IJSP Number 8, 2026

International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy, Number 8, 2026 Page | 107 work is legitimate [28]. We discuss how accounts of the past or descriptions of flashbacks are not in a client’s best interest. The question Anna raised is “how do I let out the air, while slowly reaching his core”? She then explained how psychologists and psychiatrists can medicate patients under hospital conditions (the soldier has a previous history of hospitalisation within mental health facilities). The context in which she is working does not allow for the possibility of dealing with his anger, his trauma and emotions in this way. I also have to remind myself that this is a wartime context where helping professionals are working at their maximum under extremely difficult situations. While there is a lot of despair for the soldier, there is also hope -- as his wife is expecting their first child. We bring this news into the equation. Although the prospect of being a father is what keeps the soldier going, Anna feels he has a long way to go before he is able to accept his emotion. FRAMEWORK FOR THE EMBODIED REFLECTIVE NARRATIVE (FERN) AS A CREATIVE EMBODIED METHOD FERN is a creative method developed by Butté, a dance movement psychotherapist and creative supervisor [8]. It offers a framework for the embodied reflective narrative. The method is laid out in space using ribbons, scarves or anything at hand such as felt-tip pens. FERN offers space to embody and reflect leaving somatic resonance for the supervisee to experience. I suggest FERN as our creative method. Anna was familiar with FERN and agreed that the method might help her see the way forward. I am conscious that this method will raise an array of strong emotions, yet I know the supervisee has the capacity to explore and the experience to reflect. Anna and I like to use this method because it enables her to step into the knowing body and reflect from a somatic perspective. A dialogue enables us to work together feeling and sensing into the supervision enquiry. The set-up is described below. Figure 3. Example of FERN The space is divided in two parts: a - An inner circle with three spaces: a1 - Self (can be aspect of client, other or self). a2 - Relationship. a3 - Bigger Picture. b - The outer circle is the Observer/Witness zone.