CPD and Deliberate Practice

I am quoted in the attached feature article from the current edition of the UKCP journal NEW Psychotherapist by Emma Ledger (see attachment below) about new beginnings and specifically using choice of continuing professional development (CPD) courses to support the principles of Deliberate Practice. The concept of Deliberate Practice says that the best performing therapists are the ones who are dedicating time in their week to reaching for objectives and performance improvement which might be just above their current abilities. Practicing in this way helps counter the risks associated with becoming autonomised and confident, when control over that behaviour is lost.

So often therapists concentrate on theory, modality, or combining some new, seemingly ‘sexy’, approach into their practice with their choice of CPD courses. Just look at the plethora of course titles that are advertised in the trade press, whether its about intersectionality issues, or some reconfigured ‘new’ approach embracing neuro informed mindfulness, or suchlike. That mentality is prevalent in validation and revalidation processes when the assessors are seemingly only checking for choice of courses that tick boxes to comply with standardised criteria. Deliberate Practice, on the other hand, would advocate enacting the core principles that clients feel engaged by and which lead to better outcomes such as empathy, non-judgmental acceptance, affirming and validating, genuineness, focus, promoting hope, advice and guidance, being aware of research data and offering advice and guidance. Having personal outcomes measurement data can better inform a more creative and intelligent use of the CPD courses market, using supervision and appointing change agents to boost effectiveness. Less ‘sexy’, perhaps, is to attend a course developing these themes and applying them into your practice, if your own measurement data informs that emphasis.

That aforementioned list does not represent a silver bullet, as each characteristic should be embraced alongside the others in that list.  However, the list can be a useful template from which to investigate and evaluate current personal effectiveness, and help to produce a map to guide more effective personal improvement and ultimately greater clinical performance.

Noel Bell is a UKCP accredited psychotherapist based in London and can be contacted on 07852407140.