Most governing bodies are formulated in the holistic therapy markets when a well meaning delegate spots an opportunity to regulate the quality of the therapists that the general public have access to. This isn’t necessarily in a kind of authoritarian way, more in an effort to make the selection of a coach an easier process for the general public, but also to assist the coaches and therapist by giving them a platform or in some cases, a forum in which the can all display their credentials and liaise with each other.

However, there are so many coaches, therapists and practitioners within the holistic and talking therapies industry that there is also a remarkable number of governing bodies with which these professionals can gain membership.

The initial confusion is which ones should you chose? Many such sites offer a website listing, newsletters and some even publish journals. The more proactive they are the more they care for their members and the better value you will feel you are obtaining for what you spend with them. However that is not all that there is to consider.

We’ve established that there may be a degree of marketing that occurs as a result of being on the register of a governing body, but ultimately your main aim is to be a professional, well resourced therapist or coach. As such any decent governing body should also be providing, if not pointing you in the direction of where to obtain CPD for your qualification.

At CPD Approved, we regularly feature articles from the holistic therapies industry, we also send out newsletters and provide CPD live events for up-skilling the practitioners and therapists we approve.

Surely it is the responsibility of any ethical and ecological governing body to ensure that it’s members, who it most likely promotes to the general public, are undertaking regular CPD and that they have as part of their accreditation, evidence to prove that CPD?

CPD Approval doesn’t claim that the coach, therapist or practitioner is the best that they can be, but it does demonstrate evidence that they are actively improving themselves and the skill set that they offer to the general public.

With CPD approval, there isn’t a great cross section of things that we claim to do, half heartily for our members. CPD Approval isn’t about being part of a stuffy old boys network, it doesn’t qualify you to be something you are not and it doesn’t claim to retrain you. Instead it is an opportunity for practitioner, therapists and coaches to prove themselves as proactive professionals, that the public can trust as investing in their own learning that can be passed onto the clients they work with.

Governing bodies do most definitely have their place in providing a recognition or award for the skills a practitioner has developed and for providing a platform for them to network, liaise and promote themselves, but CPD is just as, if not more important than all of those things, and that is what we are here to help you measure and celebrate.

By Gemma Bailey

www.GemmaBailey.co.uk

CPD Approved is an organisation designed to support the growing number of practitioners in personal development and holistic fields who wish to demonstrate to their clients, patients and partners that they take their professional standards seriously. Many holistic therapies and personal development and coaching industries operate in unregulated fields. This creates the potential for a drop in practitioner standards after their initial qualifications are obtained as many are no longer encouraged to seek ongoing professional development.

CPD Approved is an organisation designed to support the growing number of practitioners in personal development and holistic fields who wish to demonstrate to their clients, patients and partners that they take their professional standards seriously. Many holistic therapies and personal development and coaching industries operate in unregulated fields. This creates the potential for a drop in practitioner standards after their initial qualifications are obtained as many are no longer encouraged to seek ongoing professional development.

Author Bio: CPD Approved is an organisation designed to support the growing number of practitioners in personal development and holistic fields who wish to demonstrate to their clients, patients and partners that they take their professional standards seriously. Many holistic therapies and personal development and coaching industries operate in unregulated fields. This creates the potential for a drop in practitioner standards after their initial qualifications are obtained as many are no longer encouraged to seek ongoing professional development.

Category: Business Management
Keywords: CPD, CPD approved, CPD for coaches, CPD for practitioners, CPD for therapists