The Thinker: March 2025
A reflection on reflection
We’ve noticed that “reflective practice” is often assumed to mean the act of participating in facilitated reflective groups. Whilst it is true that reflective groups come under the reflective practice umbrella, in reality, they are a reflective activity. Let’s be clear – facilitated reflective groups are not the only way to engage in reflective practice!
“Ideally, reflective activities lead to reflective practice, resulting in improved…work and better outcomes for those served.” (Brandt, K. 2014)
Reflective activities can be undertaken individually, in the supervisory/one-on-one relationship, and in group contexts. These activities usually occur outside of the direct client/stakeholder contact, helping us to either prepare for those contacts (reflection for practice), or review and learn from them (reflection on practice).
Reflective practice occurs when we are thoughtful in the moment as we do our work – responding rather than reacting, being aware of our emotions and our physical state and not letting them determine our actions. This is reflection-in-practice. Reflective practice might include making in-the-moment links between what is happening, and what our particular practice frameworks tell us, or identifying challenging dynamics as they are occurring and overting and/or diverting from them.
Reflective practice is particularly critical when working in high demand roles, with stressed service users and within stressed systems. We know that chronic and high levels of stress reduce our capacity to think in complex ways and consider multiple perspectives, and can make us prone to emotional reactivity (particularly when working with populations who have experienced trauma). None of which are helpful to our service users.
Being a reflective practitioner is a developmental process – it takes practice! The best way to develop into a reflective practitioner is to engage in regular, predictable, moderate and enjoyable ‘doses’ of reflection. That’s the way neural networks grow and strengthen – through brief, frequent, repeated experience. So while a monthly, hour-long group reflection is definitely beneficial, reflective skills will develop more rapidly and be “wired” into our practice if we flex that reflective muscle day to day. A five-minute pause to think about how you want to “be” during the upcoming meeting; a 15-minute journalling session scheduled at the end of each workday; quarantining 20 minutes in each supervision session for reflection guided by your supervisor; a debrief with a colleague in which you ask them to be a critical friend…all these small ‘doses’ over time build the skill of reflection efficiently, enhancing the impact of the monthly reflective group.
Brandt, K. in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health : Core Concepts and Clinical Practice, edited by Kristie Brandt, et al., American Psychiatric Publishing, 2014 p.294
Think Reflective Practices
We have a carefully considered range of training packages that support organisations and practitioners to develop their reflective practice skills within a trauma-responsive approach. Our three core packages are:
- Transforming practice through reflection (3 hours) - targeting practitioners and supervisors
- Implementing a reflective workplace culture (3 hours) - targeting supervisors, managers and organisational leaders
- Facilitating reflective practice groups (1 day) - for professionals who facilitate group reflection.
Each package includes a fabulous range of tools to enable participants to take the learning and integrate it immediately into their practice. Get in touch with us to find out how we can support the reflective capacity of your service:
Free ThinkWell webinar
Take a look at our free, 30 minute webinar, presented by Clare last year, What are reflective practices, and why do they matter?.
The Brain Building Bit
Victoria’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Centre for Workforce Excellence has produced some excellent resources for practitioners and supervisors, providing concrete, practical guidance and tips to build positive supervisory relationships and workplace cultures where supervision and reflection are valued.
Best practice supervision guidelines: Family violence, sexual assault and child wellbeing
Alongside the downloadable guidelines, they have produced a series of videos with accompanying discussion guides: