Areka D. Foster, in fulfilling the requirements for a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision at Antioch University’s Seattle campus, has written and published a dissertation titled “Exploring the Use of Somatic Skills and Techniques in Clinical Supervision.”
Foster examines how supervisors integrate somatically oriented practices in clinical supervision. Drawing on relational–cultural theory and polyvagal theory, and using grounded theory with thematic analysis of in-depth interviews, she proposes a framework for somatic supervision that is embodied, relational, trauma-informed, and socially conscious. Findings emphasize attunement—to self, supervisees, and the supervisory relationship—alongside culturally responsive application of somatic techniques and a social-justice lens. Participants describe addressing countertransference through embodied awareness, structuring sessions to incorporate somatic practices, and grounding their work in clear theoretical foundations. The study emphasizes the importance of supervisor competency development, ongoing professional development, and diligent gatekeeping to ensure ethical and trauma-informed supervision across various settings.
Foster is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor (LPCC-S), Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT), Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP). She serves as Clinical Director for the Counseling and Art Therapy Program at Ursuline College, maintains a private practice in Maumee, Ohio, focused on complex trauma, grief, and mood disorders, and is a founding board member of Good Grief of Northwest Ohio. Her advanced training includes EMDR, NARM, Crisis Stabilization and Safety Aid®, Instinctual Trauma Response, and Trauma-Focused CBT.
Read and download Foster’s dissertation, Exploring the Use of Somatic Skills and Techniques in Clinical Supervision, here.
