Professional Supervision & Coaching

Professional supervision means that not one but two people are focused on the same problem. Even the most experienced rabbis and cantors cannot anticipate what to do in all circumstances. Clergy quickly become the object of the fantasies and feelings of each and every congregant, client, patient, board member, or other constituent. For some, the rabbi is the parent they never had; for others, the cantor is the parent with whom they are still struggling for resolution. How can anyone be prepared to deal with personalities of such great variety and, often, difficulty? 

Both individual and group supervision provide an opportunity to process the daily challenges of the rabbinate and cantorate. Talking in a safe environment, on a regularly scheduled basis, offers a way to head off predictable problems, and to feel more competent to deal with what's unpredictable. The process increases self-awareness and emotional flexibility while mitigating the sense of isolation that can come with being a member of the clergy. The goal of supervision is to enable rabbis and cantors to feel comfortable and satisfied with their work while trying to maintain the ever elusive work-life balance.

Both group and individual supervision offer a form of self-care for clergy, whose focus is usually on care for others.