The Art of ‘Sensitive’ Supervision: Supporting, Sharing and Strengthening

The dynamic nature of research processes can mean even researchers who are highly experienced may struggle to make the transition towards supporting students working on similar topics. In sensitive research, the emotional responses we bring to these areas, mean effective and safe supervision are essential for robust and effective doctoral level study. In this chapter, three experienced doctoral supervisors will share their personal experiences of supervising students across a range of sensitive subjects, from suicide attempts and self-harm, to end of life care. The focus of this work are firsthand, revealing reflections on the challenges of this type of supervision, including issues related to setting realistic expectations, re-traumatization, boundary maintenance and risk management in both students and participants. Throughout the chapter, we also provide practical suggestions that can guide academics embarking upon this type of work, or those who want to learn more about how to better support their students.