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Areka Foster, PhD, is a 2025 graduate of the PhD program in Counselor Education & Supervision at Antioch University, Seattle.

Dissertation Committee:

Stephanie Thorson-Olesen, PhD, Committee Chair

Keiko Sano, PhD, Committee Member

Angela Mensink, EdD, Committee Member

Keywords

clinical supervision, somatic supervision, trauma informed, cultural responsiveness, countertransference, somatic, grounded theory, thematic analysis

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of clinical supervisors who engage in somatically oriented supervision. Informed by relational-cultural theory and polyvagal theory, the research employs a grounded theory methodology to investigate the potential development of a somatic supervision framework. Eleven participants completed semi-structured interviews and data were analyzed using both thematic analysis and grounded theory techniques. Eleven core themes emerged: (a) conceptualizations of somatic supervision, (b) integration of somatic techniques in supervisory practice, (c) theoretical foundations for somatic supervision, (d) attunement to countertransference, (e) the supervisory relationship, (f) trauma-informed approaches, (g) somatic techniques and practices, (h) initiating and structuring somatic supervision, (i) ethical and gatekeeping considerations, (j) supervisor development and competency, and (k) cultural responsiveness and social justice orientation. Findings contribute to the development of a grounded theory of somatic supervision and highlight its potential as an embodied, relational, and socially conscious supervisory model. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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Areka Foster, PhD, 2025

ORCID Scholar No. 0009-0006-4221-4236

Areka D. Foster, PhD, LPCC-S, ATR-BC, SEP, has over 25 years of experience as a professional counselor. She is a licensed and board-certified art therapist in the state of Ohio. She completed a B.S. in Art Therapy, an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from Bowling Green State University, an M.A. in Art Therapy and Counseling from Ursuline College, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Antioch University. Areka is the Clinical Director for the Counseling and Art Therapy Program at Ursuline College. She has a small private practice in Maumee, Ohio, specializing in complex trauma, grief, and mood disorders. She is a founding board member of Good Grief of Northwest Ohio, a grief support agency for children and their families. Areka has advanced training in EMDR, NARM, Crisis Stabilization and Safety Aid®, Instinctual Trauma Response, and Trauma-Focused CBT and holds certification in Somatic Experiencing®.

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