Dietitian Supervision Resources Australia – Supporting Supervision for all Dietitians

Supervision has provided me the safe secure space I needed to explore the limitations that were holding me back professionally. I feel calmer and more confident in the work I do with clients. I feel more able to support my peers to move forward with their careers. Most importantly I feel able to improve the experience and outcomes for clients. The supervision relationship allows a space where I can be brave and vulnerable, think aloud and bring all my ‘silly’ questions. It is so important to have this time and space particularly if you work independently in a poorly understood and supported speciality. Through supervision I aim to provide this for others now; to change the experience of emerging dietitians.

Supervision for me has been the bridge between what I know from my work in a regional area to the possibilities and different points of view that a more experienced Dietitian can guide me to find and discover. When I found my supervisor and started working with her, it was a turning point in both my career and what I thought of as normal. I would recommend finding a supervisor so that you can create new ways of thinking when you are stuck and be able to sort out experiences that don’t make sense, as well as just organising your thoughts in a different way..

I worked as a sole dietitian in private practice for 12 years before I started supervision but now after having supervision, I can’t imagine my work life without it! I can discuss anything- whether it is a clinical case, managing my time, or the role of social media in my business, every discussion has been empowering for me. It makes me a better practitioner by ensuring I reflect regularly on my dietetic practice. I feel so much support from this process and would encourage any dietitian whether emerging or experienced, to give it a go. You won’t regret it!

It is incredibly valuable to have a space to be myself and share my wins and challenges with a supervisor who has a wealth of knowledge, a great deal of experience, and -best of all- has me and my client’s best interest in mind. Supervision gives me space to be vulnerable, to receive feedback and to grow as a practitioner (and human). The sessions help me to navigate complex cases and situations, prepare me for difficult conversations, and sift through the endless amounts of information I (try to) absorb so that I can focus on what matters most. The number 1 thing I get from supervision is more confidence… who wouldn’t want that?!

Clinical Supervision is an essential part of my practice as a Dietitian. As a sole practitioner in my practice, having the safe space that supervision provides, in which I am supported to find direction, clarity and structure for action in the work that I do with clients and supervisees is imperative. My clinical supervision has made an enormous difference in my work with my clients, in my professional and personal development and through this, I believe more widely in the community in which I work. The deep reflection and learning I have found through receiving excellent supervision, continues to support me to be and do better in my work and my life outside work.

Regular supervision is the best thing you can do for your own professional and personal growth. Professionally it helps maintain an ethical practice, where you get support with all types of clients, especially those that are challenging both clinically and personally. It can help look at issues of boundaries, self-care, transference, and countertransference – looking at where our issues intertwine with those of our clients and how to manage these. This in turn contributes to our personal growth and health. I would not still be in practice after 30 years without it!

Over the 15 years that I have been in practice as a Dietitian, participating as a supervisee in individual Supervision over the last few years has been and is still by far the best investment I have made in terms of training and professional development. It has no doubt supported my continuing ability to work sustainably in the profession and feel supported and affirmed while I do so.

If not for supervision, I wouldn’t be practising. It is that simple. Supervision has given me space to breathe, reflect and learn. No course can teach us, what we learn from good supervision. It’s been my compass that has guided me for years and I don’t know how I could support my clients without it

Providing supervision to others has been such a rewarding part of my working life. It keeps me connected to the core of what dietitians are about. Being witness to the changes that come from curiosity and at times, vulnerability, makes what we do matter. There is so much value in helping a colleague uncover and build trust in the gifts they have to offer. The benefits for both receiving and giving supervision, for me, has been profound.

Clinical supervision has helped me develop and hone skills in working with all patients and their nutritional goals, particularly those patients with eating disorders. My supervisor is great at giving me expert guidance and helping me develop better questions for patients. They have helped me understand that the client’s Disorder journey can be quite varied for different people. My supervisor displays a great example of active listening in our chats, and I actually envy the style in which she holds our Telehealth meetings. Simply listening and observing her counselling style is a learning experience in itself. I feel supervision is essential for all dietitians.

Supervision has been absolutely crucial in developing my confidence and baseline skills as a new graduate dietitian. It’s an opportunity to trouble-shoot any thoughts or obstacles I have faced in an incredibly safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. I wouldn’t be progressing at the rate that I am without supervision.

Supervision has been a critical part of my professional development. It has provided me with a sounding board, opportunities to reflect and career development. Working in private practice can be isolating. However, my supervisory relationships have provided me with a vital network for support. This network has provided me with exposure to cases, techniques and a referral system that I would not have had without formal supervision meetings. Supervision has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my practice; learning to regulate my own nervous system in session and ensuring I am practising safely and provide support when needed. I believe this is an important component to ensuring the efficacy and sustainability of my career as a private practitioner.