professional work.
What is your approach to the supervisory relationship?
Here's an outline of my approach
Confidentiality and care frame my approach to supervision. I am intentional in creating a safe space for people to be able to lean into the supervision process. My first contact with supervisees gives them the opportunity to interview me as a potential supervisor. We then work together to create a supervision agreement and move forward into supervision sessions.
I create a reflective space for the supervisee to process what they bring to the session. What we do at work has a considerable impact on our lives, and I will invite supervisees to be thoughtful and intentional about what they bring to a session so that we can explore their experiences together. I will look to facilitate those 'ah-ha' moments that supervisees can use as insight-filled resources in their future professional practice.
How is supervision facilitated?
Individual and Group Supervision are facilitated in several ways. These include:
- Face-to-face
- Online using video conferencing software
- By phone
- A combination of the above
- Walking supervision sessions in a public space (for Individuals only where appropriate and agreed upon).
How much do you charge for Pastoral Supervision?
Please get in touch with me using the contact card (below), and we can organise a time to talk.
- Each individual supervision session is 50mins to one hour in length.
- Each group supervision session is a minimum of 2 hours in length.
- One-off supervision, quarterly and annual packages are available.
Pastoral Supervision
Pastoral Supervision Contexts
Pastors, leaders, chaplains, staff pastors, worship and creative arts pastors, youth and young adult pastors, kids' pastors, pastoral care pastors, volunteer pastors and leaders.
As an ordained minister for nearly two decades and a leader for many more, I am passionate about the health and longevity of pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, chaplains and those in helping professions. I added supervision to my practice to support pastors and leaders with the unique pressures they face from a place of deep understanding and extensive experience.
I am a pastor in the Australian Christian Churches and have served in the church my whole life. I grew up in a senior minister's home and family. I have an MA in Christian Studies and a lifetime of ministry experience and understanding. I have traveled widely in churches and ministry contexts in Australia and overseas.
I have spent decades working with leaders in ministry contexts across different nations and cultures. As a pastor and leader within the church, I chose early in my professional career to work bi-vocationally (instead of accepting church staff roles). I knew I could strengthen the church, earning my living outside the church while investing heavily within the church as a pastor and leader. I am passionate about coming alongside leaders.
My other professional background is in corporate accounting and finance management. I am a qualified life coach and professional trainer with experience in business leadership, consultancy, coaching and project management. I work across industries and contexts outside and inside the church.
My commitment to ethical practice
Ethics and professional standards are essential in guiding and guarding the sacred supervision space. The supervision context is a place of vulnerability. The supervisee embarks on an accompanied learning journey. There is an implied power imbalance in the professional relationship between supervisor and supervisee. I am upfront about its existence and mindful of it in my supervisory practice. Trust is fundamental to any learning relationship, and confidentiality is foundational to ethical practice.
As a professional supervisor, life coach and pastor, I practice according to the standards established by the professional governing bodies of each profession:
The Australian Association of Professional Supervisors (AAOS) Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct Procedure:
https://www.supervision.org.au/values-guiding-principles-professional-standards-ethical-practice/
https://www.supervision.org.au/professional_conduct_procedure/
The Australian Christian Churches Code of Conduct and Grievance Procedures:
http://access.acc.org.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=7no8gX1lnLc%3d&tabid=1643&language=en-AU
International Coaching Federation – Ethical Standards and Review Process:
https://coachingfederation.org/ethics
What theoretical models do you use in your Professional Supervision practice?
As a professional supervisor, I favour people-centric models that resource the outcomes of the supervisee and facilitate the supervision process with care, creativity and attention to ethical practice. I focus on theoretical models facilitating the reflective and reflexive learning process and process models guiding and directing the supervision session. I am careful to hold the tension between utilising current models but not allowing them to dictate the learning process (Hawkins & McMahon, 2020, p. 80).
- Theoretical Models
Soul, Role and Context Theory by Dr. Michael Paterson
5 Seater Sofa Model by Dr. Michael Paterson (based on Inskipp and Proctor 1983)
- Process Models
A Map for Soulful Supervision: The Satnav 6 Processes Model by Michael Paterson
Three Rings Model by Susan Marcuccio
3 Processes Framework for Reflexive Supervision by Bobbi Moore
Contact Kris for Pastoral Supervision
To connect with Kris, please use the contact form. Kris will organise a time to listen to what you're looking for.