Magda Lorynska on how to be the best therapist you can be

wHAt DoES cPD MEAn to yoU?

Heidi Hinton, FHT Education Executive, explains why CPD has to be more than just ticking the boxes…

CONTINUING professional development is a way of ensuring that you are reaching your full potential, not only within your therapy practice, but in your personal development, too. It is there to help you stay focused on your career progression, to keep your skills and knowledge up to date, and ensure that you are practicing safely at all stages of your career.

KEEPING UP WITH CURRENT PRACTICES

Professional therapists complete CPD to ensure that they are up to date with current practices within their therapy and the industry as a whole. This year has taught us that ways of working can change quickly. As new research and findings are constantly occurring, this may mean that elements of what you were taught within your qualification may have had some changes since. By completing your yearly CPD, you are regularly keeping in touch with your industry and modality.

FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Face-to-face training courses are invaluable for acquiring new skills and also a great way to meet new therapists and broaden your horizons. Who knows which doors your newly learnt knowledge or latest network will open? A new course that is slightly out of your comfort zone could give you that inspiration to take your therapy practice to the next level. If you never try, then you never know!

KEEPING THE ‘BASICS’ REFRESHED

Online CPD courses ensure you keep your basic therapy knowledge refreshed so that you can give the best service and care to your clients. After years of practical experience and work within a therapy setting, topics such as anatomy and physiology or health and safety may take on a new meaning to you. Your business and marketing skills can always be developed and worked on, and with the social media world constantly changing and evolving, there is always a new tool or trick to help you reach out to your clients. Online training courses, webinars and tutorials will do the trick.

ADDING TO YOUR TREATMENT OFFERING

By completing hands-on training courses, you are continually adding to your skillset and therapy toolkit. Existing clients may benefit from new treatments and experiences and you find yourself with a whole set of additional clients too. In our exciting and ever-evolving industry, there are always new skills being added to the mix. Make sure you keep an eye on what is out there to get involved in what is new. Building your therapy toolkit will benefit your practice, enhance your knowledge and help you to continue to reach your full potential.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO STEP BACK AND REFLECT

CPD allows a therapist time to step back, reflect and progress. Reflect on what you feel you have done well, what could have gone better and your plans for the future, whether that is in your business or through further training. While you’re in the thick of your day-to-day practice, it can sometimes be hard to work out what your next development step should be, if you get the chance. So, take a step back, breathe and focus on your next goal. n

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HEIDI HINTON heads up FHT’s education programme and CPD. The FHT offers a range of membership benefits to holistic therapists and runs the largest independently Accredited Register for complementary healthcare therapists. For more information visit www.fht.org.uk.