Balanserandets konst : Om handledning till yrkesverksamma och om handledaren som trygghetsskapare och utmanare

Sammanfattning: This master´s thesis has the form of a scientific essay. Its purpose is to explore how supervisors, in supervising professionals, balance between creating security and building relationship as opposed to challenging participants by introducing unexpected elements. The purpose is also to investigate whether philosophical theories can constitute impulses and unexpected elements for reflection on the supervisor's balancing act. The essay raises the question whether philosophical theories in the same manner can constitute impulses and unexpected elements in reflection on theories and practice in supervision. Experiences and conversations constitute the empirical material of the study. Certain themes have crystallized on those basis. These themes are discussed in relation to theories in supervision and to philosophical theories. The essay has highlighted the importance of the practical knowledge that supervisors use in the balancing act. The body and its signals and memory seems to play an important role for the interpersonal contact, as well as for the conversation and for the listening. The essay also shows that the supervisor's balancing act means more complexity than the balance between security and challenge.