Certificate in Reflective Pastoral Supervision Skills for Groups in Clinical Settings
The course is designed to enable experienced chaplains to sharpen their skills in providing supervisory spaces for a range of groups within the hospital setting. Set in an atmosphere of spiritual attentiveness, the course will provide frameworks and tools to help chaplains contract for and lead a range of groups. Attention will be paid to establishing the benefits and limits of group reflective pastoral supervision in a clinical setting, establishing the frame, negotiating ways of working, group dynamics, methods of exploration and ensuring supervisory outcomes.
“It has given names to some of the things I do and demonstrated why things work – and why others things didn’t.”
“I got to experience it, partake, practice and feel what the theory looks like.”
Members of the Cambridge University Hospital Chaplaincy Team.
A creative and professional training for experienced supervisors who want to/already offer group supervision. Set in an atmosphere of prayer and discernment, the course builds on key theories of supervisory practice to focus on developing and facilitating reflective pastoral supervision groups for a variety of contexts. The content of the course draws on different modalities, models of participation and theories of group work. Attention will be paid to group formation, cohesion, intercultural and power dynamics. Participants will engage in group exercises, reflect on demonstrations in the light of the theories taught and practise leading groups.
The course leaders are Jane Leach and Bob Whorton.
Jane Leach is an APSE accredited senior supervisor and trainer. She was the founding chair of APSE and is the author of A Charge to Keep, and, with Michael Paterson, of Pastoral Supervision: A Handbook. She holds a diploma in creative supervision methods from the London Centre for Psychodrama. She is an ordained Methodist presbyter, serving as the Principal of Wesley House. She has more than 15 years experience of teaching reflective pastoral supervision and has developed training materials for use in Britain, the USA and Kenya. She researches and supervises academic research in this field.
Bob Whorton is a senior accredited supervisor and educator with APSE, and is a spiritual director. He holds a Diploma in Creative Supervision with the London Centre for Psychodrama. Bob has worked as a lead trainer with the Methodist Church’s ambitious Responsible Grace training programme in reflective supervision. After many years as a circuit presbyter in the Methodist Church he worked as a mental health chaplain and hospice chaplain. His published writings include Reflective Caring: Imaginative Listening to Pastoral Experience, SPCK, 2011.
Course details
- 5 intensive face to face days providing opportunities to engage in group supervision and to lead aspects of group process, practicing the range of tools, skills and approaches taught on the course.
- At least four hours of work with supervisory groups during the six months following the 5 intensive face to face days.
- Ongoing online supervision groups (four x 2 hours ) for reflection on practice, run by the course leaders. Participants will be required to bring contracts/covenants for work and process reports to the group to help reflect on the supervisory work they are doing.
- The course will be assessed by a portfolio that reflects on the practice of the group supervision being offered in the clinical setting.
- In total the course will provide 70 hours of continuing professional development
- 6 hours preparation (reading key text and preparing a case study)
- 35 hours classroom time
- 8 hours engagement for six months in supervision of supervision group led by course tutors
- 4 hours providing group supervision in a clinical setting over six months
- 17 hours portfolio preparation (log of supervision offered, contract for one piece of work, feedback from supervision group members; process report; 1000 word statement on the benefits and limits of reflective pastoral supervision in the participant’s clinical setting) analytical report
Course Dates in 2025
Intensive Days (in person at Wesley House)
26-30 May 2025
Supervision Groups will run online on Monday afternoons 2-4pm.
8 September, 6 October, 10 November, 8 December 2025
Portfolio Submissions
31 March 2026
Course Costs in 2025
£1,100 – this price includes teaching, assessment and supervision costs.
We may have self-catering accommodation available at Wesley House. Please email office@wesley.cam.ac.uk to check availability and rates.
To apply
Please email office@wesley.cam.ac.uk by 31st January 2025 to arrange an online interview. The interview will cover:
- Your reasons for wanting to undertake this training
- Your experience in groups (as a leader/member)
- The requirements of the course in terms of time and the kind of engagement needed
- The transferable skills and dispositions that are required for admission
- The kind of group you intend to lead for the six months following the taught component.
- How you will fund the course costs
