Helping practitioners sustain their vitality & prevent burnout and moral injury.
Reflective Supervision, Training, Retreats.
Welcome.
This website is an invitation to think about your personal and professional wellbeing and consider what you might need at this point in your life. Sustaining our motivation and optimism throughout a helping career is a significant challenge. Being intentional about looking after ourselves while we look after others is vital.
I am a trainer, therapist and supervisor with 25 years’ experience of compassion focused practice in arts, health, education and community settings. I have been privileged to work in prisons, Romanian orphanages, in substance misuse, with military veterans and survivors of complex trauma, helping people recover and grow from challenging experiences.
I love my work and it can take a toll. Both of these things are true. Many of us drawn to the helping professions are driven by a deep sense of purpose which puts us at risk of overwork, overwhelm and burnout. We may have grown up with the belief that we should always put others first, that it’s selfish or self-indulgent to focus on ourselves. My own experience of burnout led to a re-evaluation of priorities, a commitment to self-compassion and a more thoughtful relationship with my work. It also changed my direction.
I now focus on supporting fellow practitioners to be well in the work they do. Artists, therapists, nurses, doctors, care workers, police, paramedics, prison staff, teachers, all who work at the human frontline. We are working in challenging times, often within imperfect (some might say broken) systems. The work can hurt. Having a space to reflect on the complexity of our careers and share the emotional weight that comes with meeting the tide of human suffering can be the difference between surviving our professional lives, and living and working with meaning and joy.
In this site I share some reflections and resources as well as links to training, retreats and support that I offer. I hope you find this helpful. Do reach out if you are interested in working with me on a one to one basis, would like to book on a training course or retreat, or would like a conversation to find out more.
Introduction to Self-Compassion
“I feel I have been given a gift. A set of tools to start me on a new journey. I realise how unhelpful my self-critical voice has been in my career, and feel motivated to try and be a bit kinder to myself.” Participant, 2023
These workshops will introduce participants to the practice and theory of self-compassion, drawing on the work of Kristen Neff and Paul Gilbert and my own practice and research in burnout prevention. A series of gentle exercises and written reflections will invite participants to reflect on their own wellbeing and consider their needs at this point in their professional lives. The workshops explore how deepening our own relationship with self-compassion can strengthen and enrich our work with others.
Self-compassion offers us an anchor in times of challenge and uncertainty, and serves us well in moments of professional doubt and transition.
This workshop series will deepen participants understanding of the interconnectedness of personal and professional wellbeing. Developing self-compassion enables us to work more compassionately with other people, thus strengthening our ability to assist in the healing journeys of others.
Upcoming Sessions Online
End of year reflections: Letting go of this year with self-compassion and kindness, Weds 18th Dec 6-8pm
More info and booking here
Introduction to Self Compassion, Weds 15 Jan 2025 6-8pm
More info and booking here
Contact me to discuss one to one sessions or booking a training course for your team or organisation.
Introduction to Facilitating Reflective Practice (2-day training)
“A totally nourishing, inspiring and invigorating two days. Alison created a welcoming, non-judgemental, fully inclusive environment which allowed everyone the space and time to express themselves safely and confidently. I will use the energy I now feel, and the knowledge I have gained to forge ahead and help inform practice within my organisation to help both staff and the artists we support.” Participant, Spring 2024
About: The training course is aimed at experienced arts facilitators who work with, or as part of arts organisations that employ artists to deliver creative projects. This 2-day experiential training course will equip you with the skills to run a Reflective Practice group within your organisation and have the capacity to deliver for other organisations.
Day 1:
Experiencing a Reflective Practice session as a participant: reflecting and learning from this.
Introduction to Reflective Practice and Group Dynamics.
Facilitation styles and skills required.
Framing a Reflective Practice session: time, objectives, group agreement.
Day 2:
Practising in small groups with feedback.
Key considerations: Supervision and self-care; safeguarding; roles and responsibilities, common challenges.
Designing your first programme.
Reflective Practice has been proven to help reduce burnout and to support wellbeing and vitality across the helping professions.
Alison has been working in partnership with Wales Arts Health and Wellbeing Network since 2021, in response to a growing demand for Reflective Practice across the arts and health sector in Wales. There has been a recognition by the Arts Council of Wales of including a budget for artist wellbeing in funding applications and a growing expectation across the UK arts and health commissioning landscape for artist wellbeing to be integrated into all projects.
What you will get:
New skills to facilitate a Reflective Practice group with feedback on your facilitation skills from the course leader and peers.
Enhanced capacity to reflect, which can be applied to your own personal and professional wellbeing.
An understanding of how to plan, deliver and evaluate the effectiveness of Reflective Practice sessions.
Increased confidence to articulate the benefits of Reflective Practice to senior managers, colleagues and peers. trustees.