Table Of Content“Being Supervised is a refreshing blend of being both practical and philosophi-
cal in approach. As we move through the book, we are introduced to the history
of the profession, the ‘how to’ for supervisees with anecdotal evidence, and as
we progress, we are invited to reflect in a much deeper way into what thought
is, thinking styles, learning, how we learn, all within the context of supervi-
sion. On concluding the book, the reader has taken a deep dive into the power
and importance of supervision as a resource for anyone working in the caring
professions.”
Louise Schubert, Executive Coach, Group Facilitator,
Mentor and Coach Supervisor, Spain
Praise for the First Edition:
“Why aren’t there more books for supervisees? This book by Erik de Haan
and Willemine Regouin tackles that question and provides an answer to it.
A practical, down-to-earth, sensible guide to help both new and experienced
supervisees get the most from supervision, this updated text speaks to the mod-
ern supervisee. It’s the kind of book that I would have loved to have thirty
years ago when I first started supervision—something I could confidently give
to supervisees to help them be more knowledgeable and skilled as supervisees
and more able to partner supervisors on that learning from practice journey.”
Michael Carroll, PhD, Visiting Industrial Professor, University of Bristol
“This book is applicable for individuals in multiple professions, including
coaching professionals, organisational consultants, teachers, and psychother-
apists. Working in an organisational setting as an internal executive coach,
I have found this book very practical with helpful instructions for guided
self-reflection. Erik de Haan has added a modern twist to this classic work
by Willemine Regouin with a strong focus on practical application and easy
referencing which lends itself to dipping in and out and makes it suitable for
our busy modern lives. I would recommend this book to anyone who starts on
the journey of supervision.”
Stephanie Conway, Google Internal Coach and Supervisor
“As a trainee supervisor, this book both terrifies me and energises me in equal
measure—terrifies because of all the well-armed supervisees who are likely
to present in supervision as a result, and energises because of the potential for
such rich working alliances to emerge. If you think that your practice, whatever
stage it is at, will benefit from a highly informed, and truly helping hand, don’t
hesitate to buy this book.”
Camilla Beglan, Executive Coach and Supervisor
Being Supervised
Being Supervised: A Guide for Supervisees provides a complete introduction to
help supervisees and supervisors to get the most out of supervision and reap its
unique and substantial benefits.
De Haan and Regouin-van Leeuwen present a didactic method that enables
professionals in the helping professions to convert insights and experiences
into greater professional competence. Presented in three parts, the book
approaches theory, methods, and practice from the supervisee’s perspective,
answering questions such as: What is supervision? How does it work? What’s
the benefit? Part I provides a concise exploration which introduces supervision
to future supervisees, Part II is addressed to novice supervisees and examines
the supervisory process based on its three main stages, and Part III is focused
mainly on advanced supervisees. This fully updated and revised edition includes
practical exercises that supervisees and supervisors can use in the preparation of
their supervisory journey, taking into account extensive feedback from teachers
and supervisors who regularly work with the book, and updates to Ashridge’s
Code of Conduct for Supervisors.
Being Supervised will be essential reading for any helping professional
beginning supervision or looking to understand more about the process, and for
supervisors. It will be particularly relevant for psychotherapists, counsellors,
coaches, and psychoanalysts in training.
Erik de Haan is a leadership and organisation development consultant,
psychodynamic psychotherapist, executive coach, and supervisor. He is the
director of the Hult Ashridge Centre for Coaching and programme leader of the
Ashridge Masters (MSc) in executive coaching, and the Ashridge Postgraduate
Diploma (PG Dip) in supervision. He was chair of the Association of Coaching
Supervisors and non-executive board member of the Dutch Association for
Supervision and Coaching. He is also professor of organisation development
and coaching at the VU University of Amsterdam. He has written more than 200
articles and 16 books in different languages.
Willemine Regouin-van Leeuwen was a supervisor and educator of supervisors in
the Netherlands for many decades. Regouin-van Leeuwen also taught philosophy
and published the first edition of this book in 1991.
