Christine Key

I started my hypnotherapy practice more than 29 years ago at the beginning of 1990, well before the days of NCH. I joined the professional body available at the time, the National Council of Psychotherapists (Hypnotherapy Register), and in due course trained with them to become a supervisor. Meanwhile the register evolved into the NCH and in 2001 began offering supervisor training, and I was an early and enthusiastic student. That is how I came to have a wide and varied range of supervisees from NCP and NCH with a number of different approaches. I offer face-to-face, telephone and Skype meetings, and I find supervision stimulating and satisfying - one of the best parts of my work. Supervision is a partnership, offering support andencouragement, new insights and sometimes challenges, to therapists at all levels who are often isolated sole practitioners. As a supervisor I work broadly with the seven-eyed model (Inskip and Proctor) paying attention to the client; the interventions; the therapist- client relationship; the therapist him/herself; the supervisor/supervisee relationship; my own reactions as a supervisor; and, as relevant, the wider context - social, cultural or organisational. Often talking about a difficult or puzzling case with another professional brings its own enlightenment; or a few probing questions can set off a new train of thought. A therapist can feel validated in the approach taken, or encouraged to try another technique. Self care is important for therapists, and the supervisor will be sensitive to stresses which the therapist may not be entirely aware of in the client-therapist relationship, or in their own circumstances. Even more than in my own client sessions, I never know what a supervision session will present me with, and I enjoy the challenge! In my own practice I use a number of different approaches, as I have trained in psychodynamic hypnotherapy, EFT and EMDR, have a Master Practitioner Certificate in NLP, and a certificate in Person-Centred Counselling. Often my sessions will combine several approaches. My clients’ issues are so varied that I prefer to think of myself as a generalist, though I do have specialised training and experience in helping survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and have been able to guide supervisees when this issue has come up in the course of their work with a client.