Supervision in a group context can be an experience that “lets in more light and air” than individual contexts (Proctor, 2008, p. xvi). It can also seem deceptively simple and straightforward yet benefits from skilful preparation and holding (McMahon, 2014).
Effective supervision in groups is associated with the presence of 3 key factors (Rutter, 2007):
- The group atmosphere of a co-created, safe and trustworthy container
- Relationships among group members
- Opportunities to learn from supervisor and one another
It seems congruent to offer mindfulness-based supervision in a group context since this is the context in which MBSR is offered and the group is often cited as a highly valued component by participants and as one of the key mechanism for creating change. Similarly personal practice and an experiential learning methodology is particular to MBSR teaching and supervision in a group context offers the space for MBSR Teachers to be group members themselves. This offers the means to deepen a personal practice of mindfulness in action, where we may expand experience of teaching through witnessing peers’ experiences, experiencing common humanity as MBSR Teachers and connecting with a community of colleagues.