Reflective supervision involves regular meetings between individuals or groups and a reflective supervisor, who facilitates thoughtful discussion focused on the emotional content of work in the infant-family field. 

 

This specialized supervision goes beyond clinical or administrative supervision, to include shared exploration of the parallel process. Exploring the process as it relates to all relationships is critical as each of these relationships affects the others:

• Between practitioner and parent

• Between parent and infant/toddler

• Between practitioner and supervisor
   

Of additional importance, by focusing on the emotional content of the work and how reactions to the content affect the work, reflective supervision enhances professional and personal development within one’s discipline. 

 

Finally, there is often greater emphasis on the supervisor’s ability to listen and wait, allowing the supervisee to discover solutions, concepts, and perceptions on their own without interruption from the supervisor.