Creative Supervision
Why Creativity Belongs in Clinical Supervision
I had one of those supervision sessions recently that stayed with me long after it had finished.
It began with a conversation about runes.
Now, before anyone assumes I've abandoned reflective practice in favour of fortune telling, that's not what happened at all. My supervisee was exploring whether there might be a place for runes and other spiritual practices within their therapeutic work, particularly with clients who already have an interest in those approaches.
Rather than discussing the idea in theory, we decided to experiment.
Starting with curiosity
I went first.
I held a question in my mind that I've been wrestling with for a while: whether to choose safety or adventure as I think about a possible relocation.
Like many of the dilemmas we bring into supervision, it wasn't really about geography. It was about fear, uncertainty, values and trusting myself.
I closed my eyes, focused on the question, cast the runes onto the floor and selected one.
It was the Flight Rune.
My supervisee explained that, in the position I had drawn it, it represented breaking free from what holds you back, embracing change and trusting your instincts.
Whether or not you believe runes carry any spiritual significance isn't really the point.
What mattered was what happened next.
The symbolism immediately opened a door into a much richer conversation. It helped me articulate things I already knew but hadn't quite put into words. It gave us something tangible to explore together and prompted some gentle but meaningful challenge around whether I was trusting myself enough.
The rune didn't give me an answer.
It gave me somewhere to begin.
Turning the process around
We then swapped roles.
I invited my supervisee to think about a client they were feeling stuck with. Holding that client in mind, they cast the runes and selected the Star Rune.
Without sharing any confidential details, what followed was a thoughtful exploration of the therapeutic relationship.
The imagery and symbolism of the rune became a catalyst for reflection. It helped my supervisee think differently about where the client was emotionally, what they themselves were finding difficult, and what their role as the therapist might be.
Again, the rune wasn't providing answers.
It was creating space for questions.
Creativity helps us think differently
This experience reminded me why I love bringing creativity into supervision.
Not because creativity is novel.
Not because it feels fun (although it does)
But because our brains often become stuck in familiar patterns.
When we only ask direct questions, we often receive direct answers. Sometimes that's exactly what's needed. But sometimes we need something that bypasses our usual way of thinking.
A metaphor.
An image.
A card.
A piece of artwork.
A LEGO model.
An object from nature.
A sand tray.
A set of runes.
These aren't magical solutions. They don't replace clinical thinking or evidence-based practice.
What they do offer is another route into reflection.
They help us access intuition, emotion, imagination and meaning alongside analysis.
The importance of permission
One of the things I value most in supervision is permission to experiment.
Not everything works for every supervisee.
Some people would find runes deeply meaningful.
Others would find them completely uncomfortable.
That's absolutely fine.
The point isn't that everyone should start using runes.
The point is that supervision should be flexible enough to meet people where they are.
For one supervisee, creativity might involve drawing.
For another, movement.
For someone else, it might be metaphor, storytelling, photography, cards or music.
The question isn't Which creative tool should we use?
The question is What might help this person think in a way they haven't thought before?
Supervision should be more than talking about cases
Case discussion is an essential part of supervision.
So is ethics.
Risk.
Boundaries.
Theory.
Professional development.
But I also think supervision should be a place where we can become curious about ourselves as practitioners.
Where we notice what we're bringing into the room.
Where we challenge our assumptions.
Where we reconnect with our intuition as well as our knowledge.
Sometimes creativity helps us get there.
Sometimes it simply reminds us that there are many different ways of making sense of our work.
And occasionally, one small symbolic object opens up a conversation that neither supervisor nor supervisee expected to have.
Those are often the conversations that stay with us the longest.
I'd love to know: have you ever used creative approaches in supervision, either as a supervisor or supervisee? What helped you see something differently?
Ready for some creative supervision? Drop me a line on my form here
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