Continuing professional development – Why, what and how? – Angela Harrison

Special Issue 7 (1) 2015, “Music Therapy in Europe: Paths of Professional Development” – Article

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Continuing professional development – Why, what and how?

Angela Harrison

 

Abstract
This paper examines the role of continuing professional development (CPD) in sustaining and enriching the professional lives of music therapists. Drawing on knowledge and experience of the system in the UK, there is a detailed description of the requirements of the profession’s regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council. There is reference to the ‘developmental stages’ of the profession across Europe and the means by which these are shared through the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) and the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT). Finally, there is consideration of ways in which therapists might be motivated to view CPD as an essential means of upholding standards of practice, education and research.

Keywords: skills development; integrity; learning; professionalism; music therapists

 

Biography
Angela Harrison, GRNCM, PGDipMT, HCPC registered. Angela Harrison enjoyed a career as a viola player with the Hallé Orchestra before training in music therapy in Cambridge, England. She runs a community-based service in North Yorkshire where she has practised for 20 years. Angela has contributed to three books and presented her work widely across the world, most recently in the UK, Argentina, South Korea, the Netherlands, Norway and Austria. Angela is Regional Liaison for Europe on the Council of the World Federation of Music Therapy, is a Governor of The Music Therapy Charity and, until November 2012, was Chair of the British Association for Music Therapy.

Email: ah.musictherapy@gmail.com