Specialist CBT group supervision for reflective practice
Amandeep Soomal reflects on how structured group supervision can support CBT practitioners working with complexity, formulation, and clinical judgement.
In my clinical and supervisory work, I have seen how ongoing supervision supports cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) practice, particularly when clinicians work with complexity in presentation, context, or service setting.
The role of ongoing supervision in CBT practice
CBT is a well-established, evidence-informed psychological approach. In practice, however, applying CBT is not always straightforward. Clinicians often need to work carefully with uncertainty, formulation, complexity, and professional judgement.
In my experience, a common challenge is the gap between:
- learning CBT models and techniques in training
- applying these approaches in live clinical work
This gap is not necessarily about learning new techniques. Often, clinicians need to strengthen confidence in applying core CBT principles flexibly, thoughtfully, and within professional boundaries.
Supervision can support this process by providing a structured space to reflect on clinical work, revisit formulation, and consider different ways of thinking about practice.
Designing the specialist CBT group supervision programme
The programme has been developed in response to recurring themes observed across clinical practice, supervision, and service delivery.
A central consideration in the design has been the value of group-based supervision, where clinicians can:
- reflect on their own practice
- learn from the perspectives of others
- consider how similar challenges are approached across different roles and settings
It is structured over four months to provide:
- continuity
- time for reflection between sessions
- opportunities to revisit key themes over time
- bring disorder-specific cases for discussion with subject-matter experts
The focus is not on delivering new training content. It is on supporting participants to engage more deeply with:
- formulation
- reflective practice
- clinical decision-making in context
Supervision in the context of CBT practice
CBT is grounded in models that describe the interaction between thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical responses. These models provide a structured framework, but clinicians need to interpret and adapt them in practice.
Supervision can provide a space to:
- revisit and refine formulations
- reflect on therapeutic processes
- think carefully about both structure and flexibility in CBT work
It is important to recognise that supervision does not provide definitive answers. Its purpose is to support clinicians in thinking through clinical material, developing their reasoning, and working within uncertainty.
Supporting reflective practice in complex work
A recurring theme in clinical work is the need to respond thoughtfully to complexity, whether this relates to comorbidity, risk, engagement, or systemic factors.
The programme organises groups around different clinical areas, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, anxiety and perinatal mental health, so clinicians can reflect on practice that is relevant to their current work.
The intention of this programme is to create a structured environment where clinicians can:
- reflect on these challenges
- explore different perspectives
- strengthen confidence in their clinical judgement
This reflects a broader view of reflective practice as an ongoing professional activity rather than a time-limited intervention.
What I hope participants take away
My hope is that participants experience the programme as a supportive and structured space for reflection on their clinical work.
The learning aims are to support:
- greater confidence in applying CBT principles
- increased comfort with complexity and uncertainty
- continued development of formulation-led thinking
Governance and scope
This programme is delivered within the clinical governance framework of the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (OCTC), part of the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Find out about specialist group supervision
Register interest in specialist CBT group supervision
About the presenter
Amandeep Soomal is a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist at Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (OCTC), part of the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. Her work includes cognitive behavioural therapy, supervision, and supporting clinicians in applying CBT in complex clinical contexts. Presenter profile coming soon.
Editorial note
Clinical review: Amandeep Soomal, Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist
Editorial development and publication: Maria Brunsden, Marketing Communications Lead, Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (OCTC) / Oxford Centre for Psychological Health (OCPH)
