Exploring an alternative approach to support

I have been fortunate to have access to strong supervision throughout the majority of my speech and language therapy life. Reflecting on my supervision journey the high points have been when I have had a solid relationship with my supervisor; when the supervisor has been someone I have trusted and respected, and whom I have … Read more

Successful transition from paid work to retirement

Today, I am a 68-year-old retired Speech and Language Therapist, enjoying a fulfilling life encompassing a number of roles: wife, mother, grandmother, artist and volunteer in two groups for stroke survivors with communication impairment. Six years ago I was struggling with the concept of retiring from a hectic Band 8 SLT post in a large … Read more

One supervision journey

For many years supervision was largely an unrewarding and functional experience for me. Initially, the focus felt skills driven, such as meeting standards and competencies. As I progressed, it became almost all about management expectations with little space to develop my personal and professional skills. There was little consistency to build a trusting relationship with … Read more

The importance of supervision

Supervision can be provided in a variety of formats and styles and can include not only professional and clinical supervision, but also managerial supervision. As a clinician progresses through their career there is often a move away from clinical supervision into more managerial supervision. The emphasis here may be on setting priorities and objectives in line … Read more

Stepping back to step back in

Supervision. A word that used to fill me with confusion and at times anxiety. What do I say?  How do I react? What are they thinking?  Am I saying the wrong thing? Is this topic supervision-worthy? These were just some of the thoughts that used to swim around in my mind before and after the … Read more

An experience with narrative therapy

Human’s are interpretative creatures which means as we move through our lives we create meaning. This steady accumulation of meaning, is articulated to us, the protagonists, in the form of stories. We have a host of stories about ourselves. A story about our relationships. A story about our work. A story about our time at … Read more

Are you getting enough (1)? Developing an understanding of supervision theories, models and practice

Anna and I went on intandem’s supervision course (Module 1) in June 2017. We both really enjoyed the course. The content was very relevant to us and we were all encouraged to participate throughout the day. The course was run for multidisciplinary therapists and this allowed for a great variety of experience and different views … Read more

Spotlight on the Stammering Open Space

Lorraine: “I’ve loved attending the Open Space sessions. Mostly I’ve really enjoyed meeting people from different walks of life and being able to openly discuss some of the issues I face as a person who stammers. I was anxious about attending at first and think I found it difficult to identify myself as someone who stammers … Read more

Understanding Supervision and the Importance of Self-Care

As the end of our MSc Speech and Language Sciences course at UCL was fast approaching, and many people were starting to realise that we will all soon have to face reality again, Cathy and Sam’s visit was a welcome reminder of the importance of self-care in our future profession. As a student on placement, … Read more

Living with a Communication Disability: Insider Accounts

Throughout our MSc in Speech and Language Sciences at UCL we have been trained to use active listening. It’s a key clinical skill. As trainee SLTs we listen when we collaborate with clients to take case histories. But these are often about a snapshot in time. What happens when clients complete assessment and intervention? How … Read more