Continuous personal development or CPD may sound to some like a chore, or to others like the biggest reason to be in practice at all.
The EFTMRA Code of Ethics and Practice says this about CPD and Supervision in Section G:
The EFTMRA Code of Ethics and Practice says this about CPD and Supervision in Section G:
Practitioners are expected to maintain or improve their level of skills and professional competence in accordance with the requirements laid down by EFTMRA."
That's all. Just that you have to do it.
Certainly when you first train, weekly swap sessions are strongly recommended and that on its own would rack up 52 hours of work if you do it consistently over the year, or 26 if you discount the times when you take the role of client. I've been unable to find the EFTMRA actually stipulating a minimum number of hours of CPD per year but looking at other organisations the average seems to be 20 to 35 hours, so for easy maths let's say your total combined:
There are so many ways, above, to improve your skills and keep developing as a practitioner, that this might start to look like an awful lot of work and dedication. However, 36 hours over 12 months is only 3 hours (180 minutes) per month, which equates to roughly six minutes per day, hardly time to do two rounds of self tapping while the kettle boils in the morning. Obviously a record of your CPD would look a little more dedicated if you spent the time in larger chunks less often, say 40 to 45 minutes per week, which is actually the same thing.
I know that the amazing Ted Wilmont won't mind me repeating one of his top tips: Make yourself your first client.
Before you take clients, before you even calculate what time you have available to clients, I suggest you double up on CPD hours and commit between 90 minutes to 2 hours every week; 1 hour for a regular swap session and the rest partly for learning in any form, with 10 or 15 minutes scheduled for filling your CPD record.
Have a record sheet. Fill it. Make it a habit. Its not just that any insurers and governing bodies generally require CPD and may one day also require proof. I now wish I had kept a log of my CPD consistently over the last decade because I sometimes surprise myself with what I know but can't recall where I got the information from. It is also a discipline and a routine and educates your mind into recognising that you really are in business.
Certainly when you first train, weekly swap sessions are strongly recommended and that on its own would rack up 52 hours of work if you do it consistently over the year, or 26 if you discount the times when you take the role of client. I've been unable to find the EFTMRA actually stipulating a minimum number of hours of CPD per year but looking at other organisations the average seems to be 20 to 35 hours, so for easy maths let's say your total combined:
- swap sessions
- mentoring (including asking questions in a relevant professional group online)
- supervision
- self work accompanied with reflective journalling
- supplementary or complementary training in other modalities
- private study (reading books, podcasts)
There are so many ways, above, to improve your skills and keep developing as a practitioner, that this might start to look like an awful lot of work and dedication. However, 36 hours over 12 months is only 3 hours (180 minutes) per month, which equates to roughly six minutes per day, hardly time to do two rounds of self tapping while the kettle boils in the morning. Obviously a record of your CPD would look a little more dedicated if you spent the time in larger chunks less often, say 40 to 45 minutes per week, which is actually the same thing.
I know that the amazing Ted Wilmont won't mind me repeating one of his top tips: Make yourself your first client.
Before you take clients, before you even calculate what time you have available to clients, I suggest you double up on CPD hours and commit between 90 minutes to 2 hours every week; 1 hour for a regular swap session and the rest partly for learning in any form, with 10 or 15 minutes scheduled for filling your CPD record.
Have a record sheet. Fill it. Make it a habit. Its not just that any insurers and governing bodies generally require CPD and may one day also require proof. I now wish I had kept a log of my CPD consistently over the last decade because I sometimes surprise myself with what I know but can't recall where I got the information from. It is also a discipline and a routine and educates your mind into recognising that you really are in business.