Working with multi-layered narratives of trauma and loss in the systemic supervision context

This article examines how trauma and loss can present on multiple levels when working as a systemic supervisor within a children’s social care setting, thus simultaneously affecting the client, therapist, and supervisor. It is rooted in the author’s own clinical observations and is therefore reflective in nature. Opportunities and potential challenges in individual and live group supervision will be explored and further illustrated through practice examples. The author demonstrates how to navigate trauma-specific supervision issues, such as isomorphism, parallel context, and secondary traumatisation that can activate emotional dysregulation in clinicians. It shows how supervisors can aid emotional processing of stories of loss, instil hope, and thereby support both therapists and families in enabling transformation and growth.