Creative Supervision: The Use of Expressive Arts Methods in Supervision and Self-Supervision

Supervision is growing in importance in all professions as a means of focusing on the personal and vocational skills of the supervisee, as well as a means of supporting them in their work. In this book Mooli Lahad argues that the most effective method of supervision uses both right and left hemispheres of the brain, the intuitive and logical. He encourages the use of metaphors, images and stories to enrich theoretical knowledge and improve our understanding of the processes of therapy and support.

In Creative Supervision Lahad introduces techniques, drawn from the expressive arts therapies, which can be employed during a supervision to release information from the creative hemisphere of the brain. These techniques include storytelling, role-playing, guided fantasy, imaginary dialogues, letter-writing, drawing, and the use of colours and shapes. Case examples show how the techniques were used, and how they provided insight into problematic relationships with clients. Drawing from his experiences of working in the aftermath of tragedy in Israel, Northern Ireland and the former Yugoslavia, Lahad examines how to supervise a crisis intervention team: he also focuses on self-supervision.

Combining humanistic, creative and practical approaches, Creative Supervision gives a fresh, new perspective which will inspire supervisors to re-think their practice.

Mooli Lahad is Founder and Director of the Institute of Dramatherapy, and Director of the Community Stress Prevention Centre, Tel Hai College, Israel. He is a consultant to UNICEF, working in Sarajevo and other parts of the former Yugoslavia during the recent war; while as a supervisor he has worked with teams in many parts of the world, including Israel and Northern Ireland. For the past eighteen years he has supervised mental health care-givers such as psychologists, social workers, doctors, nurses, creative arts therapists and community health workers.