Remember when supervision used to mean driving across town, finding parking, and squeezing into a meeting room? Those logistics could easily eat up an extra hour or two of your day. With remote supervision, all that time gets handed back to you. Whether you’re a student therapist trying to fit supervision around your coursework and practicum hours, or a seasoned professional juggling a full caseload and personal commitments, that extra time makes a world of difference. You can be sitting in your living room or a quiet space at your office, connecting with your supervisor via Zoom or another platform, and once the session’s done, you’re back to your life with zero commute involved.
Not only does remote supervision save time, but it also offers flexibility that can help you maintain a healthier balance between work and everything else. It’s a lot easier to schedule supervision when you’re not limited by geography. Your supervisor could be across town or even in a different city, and it doesn’t matter. What this means is that you’re more likely to find times that work for both of you, whether that’s early in the morning, over lunch, or even in the evening, depending on your preferences. You get to choose a supervision schedule that fits into your life, instead of having to rearrange your life around supervision.
There’s also something to be said about the comfort of remote supervision. It sounds simple, but being able to have these sessions in a space where you feel comfortable—whether that’s your office, your home, or even a cozy café—can actually enhance the supervision experience. When you’re relaxed and in your own environment, you’re likely to feel more at ease, which means you can engage more deeply in the reflective work that supervision requires. You don’t have to deal with the stress of rushing around or being in an unfamiliar setting; you can show up as your authentic self, ready to focus.
For student therapists, remote supervision can be a real lifesaver. When you’re in the thick of juggling classes, practicum hours, part-time jobs, and maybe even a social life, the ability to fit supervision into your schedule without having to physically travel anywhere is a massive relief. It allows you to spend more time on what matters—your learning, your clients, and yes, your own self-care. Remote supervision means that instead of feeling like another thing to squeeze into your already busy day, it becomes an integrated part of your routine that works with your life, not against it.
The same goes for qualified therapists who are already established in their careers. If you’ve got a full caseload or a private practice, you know how precious your time is. Remote supervision allows you to maintain that essential professional support without having to sacrifice chunks of your day to travel. And let’s not forget about those days when life feels a little overwhelming—whether it’s because you’ve got personal commitments or you’re simply feeling drained. On those days, the thought of commuting to supervision might feel like a lot. But with remote supervision, you can take those meetings from the comfort of home, in your favourite chair, with a cup of tea in hand. It’s the same high-quality support, just with less hassle.
Another benefit is the access to a wider range of supervisors. Because you’re not limited to your immediate area, you can find someone who really fits your needs, whether that’s someone who specializes in a certain therapeutic approach or someone whose supervisory style resonates with you. That means you get the best possible support for your development, without having to compromise based on location. It’s all about creating the conditions for you to thrive as a therapist while keeping your life balanced and manageable.
Remote supervision also has a way of normalizing the balance we’re all striving for. There’s something about integrating technology into our professional lives that subtly reinforces the idea that it’s okay to use tools that make life easier. We don’t have to martyr ourselves to the work, sacrificing our time, energy, and personal lives just to meet professional demands. Remote supervision allows us to keep doing the deep, reflective work that supervision provides, while also giving us more space for the other parts of our lives that matter.
So, whether you’re just starting out as a student therapist or you’ve been practicing for years, remote supervision offers a flexible, convenient way to stay connected to your professional growth without tipping your life out of balance. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and giving yourself permission to find ease where you can. Because at the end of the day, the better balance you have, the better therapist you can be—for your clients, and for yourself.