Being Supervised
A Guide for Supervisees
Revised Edition
Erik de Haan and
Willemine Regouin-van Leeuwen
Designed cover image: Getty
Revised edition published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Erik de Haan and Willemine Regouin-van Leeuwen
The right of Erik de Haan and Willemine Regouin-van Leeuwen to be
identifed as authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and explanation
without intent to infringe.
Originally published in Dutch in 1991 (10th revised edition 2021) as
Supervisie, gids voor supervisanten by Van Gorcum.
Originally published in English in 2017 by Karnac Books Ltd.
Translated from the Dutch by Sue Anderson.
Published 2018 by Routledge.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 9781032382227 (hbk)
ISBN: 9781032382203 (pbk)
ISBN: 9781003344025 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003344025
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
Contents
Introduction xii
PART I
Starting the supervisory journey 1
1 Why supervision? 3
1.1 T raining 4
1.2 P ractice 5
1.3 S upervision 5
1.3.1 P rofessional identity 6
1.3.2 D efinition 6
2 Contracting: The way to monitor your progress 8
2.1 Contracting with the organisational sponsor 9
2.1.1 Supervision commissioned by a training or qualifying
institution 9
2.1.2 Supervision commissioned by a professional care
institution, clinic, or consultancy 9
2.1.3 Supervision commissioned by the supervisee 9
2.2 Contracting between supervisor and supervisee 10
2.2.1 Conditions 10
2.2.2 Objectives 10
2.3 Dealing with disappointment and mustering courage 11
2.3.1 Conflicts related to theoretical orientation 13
2.3.2 Conflicts related to supervision style 14
2.3.3 C onflicts due to disruption in the relationship and
personality clashes 14
Notes 16
viii C ontents
3 Learning in supervision 17
3.1 How do people learn in supervision? 18
3.1.1 Insight 18
3.1.2 Learning 18
3.1.3 Action 19
3.2 What should be learned in supervision? 20
3.2.1 Reflecting 20
3.2.2 Making experiences explicit 20
3.2.3 Problematising 21
3.2.4 Generalising 21
3.2.5 Finding learning objectives 21
3.2.6 Evaluating 22
3.3 Learning material in supervision 22
3.3.1 Reporting 22
Note 26
4 Reflective assignment 27
4.1 First focus on the kind of person you are 27
4.2 Focus on what you want to achieve through supervision 28
4.3 Focus on the broader outcomes of your supervision 29
PART II
Being on the supervisory journey 31
5 The initial stage 33
5.1 Who are you both and how can you relate to each other? 33
5.1.1 Functional relationships 34
5.1.2 Getting to know each other 34
5.1.3 Boundaries 35
5.2 Who are you both and what can you do together? 35
5.2.1 Complications 36
5.2.2 Aligning expectations 36
5.3 W hat can you achieve and how? 37
5.3.1 L earning objectives 37
5.3.2 M ethods 38
Note 40
6 The middle stage 41
6.1 W ork in progress 41
6.1.1 I ntegration at the level of the person 41
Contents ix
6.1.2 I ntegration at the level of the profession 42
6.1.3 The supervisory relationship 43
6.1.4 Working together 43
6.1.5 The second account 44
6.2 The midterm review 45
6.2.1 Evaluation report 45
6.2.2 Evaluation session 46
6.3 Heading towards the end 47
6.3.1 Reflecting and the importance of language 47
6.3.2 Writing 48
7 The final stage 50
7.1 We’re nearly there 50
7.1.1 Supervision and practice 50
7.1.2 What the supervisee should be able to do 51
7.2 Final evaluation and optional assessment 52
7.2.1 Assessment 52
7.2.2 Value judgements 53
7.2.3 Evaluation and assessment in supervision 53
7.2.4 Perspective into the future 54
7.3 How do we go our separate ways? 55
7.3.1 Saying goodbye 55
8 The importance of writing in supervision 58
Work contributions are individually determined 58
8.1 Writing is essential in the helping professions 59
8.1.1 Note-taking during and after sessions 59
8.1.2 Contract and problem statement 60
8.1.3 Supervision reports and written opinions 60
8.2 Writing assignment 61
8.3 Example of a writing problem 62
Conclusion 63
Note 64
PART III
Understanding the supervisory journey 65
9 The person 67
9.1 Thinking and knowing 67
9.1.1 Autonomy thinking 67
