Mental Health Continuing Education - A Boost To Your Career

If you're involved in social work, psychology, or psychotherapy, mental health continuing education is more than a good idea- it is practically a necessity. In fact, as you likely already know, it may be literally required to stay licensed, depending on where you live. But the benefits of building your education go beyond whatever credits you need to pass the board review. No matter where you work in the field, it is important to stay current on the latest information and theories being introduced into the science. A stagnant psychologist, for instance, will be offering his patients advice and techniques that could be years out of date. Every science is constantly evolving and being fortified with new and exciting ideas. By staying up to date with these ideas, you will make yourself into a better therapist and you will consistently improve your career.

Further Knowledge

One of the most important elements of mental health continuing education is that it affords you the opportunity to both reinforce your original college learning and learn things you have never before been exposed to. Anyone who has been to school knows that things can be forgotten just as easily as they can be learned. If you were the type of person to cram the night before a big exam, only to release that information into the ether the moment you turned in your paper, you could stand to remain brushed up on the foundations. That's to say nothing of the new information out there, which is changing and being supplemented on a daily basis.

Better Prospects

Even if you're in your career to make a difference in people's daily lives and you have little concern with making more money or moving to the top of your field, you can't discount the importance of staying employable and relevant. If you are concerned with upward mobility, then the prospect of improving your resume is even more important. The fact is that no one can see where the economy will take us. Jobs in any field can become scarce overnight. Give yourself the luxury of job security by fortifying your resume and making sure that you're always at the top of your profession.

Flexibility

If you live in a state with few mental health continuing education requirements, it can be tempting to soak up your free time and leave the classes to those who need them. This can be a big mistake. What if you have to move tomorrow? What if you want to? You might be ineligible for licensing in another state without keeping up with their requirements. This is just one more reason why it's a good idea to stay current, even if you are under no obligation to do so.