Supervising self-supervision: constructive inquiry and embedded narratives in case consultation

The development of self-supervision has been suggested as a universal supervisory goal. However, the principle of isomorphism suggests that supervisors from different orientations will view this practice quite differently. This article elaborates an approach to self-supervision that is consistent with constructive therapies, though the intention is to provide flexible guidelines that can accommodate a range of supervisory activities. Case consultation is viewed as an "embedded narrative" involving the case story, the therapist story, and the supervision story. A process of "constructive inquiry" is used to connect these stories in order to construct the identity of a self-sustaining therapist. This process requires a conceptual shift from supervising practice to supervising self-supervision.