I sent the following email to all the healers I supervise.
Hi everyone!
This is a long email. I appreciate you taking a few minutes to read it. However, in short, here's what I'm asking of you:
Read over the attached revised supervision documents (revisions in dark blue).
Ask me questions about the revisions, if needed, via email or during our meetings.
Determine if you are ready, willing, and able to commit to the revisions.
Let me know your decision by July 10, 2020.
If you have the desire to, please consider sending me adjustments, additions, subtractions, or language changes that you want me to include in the revisions.
Long version:
Over the past few weeks, I have been reflecting. A lot. The George Floyd Protests combined with a week-long retreat and some amazing documentaries on Black thinkers have motivated me to re-examine my role in ending oppression as an intersectionally-oriented social worker and educator. In my reflections, I wondered "What am I good at?" I'm good at sitting with people and holding the complexity of emotion and experience, which is easily transferred to exploring oppression. So then I asked myself, "When, how, and with whom will I be investing my time and energy to end oppression?" The answer didn't take long to find me.
First, this investment starts with me. I have expanded and deepened my anti-oppressive practice through various means including religious practices, education, journaling, and reading. Second, I will challenge oppressive perceptions and actions as they occur with those I teach and supervise. This includes the classroom and in supervision sessions. Finally, I invite those I teach and supervise to challenge me in my oppressive perceptions and actions.
As I call myself to reflect on and commit to my values and integrity, I am calling on you to do the same. Attached to this email, you will find two heavily revised documents: Professional Disclosure Statement and Supervision Contract. Please read them over carefully and thoroughly. The revisions are dark blue in color so you can easily see them. There are some adjustments that don't have to do with oppression but were overdue for inclusion in my documentation.
You will notice an emphasis on four models of care. I hold that anti-oppressive practice, culturally responsive care, trauma-informed care, and harm reduction are the models of care that best counter oppressive stances in ourselves, in the therapy room, and in the world. If you are thinking that you want to commit to practicing within these models of care, but don't think you know enough about them, I can teach you about each one. I do not expect you to go about this alone! That's the point of all of this: we will have each other to rely on.
Take time to deliberate on this commitment. By July 10, 2020, please decide whether you are open to these changes, if you need help committing to these changes, or if you would like to end our supervision. To help you make the decision, I will begin to intentionally integrate these practices into our supervision starting this week. Because I am a self-employed social worker, I'm my only oversight. However, you all are essentially the participatory task force of Guided Wanderings! Therefore, I ask you all to consider calling my attention to any adjustments, additions, subtractions, or language changes for these documents. This extra engagement is not required. Remember the words of James Baldwin: "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Take so much care of yourself,
Perri