Overwhelm. Vulnerability. Even desperation. When these currents start to run through us, we seek quick solutions to feel better, something to make us feel safe.
Right now, the world is a pretty uncertain place. Everyone is feeling the pressure and neurobiologically, this influences our perceptions and our behaviour. Suddenly it seems that everyone knows more than you do, that you will never know enough, and that you cannot feel professionally valid until you know it all, even though the rational part of your brain knows that this is impossible. You find yourself consuming content in every direction, but it isn’t translating meaningfully in the clinic. (I know – I got swept into this myself. It is so easy to drown in it when life pressures are sapping your resilience and confidence; that anguished moment when you suddenly feel that after all these years of practice, you know nothing and you have to fix it now.)
At the same time, economic pressure drives a desire to look for cheap solutions, picking up snippets to try to tie into your existing practice, flitting in every direction to keep your boat afloat by attempting to patch up the gaps the latest twitter topic has revealed. When you don’t feel that much more confident as a result, you repeat the process until it ends up costing you more in the long run.
Professional development is evolving, and a progressive sector of clinicians is recognising that they want more from their CPD than content snacks on a traditional weekend course. They have identified that they have different needs and expectations than they once did. They want to transform how they feel about their practice, and how they feel about themselves in practice. They want to expand the range of patients that they can powerfully impact with confidence, and to navigate the changing clinical landscape with greater assurance and agility.
In the post covid experience, they are recognising that there is value in depth, a steadier, systematic process of exploration that builds on their existing skills and elevates them to another level. Along with depth is support, the opportunity to bring both the successful and the perplexing back for discussion, rather than trying alone, failing, muddling on and often ditching techniques which may have been fruitful if examined together with a mentor. If more of what you learn is absorbed and directly applicable, the cost effectiveness rises steeply.
Right now, whatever choices you make in CPD, realise that stress can drive you into false economy. You only have so much time and money to put towards your professional development. Decide not from anxiety, but based on who and how you want to be as a practitioner, and what your vision for your practice is. It might be that light and broad serves you where you are right now, but equally, you might realise that a deeper, more immersive and supported experience is what will allow you to flourish. Invest wisely, by deciding on the track that will help you to create a practice that is sustainable, rewarding and inspiring.
If you are that clinician who wants more from your CPD, join us on a JEMS® Movement ART Mentored Learning Programme.
Click here to be informed of dates and events, or here to find out more.
Our participants describe it best:
“This course has totally enhanced the way I assess and treat patients and made me love my job again. I have done many courses in my time but this is by far one of the best I have ever undertaken (on any topic). The change in the results I am getting is staggering. Thank you.”
“Now that I feel that I have “the whole” picture” I can treat my patient on another, more sustainable, level of rehabilitation.”
“I have changed enormously as a Practitioner during the course of my JEMS® journey. I am much more focused on what I am looking for, my clinical reasoning and attention to detail.”
“I feel tremendously supported and it has changed and enhanced my whole practice.”