Considerations for Integrating TIS Experiential
Activities in Supervision Perry (2006) named six core elements characterizing positive, developmental, therapeutic experiences that can serve as a guide for creating and conducting TIS activities: relational, relevant, repetitive, rewarding, rhythmic, and respectful (see Table 1, cf. Brandt, Perry, Seligman, & Tronick [2014] for an in-depth discussion of the core elements in a child case context).
Relational. Creating a safe relationship is crucial for learning. Ensuring that supervisees receive clear explanations and information about each activity is key to building and maintaining a safe and secure relationship. Although the supervisor’s role in experiential activities varies with the goals and objectives, it consistently includes presenting the activity, supervisee(s). TIS emphasizes the importance of sharing what
the
activity entails and respecting the supervisees’ choice to decide on their level of participation and sharing. Supervisors intentionally use materials and activities to promote supervisor-supervisee connection and to gain perspective, awareness, and insight.
Table 1. Six core elements (Perry, 2006)
Relational (safe) Relevant (developmentally matched) Repetitive (patterned) Rewarding (pleasurable) Rhythmic (resonant with biology) Respectful (child, family, culture)
Relevant. Matching the goals, objectives, and process of supervision to the stage of the supervisees’ growth helps ensure that the activity is relevant and developmentally aligned. Stoltenberg (1997) advanced an integrated developmental stage model describing supervisee and supervisor characteristics. Supervisees progress through developing self-awareness and deepening their understanding of the therapy process; to experiencing tension related to dependency and autonomy mutuality in their therapist identity; and, ultimately, to integrating their knowledge and skills across domains with a realistic awareness of their competencies and interdependence in the supervisory relationship. Correspondingly, supervisors begin by providing encouragement with clear direction and guidance; to functioning as a resource and affording more autonomy; to offering less structure coupled with appropriately confronting and challenging their supervisees; to collaborating in a collegial relationship.
Contemplating supervisees’ developmental stage and the degree of structure in an activity can help ensure optimal engagement. When choosing activities and/or materials, consider: • How detailed or ambiguous are the directions? Do they need to be more (or less) ambiguous to further supervision goal(s)? • Is there a preferred, “knowable” outcome?
6 | PLAYTHERAPY December 2019 |
www.a4pt.org
• What level of self-disclosure is invited? Remind supervisees that they may share as little or as much as they wish.
gently experimenting with more creative and personalized responses. More advanced supervisees are likely to enjoy more open-ended activities that encourage risk-taking, self-disclosure, and vulnerability. Lastly, inviting supervisees to participate spontaneously in an activity should be thoughtfully timed, and, of course, proffered as an invitation.
Repetitive, Rewarding, and Rhythmic. These elements can be considered simultaneously in designing experiential activities. The objectives, the resources available, and the supervisor’s and supervisees’ comfort engaging in the activity will determine and influence how these components may be included. Expressive mediums impact individuals differently based on their personal preference and the degree of control they have over the medium. Bratton et al. (2008) adapted Landgarten’s (1987) 10-point continuum of art mediums, ranging from more fluid more resistant and easier to control (e.g., lead pencils, markers) for play therapists and provided selection and presentation suggestions for supervisees.
Respectful. Being respectful of individual, family, and cultural factors, demands that TIS supervisors monitor supervisees’ well-being. Experiential activities may elicit experiences and feelings that are out of supervisees’ awareness or consciousness (i.e.,
implicit memory).
Thus, it is important that supervisors personally engage in expressive/ experiential processes with a variety of mediums to respect and honor supervisees’ process. Supervisors demonstrate respect for supervisees’ well-being by providing a variety of materials and activities consistent with supervisees’ preferences and comfort level and by allowing adequate time for processing after activity completion.
It is crucial to discuss how exposure to client trauma may trigger disruptive
responses and acknowledge that processing clients’
on supervisor responsibilities). Through secondary traumatization, treating trauma may lead to similar symptoms in the supervisee, such as dampening affect, depression and withdrawal from work/social life, substance abuse, or risk-taking behavior (Helms, 2010; SAMHSA, 2014). Actively engaging in self-care routines as part of experiential activities can help maintain a psychologically safe atmosphere and mitigate potential compassion fatigue (Maschi, 2015).
Expressing Yourself - TIS Activities Supervisors select supervisor’s clinical
experiential/expressive activities based on the judgment of supervisees’ developmental
level,
preferences, needs, and psychological readiness and their knowledge of the principles of trauma-informed care. A few of our favorites are described below. Readers also can refer to Drewes and Mullen’s (2008) comprehensive volume for a compilation of play-based supervision activities that can be adapted for TIS.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
