Therapy Continuing Education: Beyond Credits

In the world of therapy, continuing education is often a necessity to remain licensed and certified in your field. If not, many employers have their own requirements that will keep you busy in your free time. But furthering your understanding of your field is about more than amassing credits. If you're only doing the bare minimum to keep your job, you're probably not a very good clinician. If you think you learned all you need to know in college, there's a whole world of further understanding you have yet to access. Here are some of the outlets you can use to become a better therapist.

Magazines

Are magazines on their way out? It might have seemed that way just a few years ago, but with the onset of electronic readers, magazines could be making a comeback in a big way. They won't be in the format we're used to, but they will still be filled with interesting, timely, and relevant content. For someone interested in therapy continuing education, magazines in the field can be one of the best ways to stay current. Look for publications that feature not only a competent staff of writers, but also go out of their way to bring big names to do guest pieces and interviews.

Podcasts

The internet has made accessing therapy continuing education outlets much easier and the selection of information out there is constantly growing. You could spend every minute of your free time perusing online sources for additional information and it would take you a lifetime to see it all. But of course, that would be impossible, as new information is being added every day. In your readings, don't overlook the world of podcasts. Essentially another name for "internet radio", there are podcasts covering every subject imaginable. It is one of the best ways to stay up to date in the latest news and releases.

Message Boards

Few people think of message boards when they consider avenues of therapy continuing education, but perhaps they should. A good message board is well moderated to keep the trolls and off topic conversation to a minimum, but not stifled in terms of the conversation. This brings together people from all walks of life to share their knowledge and experiences in a way that can't help but teach you something new on a daily basis. Engaging in debate and conversation is one of the best ways to test your own knowledge and put to bed misconceptions you may have carried around for years. Find a good one if you want to put your learning on the fast track.