ABSTRACT
Supervision is a form of professional learning and learning can be painful and difficult (Coren 1997: 58; Emmanuel 2000: 62; Salzberger-Wittenberg et al. 1999: 54). I sometimes find that I feel tired and reluctant to see my supervisor about my clinical work. But when I am there, I am engrossed in the discussion and when I leave I feel very thoughtful, engaged with ideas and feelings about my work. I might want to read something, certainly to think more about what we have discussed. I feel very different, and not tired at all. Sometimes I have thought of a way forward with a client, sometimes I have felt encouraged; sometimes I have felt just more confident and assured in my therapeutic role and capability. I wonder why this is so, and if others working with clients in various contexts have similar feelings about discussions of their work with their supervisors.
