Pastoral Supervision: Creativity in Action (The Changing Face of Professional and Pastoral Supervision) Paperback – 10 Jun. 2021

Essential reading, clothing the bones of pastoral supervision theory with vibrant, living flesh through the sharing of authentic experiences and storytelling interwoven with a multitude of creative tools that can enable the most timid of supervisors to find the courage to begin to unlock the creative potential of the reflective process – and I speak about myself here! The simplicity of language offers direct and accessible wisdom and is accompanied throughout by the whole range of possible creative expression from poetry to art installations that invite the reader to put out into the deep and explore the mystery of encounter and deepen connection with soul through simple yet profound creative tools. Even during my first reading, I noticed how my own use of metaphor and image widened considerably in my own practice, almost without conscious effort as my confidence increased through the encouragement found in these pages, bearing unexpected fruit. By my third reading, so many pages are slightly turned so I can refer to them again at speed, whether to engage with process or the different creative modalities therein, that the book now rather resembles a dogeared concertina! This is a never ending treasure trove of possibility that somehow manages to avoid the usual feeling of overwhelm that often accompanies such practical resources, replacing that with the gift of enhanced confidence. Particular gems for my supervisees so far have been the exploration of chair work, journalling and the notion of the Inner Wise Guide – simply explained, surprisingly easy to faciliate. I look forward to continuing this journey of discovering of my own creativity as well as those of my supervisees.