Autobiographical Inquiry in Reflective Practice and Coach Supervision—An Adult Developmental Perspective

Autobiographical inquiry occupies a delicate position within coach supervision. While personal history shapes professional identity and meaning-making, direct engagement with it may risk crossing into therapeutic territory. This conceptual article explores how autobiographical inquiry can function as a developmental practice when held within a threshold-based framework. Drawing on adult developmental theory, we propose that coach supervision can support adult development (vertical growth) by helping practitioners relate differently to their narratives rather than analyze them. Reflective and somatic practices provide ethical containment and support readiness, enabling supervisees to reinterpret experience and expand meaning-making capacity within coach supervision. Implications for coach supervision practice Work at the threshold: Approach autobiographical material gradually, ensuring psychological safety and clear contracting before deeper exploration. Explore the internal space (three houses, internal landscapes) deliberately: Support supervisees in shifting between self, task, and organizational perspectives to expand meaning-making flexibility. Foster vertical movement and development, not analysis or diagnosis: Focus on how supervisees relate to their narratives rather than interpreting or resolving past events.