This face to face workshop presents the Psychotherapy supervision framework to explore how to address the complex and intricate dynamics of the interpersonal relationship process within the supervisory and therapeutic relationship. This inspiring professional practice workshop will also demonstrate how to build therapeutic competence through experiential learning, role plays and demonstrations. The presenter will provide an brief overview of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy theory ( Sharples, 2019; Gabbard, 2017), with a particular emphasis on how these skills operate in a broad range of supervision contexts. In addition, it will be highlighted how these skills form the basis of all positive therapeutic and supervisory alliances. The Psychotherapy and reflective practice framework will then be introduced to identify specific supervisory competencies which will then be applied to building skills in the supervisory alliance. In order to enhance therapeutic skills, many parallel processes will be discussed to help participants understand and experience the link between how they experience clients in the room, and the way in which the clients formulation is understood.

Participants will be guided through two specific role play exercises and reflective discussions to demonstrate competence in identifying the supervisees experience of the client in the therapy context and of themselves in the supervision context. This will emphasize experiential learning, highlight the parallel process, and help to enhance emotional awareness. This in turn develops increased comfort and tolerance of deeper reflective practices and negative emotional states.

This stimulating workshop provides the unique opportunity to develop supervisor and therapeutic competencies in a Psychodynamic Psychotherapy framework. As a result of the limitation of these training opportunities in Australia, this workshop is an essential and vital adjunct to all psychological interventions and approaches. This will enable reflection on the multi faceted ways in which our own unique personalities impact our client work and our experiences as supervisees, which then combine to determine and shape our identity and competency as supervisors. Experiential exercises will highlight capacity and limitation in interpersonal communication skills, in a context of mutual respect, understanding and empowerment.