OUR SERVICES
Individual Supervision
In my supervision sessions I strive to create a supportive learning environment which will allow my supervisees to explore their client work in order to provide a better service and to ensure adherence with ethics and best practice.
I'm a Relational Integrative practitioner however I look to support my supervisees in developing their own model and the way they prefer to work. My integration is a blend of the Humanistic, Relational Psychodynamic & CBT schools of psychotherapy, plus influences from Transactional Analysis and Transpersonal approaches.
I use an integrative and creative approach to supervision which is underpinned by two models of Supervision: Van Ooijen's Three Step Model provides the overall structure for sessions; whilst Hawkins & Shohet's Seven Eyed Model provides a set of lenses through which we can view your work.
The Three Step Model (Van Ooijen) breaks a supervision session into three stages:
The Seven Eyed Model (Hawkins & Shohet) provides a framework of lenses through which we can focus on specific aspects of your client work.
I strive for transparency in my supervision relationships and I hope that is evidenced by this profile. When forming a new supervision relationship I start by building a working agreement with my supervisees. I endeavour to document what are expectations of each other will be and how we might respond to potential difficulties within the supervision relationship.
As well as examining the content of client cases I also pay attention to the dynamic between myself and my supervisee and/or group members. I encourage my supervisees to notice this dynamic and to discuss it. In doing so I'm modelling open communication and this skill can be useful in the counselling relationship.
I encourage my supervisees to provide feedback to me. I acknowledge that I don't always get things right and I strive to be non defensive. Again modelling this can help supervisees develop when they find themselves being challenged either in supervision or by a client.
I encourage my supervisees to take a risk by sharing examples of where client work has been difficult as I believe that this is where the most valuable learning is to be found. To foster this risk taking I share some of my difficult experiences. As I've highlighted already I make mistakes, I'm a human being. Being a good ethical practitioner is about reflecting on those mistakes and finding ways to reduce the risk of them happening again.
I have experience of counselling in education settings (including schools), charitable organisations, and private practice. I currently provide individual supervision to counsellors working at Sesame Counselling Service and individual and group supervision to counsellors working at Cardiff Mind. I also provide individual supervision to counsellors undertaking private practice work.
I am bound by the BACP code of ethics.
You can read customer reviews of the Supervision service below. These are handled by an independent feedback provider Feefo.
Group Supervision
Group Supervision is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your perspectives on:
I utilise a collobarative group supervision style where I encourage group members to participate in the exploration of the material presented. This has many benefits. Firstly I know that I dont have all of the answers. By including all participants in the shared experience the presenter is receiving many perspectives informed by personal and professional experiences and each individuals underlying model. As the other supervisees get involved they start to think like a supervisor which develops their own internal supervisor. Feedback from the groups I supervise is that this collaborative style is crucial to the success of the groups.
For me the power of group supervision is this combined focus of all participants on a single experience. I have a metaphor for it ... please bear with me ...
Radio telescopes are extremely sensitive listening devices that can reveal the mysteries of the cosmos. If radio telescopes (that are often miles apart) are clustered together into arrays the resolving power or resolution of the combined array is greatly increased. Similarly then if supervisees that have some experiential and theoretical distance between them are focused on an experience, then the combined attention of these sensitive listening devices will provide an enhanced view.
For a group of four supervisees, plus supervisor I would suggest a two hour group supervision session as this offers the opportunity for each participant to explore their dilemmas in a meaningful way.
You can read customer reviews of the Supervision service below. These are handled by an independent feedback provider Feefo.
Independent Reviews provided by
Phil is a brilliant, insightful supervisor who has greatly advanced my own understanding of my practice. I would not hesitate to recommend him to other counsellor seeking a safe, supportive supervisory relationship.
Helpful, robust supervision provided while working with clients who have complex needs. Phil was knowledgeable, supportive and provided a safe place for me to manage my workload and develop professionally.
I would highly recommend Phil as a supervisor to any counselling practitioner who is looking for this resource. My experience has been productive, positive and valuable.
I have known Phil as a supervisor for several years (Group and Individual).
Phil is knowledgeable, professional, warm and supportive. He uses a strengths based, collaborative approach, that encourages participation of all, promoting maximum learning and development. His ethical knowledge is vast, which underpins all discussions.
Phil transformed my experience of group supervision, and serves as a great role model for a future qualification as a supervisor. Highly recommended.
Phil is everything that I hoped a supervisor would be - empathic, sensitive, intelligent and caring. He also knows when to challenge; to bring out the best in you. He is able to help you find your own solutions & resources, and by doing so enables you to better support your own clients. I would highly recommend Phil as a supervisor.
I found the sessions, educative, very informative, helpful and I felt supported throughout my sessions.
Phil is a really supportive and focussed supervisor. He seemsto be able to challenge, not letting me off the hook but without being hard or judgemental. At the beginning I found It annoying that he never let me off the hook but that paved the way for an honest, open and relaxed relationship which really helped me to grow as a counsellor. I think that Phil is kind, wise and very real. He puts 100% into his sessions and gives excellent value for money.
Phil offered supportive and attentive supervision and enabled me to develop my skills in a nurturing environment.
Supervision with Phil was a really useful experience for me. I found our sessions had the right balance between being supportive and challenging and I enjoyed the creativeness it brought to my counselling. Phil has a really good theoretical knowledge of counselling modalities and is a very experienced practitioner..that combined with a warm genuineness and good sense of humour made my supervision a hugely positive experience.
What I like the most about Phil is his integrity and warmth. He doesn't pretend to know things when he doesn't and will take the time to figure things out with you coming from a place of mutual respect. I felt listened to and understood during our sessions and gained many insights in my clinical work. I feel fortunate to have worked with such a kind, patient and caring man.
Phil had a strong sense of who he was to me as a supervisor, which meant that I was able to work meaningfully with my client work. He made me feel comfortable enough to explore that difficult stuff in the intrapersonal – as well as the interpersonal – sphere of our work. My own view is that Phil enjoys and is good at the creative and relational aspects of therapy, and he brought these enthusiasms to my supervision sessions, whilst being respectful of my own therapeutic approach. He has a firm value base which guides his ethical perspective but was also keen for me to autonomously make decisions. Phil is a warm and caring person. If these are the kind of qualities that you look for in a supervisor then I heartily recommend that you get in contact with him. I would have no hesitation in working with Phil again if the circumstances arose.