What have I learned from others?

I started listening as a pastoral supervisor last January. I joined a class of fellow learners, some from the UK, and others from Australia. I was challenged to think about creative methods to enhance the session.

Think about it, people need to be relaxed and open up. Some people use very creative measures, such as clay, music, silence, photography, or even cloth. I have used poetry.

The teacher of the course is a lady called Liz Crumlish. Amongst other things, Liz Crumlish is a Scottish poet known for her reflective, emotionally resonant poetry that often explores themes of faith, spirituality, and the human experience.

Follow the leader, she has more experience than you.

One of her well-known poems is "The Naming of Things," which could be particularly helpful in a cross-professional pastoral supervision setting. This poem explores the power of naming things—acknowledging emotions, situations, or experiences—so that they can be understood, accepted, and transformed. It encourages the process of recognizing what is difficult to name, whether it's a particular pain, confusion, or identity, and allowing that recognition to bring clarity and healing.

I was personally struck by one line in the poem: I am learning the language of pain, and the names of the things that have held me fast in their grip, until now.

As someone who has recovered from self-inflicted pain, and listen to others who try and navigate their own pain I have found this poem very useful.

Let me tell you why. One of the key challenges a supervisee might face in cross-professional pastoral supervision is confronting emotions or issues they may not have fully articulated or even acknowledged. The poem’s focus on "naming the things" that hold us back or cause discomfort speaks directly to the process of recognizing difficult emotions, doubts, or challenges in the pastoral context.

If you find yourself in this situation. Perhaps you may want to use this method of poetry. To engage the person, and help the person.