Newcomers to the growing field of elder mediation often ask me, “How do I build my practice?”
The reality is, you can only build a thriving practice if you’re seen as a knowledgeable, credentialed professional who has done their due diligence and is committed to ongoing training in the field.
The importance of ongoing training and professional development can’t be stressed enough. Elder mediation is an emerging field, so theories and best practices are always evolving. The only way to be taken seriously as a true professional is to keep on top of the latest developments.
Being a life long learner will set you apart in your field. With each training program or seminar, you’ll develop more confidence in your abilities, because you know you are exposing yourself to all the very latest techniques and information. In turn, you’ll be seen by others as an able, confident professional.
When I completed my formal education as a marriage and family therapist, for me, that was just the beginning. I continued to take courses, and paid for supervision as part of my clinical training. Now I’m a supervisor myself.
Mediation is a reputation-based profession, and the only way to start building a client base is through referrals from more established colleagues. When I started my career, I quickly joined the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, which helped me make connections with others in the field.
Training programs offer another valuable opportunity to network with both supervisors and one’s fellow students, and build the relationships that lead to referrals. After all, interacting effectively with others is at the heart of what it means to be a professional mediator. Developing your “people skills” is just as important as staying up to date on the latest science.
Internship is a particularly valuable form of professional development. Internships give you the chance to gain real world, “hands on” experience, while being of service to others in a supervised environment.
If you think of your burgeoning mediation as a bicycle, internships are the “training wheels” that give you skills and confidence when you are first starting out!
That’s why I launched Canada’s first Elder Mediation Training Program (EMTP) in the spring of 2011.
Our next round of EMT programs are coming to Toronto this fall; the Introductory courses will take place in October 2011 and will continue with an Advanced program in November.
PLUS we’re excited to announce that, for those who’ve completed those programs, we’ll begin offering internships in elder mediation beginning in January 2012.
Once all the details are finalized, we’ll announce them here. These Elder Mediation Training Programs and Internships are a one-of-a-kind opportunity to network and learn alongside other professionals. We invite you to join us!