Consultations and Supervision
What is consultation and how can it help
you?
Your ability to work with clients, to help
them feel safe and comfortable and your ability take care of
yourself in your work, can make the difference between a
healthy practice and one that is floundering. It can make the
difference between looking forward to your work every day and
feeling burned-out.
Many massage therapists and bodyworkers
are discovering the usefulness of getting extra help with their
relationships with clients. Consultation can fine-tune your
skills in working with clients and give you extra confidence.
Because it is not about the hands-on part of your work,
consultation (and ongoing supervision) can be by telephone.
Why struggle by yourself? Most bodyworkers
aren’t taught in school how to deal with the common
problems that come up between practitioner and client. For
instance, you might wonder how to deal with a specific
difficult client, with a client you are attracted to or with a
client you don’t like. A consultation can help you learn
more about what is getting in the way of working well with that
client (and others like him) and make your work life easier.
Consultation can help you in many ways.
For instance, many bodyworkers and massage therapists have
difficulty setting limits. They over-do or don’t charge
enough and can become resentful of clients and even burned-out.
Getting support for setting firm limits can help you enjoy your
practice more and help your clients feel safer, making them
more likely to become regular clients.
Why supervision?
Supervision is an arrangement to have a
regular consultation to discuss your practice and questions
about working with clients. For instance, you might meet once a
month—on the phone or in person. With a supervisor, you
would be able to see the broader patterns of where your
strengths are and the areas you need to grow. And you would
have ongoing support for your work. Supervisors should never
tell you what to do or criticize you. Instead, it should be
like having someone else in your corner to cheer you on and
give you valuable feedback.
Consultation and supervision for:
l Building
your confidence, enhancing your strong points.
l Re-vitalizing
your interest in your work.
l Learning
how to set limits gracefully.
l Working
with difficult clients or complicated situations.
l Helping
the isolation of your work.
l Making
your work life easier and more satisfying.
Nina is available at reasonable fees for a
half hour or hour-long phone consultation for individual
practitioners, teachers or schools directors. She is also
available for ongoing supervision.
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© 2007 Nina McIntosh