IJSP Number 8, 2026

International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy, Number 8, 2026 Page | 104 EYE 6 SUPERVISOR’S COUNTERTRANSFERENCE The yellow towel was not easy to work with, in the same way that the group my supervisee presented wasn’t easy to work with. I struggled in watching Maryna, while setting up, just as she struggled to hold her support group on her own. The sensations in my body helped me to locate and track the level of anxiety present. These felt sensations enabled me to respond, to pause and find time to co-regulate. When I first noticed the angel, my attention wasn’t focused on the angel; I saw an angry monster instead. Then, as I adjusted my vision, I saw the angel. Seeing a monster initially in the form of the support workers gave me a chance to experience something horrific that was being enacted and presented in supervision. In my countertransference, an Eye 6 focus took me to the other darker side of the angels/support group workers. The monster represented my own countertransference feelings and that of the fear that the support workers were experiencing. Their trauma and coping mechanisms, presented as drunken behavior and lack of sleep, enabled me to feel what Maryna touched and embodied at the start of the creative action method. I could also imagine how the sensation of blowing soap bubbles could make one feel that things disappear like magic. The bubbles provoked feelings of dissociation but also dream-like sensations in me: opposites reflected in the angel and monster. FINAL REFLECTIONS ON MARYNA’S SMALL WORLD Once the creative method of the Small World was fully explored, Maryna cleared away the objects to make time for self- reflection. We discussed the importance of self- care, where insights are shared and reflected. The Double Matrix offers a framework to arrive with my supervisee at her destination. Working through the process step-by-step is like going through the liminal space and seeing the situation in a new and different light. Why was it difficult to hold the group? On the one hand, there was a realization that it was too much to hold all these emotions - especially alone. Holding the emotions of the support workers must have touched deep fear in Maryna. There are limitations to what can be held at one time, especially in war. Processing in action with each small prop gave Maryna the time she needed to reflect. When Maryna placed her finger in the direction of the candle, she was reflecting in action. Her body realized that -- simply by showing up -- she offers this group hope and support, and this in itself is enough. This type of creative supervision offers an effective aspect of personal resourcing and support that has been acknowledged by the supervisee subsequently in moments of collaboration. Staying relevant to the question while using the methods purposefully can help create a mutual mental space of ease and transformation [6, 7, 10]. While offering Maryna a chance to reflect in action (RIA), she was able to tune into her embodied response. The dialogue between us enabled me to offer reflection and support her process step-by-step and enable creative resonance with the Small World technique. The action point for Maryna was symbolized by the candle, where simply showing up offers support and hope. In Man’s Search for Meaning , Frankl describes hope as a fundamental instrument of survival for concentration camp inmates during the Second World War [32]. The stone can be seen to hold somatic resonance for Maryna - of frozen fear and the difficulties of communicating her emotions. Maryna offers warmth, support and light and this knowledge gives her a renewed sense of optimism that restores her vitality.