Gestalt is an exciting dynamic approach to coaching and supervision. The emphasis is on working in the Here & Now – attending to emotions and experience that arise in the session, while the Paradox of Change is the guiding principle at the core of Gestalt practice. This means that a key part of the work and learning comes from attending to the quality of the relationship between the Supervisor/Coach, where the Supervisor is attending as much to their own internal reactions as to the issues presented by the Coach. The Field concept of Parallel Process is therefore another key focus in this way of working.
John Leary-Joyce explained these principles in relation to Hawkins’ Seven-Eyed Supervision Model, which aligns well with the Gestalt approach, to systematically address the different Supervision ‘modes’. An attached chapter from my book Fertile Void, Gestalt Coaching at Work outlines this model.
Our complimentary monthly meeting in March was part of the Pre-Conference.
Michelle Lucas and Paul Sanbar presented a pre-conference event on “The Coaching Super – Vision Mindset” as well as an exercise on “Misfits”. Sound intriguing?
This session is about the Poetics of Coaching with Sam Magill, MCC as part of the Americas Coaching Supervision Network.
A Transactional Analysis (TA) perspective on working positively with the parallel process in supervision
This session explored 3 interlocking TA models – OK-OK Communication (Pratt & Mbaligontsi, 2016), Drama Triangle (Karpman, 1968), Winners Triangle (Choy, 1990), and discuss how these frameworks can provide useful self-awareness for the supervisor to notice a potential unconscious negative parallel process between themself and the supervisee, and either proactively name it and work with it, or role model a positive parallel process with the supervisee.
These models give a lens through which to work practically, primarily with mode 5 (the supervisory relationship) of the Seven Eyed Model (Hawkins and Shohet, 2000).
About Karen Pratt, PCC
Karen is a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (TSTA) with a specialization in education. She offers TA training at entry-level, professional level, and advanced levels and supervises both TA trainees and coaches internationally. She holds a PCC coach credential from the International Coach Federation (ICF) and has trained with the ICF as a PCC Marker evaluator. She holds a Diploma in Coach Supervision from Coaching Development and is part of their international team of trainers on professional coaching and coach supervision programs.
Karen presents regularly at international TA conferences – her most recent conference experience was as the invited international guest keynoter and workshop presenter at the Japanese Transactional Analysis Association conference in Kyoto, Japan in September 2019. She has contributed book chapters and articles in professional TA journals and has a Routledge book, A TA approach to Coaching, due for publication in late 2020.
Watch recording:
How to navigate the lockdown with serenity as Supervisors? By Samia Clouche, Americas Coaching Supervision Network, August 17, 2020
COVID 19 had prompted professionals to offer their services virtually. In this session, Eve Turner and Damian Goldvarg will present the literature review they have done and their research on the advantages and disadvantages of working virtually from the perspective of both supervisees as well as supervisors. They will also share strategies and tips on how to work virtually.
Debrief Third Americas Coaching Supervision Conference, June 15, 2020
The Americas Coaching Supervision Network held our 3rd Annual Conference on May 7-9, 2020. Originally, the plans were to be in Mexico City and the hotel and catering were organized and our Mexican colleagues were busy planning dinners and parties and Mariachi bands for us. It was to be a big party as only Mexico City knows how to throw! And then COVID-19 arrived and we challenged ourselves to switch from Mexico City to a virtual format in the six weeks leading up to our dates. So many decisions to be made about platforms, numbers, cost, whether we have the same presentations, format, preparing speakers to shift from in person to virtual, and the list went on. A decision was made to seek CCEs from ICF Global as an added bonus and we dropped the participant price and offered scholarships for those hardest hit by the pandemic and who have been faithfully supporting ACSN. How to build community and connections and learn and have fun virtually, while raising the profile of our community here in the Americas? We hoped 60-70 attendee would keep it intimate and allow for some connection and community. In the end, we had 115 participants from 20 different countries sign up. What an exciting time!
In the end, we are very happy with the results. All the speakers who were to present in Mexico agreed to present virtually, additional guests could now attend who were unable to attend if the conference had been held in Mexico, and we were able laugh and sing and dance and still learn from each other (I’m still dancing my sillies out…”). Professor Peter Hawkins and Pam Maclean (from the Hudson Institute) set a lovely provocative tone with their questions around “The most important question I and the world need me to inquire into at this conference is…” (Peter) and “supervision interrupts practice and it wakes us up to ourselves and our way of being…and it nudges us to see our stories…” (Pam). We watched and reflected on demonstrations in smaller breakout groups, and learned through experience, visualizing and attended to theory. 94% of attendees rated the conference either “very good” or “excellent” and we appreciated all the individual emails sent about what participants learned and the connections made.
I always know that I have attended a great learning event when I end up with more questions than I entered with. Some learning highlights and questions that I am left to ponder from the conference included:
What questions are you still savouring?
Thank you to everyone in the space who supported my learning and challenged me to think differently. It was a grand event indeed and I look forward to what can be created next year, virtually again, on April 29-May 1.