You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and attendance information is included below:  

Date:  September 17, 2025

Time:  1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (PT)

Defence mode:  Remote 

Virtual Attendance: via Zoom

Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences. 

To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: please ensure you are on time.  

Thesis/Dissertation entitled:   AN ANCHOR FOR NORTHERN PRACTICE: NOVICE COUNSELLORS’ EXPERIENCES OF SUPERVISION IN NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Abstract: 

Understanding the experiences of clinical supervision in northern British Columbia [BC] is still evolving. The current study used a qualitative exploratory approach to answer the research question: what are the experiences of novice counsellors receiving clinical supervision in northern BC? Two secondary research questions included: (a) How does the geographical and cultural dynamics in northern BC shape the supervisory experiences of novice counsellors? and (b) What specific supervisory practices are perceived as most effective in addressing the unique challenges faced by novice counsellors in northern BC? Six masters-level participants were recruited and engaged in semi-structured interviews. Using reflexive thematic analysis to analyze the data, four themes were generated. Themes included: Relational Safety as Foundational for Vulnerability and Growth, which underscores relational safety as a foundational element for counsellor growth and emotional buffering; Supervision as a Dialogical Process of CoConstructing Professional Identity, which highlights how counsellor identity growth is a generative process within the supervisory relationship; Contextual Realities in Northern Practice Shaping Supervision Access and Quality, which illustrates the northern contextual nuances and inequities that shape supervision; and Supervision as a Buffer from Professional Isolation and Burnout, which illuminates the protective and restorative effect supervision has on novice counsellors well-being and early-career sustainability. These findings support and contribute to the existing literature, emphasizing the importance of novice counsellors having a consistent and responsive clinical supervisory presence professionally, as a means to catalyze development and act as a buffer against burnout and professional isolation in complex northern contexts. Recommendations around organizational supervisory support structures are included.

Defence Committee:  

Chair: Dr. Tina Fraser, University of Northern British Columbia  

Supervisor: Dr. Linda O’Neill, University of Northern British Columbia  

Committee Member: Dr. John Sherry, University of Northern British Columbia  

Committee Member: Dr. Caroline Sanders, University of Northern British Columbia  

External Examiner: Dr. Susan Burke, University of Northern British Columbia