Never Forget The Importance of CPD
As 2018 is coming to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to remind my colleagues of the importance of continuing professional development (CPD). Whilst a practitioner’s initial training and qualifications are importance, but this is only a beginning to gaining knowledge. For a practitioner to remain “safe” he or she should undertake regular continuing professional development throughout their career.
As an example, the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) require practitioners to undertake a variety of CPD over a 5 yearly period of time of 250 hours. This represents 50 hours of CPD per year. This need not only be about attending courses, though this is the most common form of CPD. It can include a certain proportion of a clinician’s supervision, plus article or book writing, teaching and yes even reading and keeping up to do date with current research trends in the profession.
I can recall many years ago asking a “practitioner” at an event what sort of CPD would he like to see put on (at the time I was Chair of the National Council for Hypnotherapy), he said there was nothing that he could be taught so CPD was a waste of time. The answer both shocked me yet it did not surprise me. There are still far too many arrogant practitioners out there who believe that they know everything and there is nothing to learn. All I can say is that as of January, I will have been in practice for 30 years, and I still actively and enthusiastically embrace CPD. It is my way of guarenteeing I do not become stale and ineffective as a practitioner.
