IJSP Number 8, 2026

International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy, Number 8, 2026 Page | 99 Because trauma is felt and experienced on a physical level, dance movement therapy has naturally led me to approach reflective processing on a somatic level. Empathic attuning has also been a valuable measure to understand the fear, anxiety and a freeze-or- flight fight mode that may creep into supervision opening up to vulnerability. Trauma is felt first and foremost on a body level [24, 25, 26, 27, 28]. Holding the space with trust, care, dignity and support has been an important element in my work. Inviting supervisees to connect to their senses and emotions and in establishing feelings of safety, grounding based on breathing and body awareness is a starting point to open up the online supervision session. Once safety and self-regulation have been established, we might progress into a movement exploration to tune into what is being invited or stirred in supervision. We can then ask supervisees what it is that they want to explore. 2.3. EMOTIONAL REGULATION: POLYVAGAL THEORY AND OTHER REGULATION THEORIES TO CO-REGULATE IN SUPERVISION The shift from in-person to online supervision has grown since the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that somatic and creative approaches should take into consideration that in the virtual space we have to an overcome the limitations of the screen and adapt to altered working conditions. Creative methods enable supervisors to work with a wide range of theoretical orientations. Like many professionals working in the helping fields, I have drawn on Stephen Porge’s polyvagal theory for safety and connection [26], [27], which enables us to connect via a central vagal space. Neuroception is a term used to describe the capacity to evaluate relative danger and safety in one’s environment. The autonomic nervous system regulates three fundamental physiological states: social engagement, fight or flight, or freeze/collapse [24, 25, 26, 27, 28]. The hypothalamus receives messages from the pituitary adrenal glands to evoke fight, flight or freeze responses. This increases cortisol and adrenaline levels, leading to rapid heart rate. Sweating, changes in facial color and changes in voice are indicators of sympathetic states that vary in intensity. These visual physiological cues can be subtle and more difficult to spot on a screen. Trauma is primarily a body experience. It can be present in many different ways: disassociation, anxiety attacks, nightmares, depression, isolation, insomnia and shame. It can lead to addictions. Trauma theory has become widely understood and supported by experts in the field [24, 25, 26, 27, 28]. Adopting a trauma-informed approach is essential while working with complex vulnerability. Emotional regulation refers to the emotions that are felt, experienced and expressed. Supervision is more likely to have a positive outcome when there is a co-regulation between supervisor and supervisee [12]. We are told by Porges that growth and restoration are possible: “The body will reorganise when it feels safe” [27, p.7]. Supervision has to create safety and connection before we can embark on pragmatism, reflection and imagination [27]. 2.4. CREATING A SAFE SPACE: SUPERVISION AND ATTACHMENT THEORY We can also view supervision through the wider lens of attachment theory. Bowlby defines attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings [29, p.194]. How is such connectedness achieved? The ability to understand the mind of another depends mainly on the development of the reflective function [7]. We optimise the latter