The Therapist’s Journey: Why Continuing Education Matters
Becoming a therapist takes dedication, resilience, and heart. From completing your undergraduate degree to navigating the demands of graduate school, the journey is no small feat. Did you know that only about 30% of Canadians earn a university degree, with even fewer advancing to graduate studies? That’s a significant accomplishment worth celebrating.
After all those years of hard work, it’s understandable to feel a little overwhelmed when you hear, “Learning doesn’t stop after graduation.” It’s easy to think, “Shouldn’t I already know everything I need to succeed?”
The reality is that therapy is an ever-evolving field. Continuing education isn’t about checking another box; it’s about reigniting your passion, staying curious, and ensuring your practice remains effective and up-to-date.
What is Continuing Education?
Continuing education is about seeking opportunities to grow as a professional. It can involve formal workshops like Trauma-Informed Care or advanced training in techniques like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It can also mean staying informed about the latest research or exploring new therapeutic approaches.
For example, while EMDR’s original framework was developed in 1989, newer protocols like Recent-Traumatic Episode Protocol (R-TEP) and Group Traumatic Episode Reprocessing (G-TEP) have since been introduced. These updates have been game-changing for trauma survivors and those who work with them.
Why It Matters
Consider this: If you started practicing in the 1980s and never pursued further learning, you might have missed out on revolutionary approaches like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) or EMDR. You might still refer to PTSD as "shell shock." While this is an extreme example, it illustrates how vital it is to stay engaged with ongoing developments in the field.
Continuing education helps you serve your clients more effectively and keeps your career dynamic and fulfilling. Every new skill or certification adds to your expertise, creates new opportunities, and expands your client base. It can even allow you to set higher rates, reflecting the value you bring. Beyond professional benefits, it keeps you inspired and connected to a community of like-minded therapists.
At its heart, continuing education is about embracing growth and ensuring you can provide the best care to those who trust you. As therapists, we know healing is a journey—and so is learning.
If you’re ready to deepen your expertise and stay connected to the latest developments in psychotherapy, now is the time to take action:
👉 Sign up for our EMDR Refresher Course to enhance your skills and confidence.
👉 Join our newsletter for updates on new courses and resources to support your practice.
Let’s grow together—because when therapists thrive, so do the people they serve.
Government of Canada, S. C. (2022, November 30). Canada leads the G7 for the most educated workforce, thanks to immigrants, young adults and a strong college sector, but is experiencing significant losses in apprenticeship certificate holders in key trades. The Daily - https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221130/dq221130a-eng.htm
The Association for Psychological Therapies. What is Trauma-Informed Care?. APT.
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Shapiro, E., & Laub, B. (2008). Early emdr intervention (EEI): A summary, a theoretical model, and the recent traumatic episode protocol (R-TEP). Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(2), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.2.2.79
Shapiro, E. (2013). The group traumatic episode protocol (G-TEP) for early EMDR intervention (EEI), Paper presented to the EMDR Turkey Symposium, Istanbul, Turkey.
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What is shell shock? is it different from PTSD?. Moment Of Clarity. (2024, June 12).