Newsletter

Signs of Spring and Spring Cleaning

Despite several attempts to simplify the ARC training offer I’ve never been entirely happy with this. After a thorough ‘spring clean’ there are now 4 Training Series and an evolving e-learning option. Consolidated into 4 different Series

• Supervision & Support Series
• Therapy Skills Series
• Self Development & Leadership Series
• Support Worker Series (The SLTA Framework & Assistants Day)

E Learning is finally underway with a PMLD course and Intro to the Support Worker Framework under development.

Management Know-How Workshop

Every time I run a Supervision Study Day I notice that much of the conversation focuses on what I think of as ‘management’ issues. When I looked at what is available for those who are new to a management role, or wish to strengthen skills in first line management, or even ‘managing yourself’ that there is little out there in the way of training. There used to be a lot more. There are now wider opportunities for Leadership, especially in the NHS, but that isn’t the same as Management Know-How. So, a new Study Day which focuses on managing people or part of a service is added to the ARC portfolio of training. How to set Team Objectives and identify your Team Success Factors is included. Follow the Link for further details.

Back to my Therapy Roots

I finally put together a series of Clinical Courses around my areas of interest. I was an RCSLT Adviser for more than 20 years and covered ASD and then Services to Education. Within ASD I focused on language and communication development and always included the work of Barry Prizant and Judy Duchan in my Therapy Kitbag. Learning about Gestalt approaches has made me realise I have a lot to share and set about organising and re-working resources. The GINNELL Day (Gestalt IN natural, everyday language learning Study Day is planned for the Autumn Term. Insights and ideas for language learning from pre-speech to narrative level resources will be available as an ongoing resource to those attending.  I’ve also re-visited Bloom and Lahey’s Form, Content and Use model as that is often overlooked, but surprisingly modern in approach.  The Play and Language Study Day is ready and that’s where I started out as a trainer and where I always return to when I’m in need of clinical inspiration.  

Wishing you a Happy Easter, Ruth 

Transistions

When I think back to key points of transition in my career, there are some ‘Take-aways’ to share. It is usually coping with the journey and putting energy where it needs to be. 

The Change Curve doesn’t always help and I suspect it is a more cyclical model and we can revert back to an earlier stage and get stuck in a loop.

I remember, when changing one job, that 5 weeks in I realised I was homesick for my previous role. It can help to think of it that way. 

I was recently planning the Supportive/ Restorative Supervision Study Day and came across a useful article in Nurse Education Today with several pointers for periods of change. The research focused on that transition from NQT to fully fledged practitioner, but these bullet points are relevant to all transitions.  

My big learning point here was that, although I use Mindfulness clinically (in adult fluency therapy), and in my own life and writing, I always feel a little apprehensive at even mentioning it in supervision. Here ,mindfulness has a central place as a strategy to build resilience, and support us in our emotional ‘responsivity.’  

“Resilience Based Clinical Supervision (RBCS) is underpinned by the principles of Compassion Focused Therapy. It aims to alleviate work related stress, and support individuals to reframe their experiences, through structured and reflective discussion. It incorporates skills which develop proficiency in mindfulness, distress tolerance, and positive reframing.” 

In this approach to supervision the session is, “a forum for alleviation and prevention of stress.” The practitioner is encouraged to reflect on ‘emotional reasoning underpinning their behaviours and responses.  The focus is regulating emotional responses, so it is all about emotional intelligence. 

Supervision is a “facilitated reflective discussion,” and the key points of the study were the identification of the conditions needed to create a safe space (Individual and One to One). 

Integrating of mindfulness based stress reduction exercises (based on Paul Gilbert’s work).

Focusing on the 3 emotional systems model which drive our responses in a situation. (based on Paul Gilbert’s work)

Spotting our own internal critic and how this affects our responses to a situationCommitting to self compassion (the work of Kristin Neff is useful here).

Time Management also gets a mention, so that was reassuring, as I see struggles with time and energy management at the root of so many issues brought to supervision.  

The mindfulness ideas pull on the work of Paul Gilbert and I’ve set myself an objective of listening to his books again. I’ve added a few references at the end of the Newsletter.  

For those who know VERVE, Stephen Porges is mentioned as a source for this study and you will see similar roots here.

References: Gilbert, Paul, The Compassionate Mind (Compassion Focused Therapy) Robinson; Re-issue edition (2009)  Neff, Kristin, Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (2011)  Porges SW. Orienting in a defensive world: Mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. A Polyvagal Theory. Psychophysiology 32:301–318. (1995)  Stacey G et al, The implementation of resilience based clinical supervision to support transition to practice in newly qualified healthcare professionals, Nurse Education Today, Volume 94, November 2020