AMT Chairperson Winter 2021 Message

By Subhadra Gerard

Have you ever mulled over a massage session that you had with a difficult client, wondering “What was that all about?”, perhaps pondering what role you had to play in the encounter? (Maybe the person reminded you of someone else in your life).

Have you ever given a massage to a client that was the absolute best session ever? And afterwards you’ve reviewed the session, taking note of all the things you did well, so you could replicate your behaviour in future sessions with clients.

Have you ever given a treatment session where you basically ‘winged it’? Where you played it safe because you didn’t know exactly what you were dealing with? And later, you had a long conversation with Dr Google, or sought advice from an experienced colleague, all in an effort to enhance your knowledge and skills.

If you answered yes to any of the above, I salute you. You have engaged in reflection on your professional practice.

Now that all of our AMT members have fully transitioned from the previous (100 points per year) model of continuous professional development (CPD) to the new (20 hours per year) reflective learning approach to CPD, I feel it is an opportune time to have a chat about how things are going, or maybe should be going.

I also need to put it out there that, as I am one of the major instigators of the new approach to CPD, I have a vested interest in seeing that it is consciously and meaningfully adopted by the membership. Not everybody is naturally good at reflection. Consequently, I fully appreciate that it is going to take some time for everyone to get up to speed with the program.

So far this year the CPD reflections have been a story of thirds:

• A third of members have taken to the process like proverbial ‘ducks to water’ because they are ‘natural reflectors’ and may already use diary-keeping or journal writing to regularly record their experiences, goals, thoughts and feelings. This group is providing thoughtful, well-considered reflections.
• Another third of members have found the process a tad more challenging, mainly providing one sentence/short paragraph responses, but they are still engaging with the program. I want to let those people know that there are no right or wrong answers here. You are simply developing a skill that will hold you in good stead in your professional development. And I would suggest to you that you will reap many benefits as you get better at reflection.
• A final third of members are, sadly, providing only the most basic and minimal responses in their reflections (i.e. 1-3 word answers to the questions). It is obvious that little or no effort is being made to engage with what is being asked.

I have mixed emotions about that Head Office feedback.

On the one hand, I am elated that many therapists are taking to the new CPD model so enthusiastically. At the same time, I am a little disheartened that a good proportion of therapists are pretty much paying lip service to it.

Over the last decade or two, a wide range of professions have taken up reflective practice in their approach to professional development. In the healthcare professions especially, it is now seen as an integral part of CPD. And that applies to massage therapy too.

Learn more about AMT’s reflection-based professional development scheme

Case in point: All the recent graduates of the current Diploma of Remedial Massage course will remember a course unit titled Reflect on and improve own professional practice. It’s a core unit – an essential unit. It’s not there as an elective that you can take or leave if you are not particularly interested. And the essential outcomes of the unit are that you will now have the skills to reflect on your own massage practice, thereby enhancing that practice and facilitating your ongoing professional development.

Even more interestingly, the upcoming/next version of the Diploma of Remedial Massage (to be released in the next year or two) does away with the standalone reflection unit and has instead incorporated reflection across several of the core units – to emphasise its accepted value to ongoing professional development, I’m sure.

So, when the Board went down the path of setting up the reflective learning approach to CPD, we weren’t looking around for a new, fun way to piss you all off.

We are all members of the premier, the absolute best, massage association in Australia. And as you all will be aware, AMT’s core values are:

• best practice, in every way
• industry leadership
• connection and engagement with colleagues
• highest standards of transparency and accountability
• highly safe, quality care to our clients

In keeping with that agenda, it became a ‘no-brainer’ and best practice to bring the reflection training of the Diploma into the real world via the new CPD program.

There are many good approaches to reflective practice and even more models to explain theoretical principles. Approaches include:

• reflective journals/diaries/blogs
• reflecting with others:
  • colleague
  • peer group
  • mentor (check out our mentoring program)
• reflective activities (our CPD focus).

The model of reflective practice that AMT has adopted represents just one possible way of formulating this activity. The model was preferred because it encourages a more interactive approach (activities largely involve others, and you are not simply a passive absorber of information). It encourages deeper learning through a mix of activities:

• workshops and tutorials
• anatomy wet labs
• webinars
• conferences
• online courses (MOOCs etc)
• public health lectures
• Industry meetings
• Industry journals/magazines
• book reviews
• academic research articles/reports… etc, etc.

And importantly, it also encourages AMT members to analyse their own unique learning needs and to identify or create suitable learning opportunities. As such, this is an ideal model to assist with self-directed learning. Members are free to follow their individual interests, specialisations and/or areas of practice that they have identified as needing improvement/development. I really like that!

Members are now in the driver’s seat, mapping their professional development instead of being required to jump through a series of prescribed hoops.

With that freedom comes responsibility.

To reiterate what is stated in the AMT Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Guide, the new reflective learning approach to CPD aims to:

• simplify the professional development process for members
• embrace personalised education experiences using reflective methods
• expand the (old) parameters of self-development…(through) connecting, engaging and collaborating with colleagues and community
• broaden engagement with activities and opportunities
• align with AMT’s core values.

To this end, I would remind members that their CPD activities need to be relevant to the scope of practice of massage therapy, as outlined in the AMT Code of Practice. There is a difference between professional and personal development. Please keep your chosen activities on the professional side of the fence.

So finally, what’s in it for you? You will accrue numerous benefits by engaging purposefully and enthusiastically with our reflective learning CPD program. These include:

• the promotion of a deeper learning as you acquire new knowledge and skills
• the identification of your personal and professional strengths, as well as those areas that need improvement
• the identification of further educational needs as you develop your goals and aspirations
• encouragement of your self-motivation and self-directed learning
• helping you to be more creative and try new things
• a further understanding of your own beliefs, attitudes and values, and…
• you will enjoy the rewards of being a member of the premier massage association in Australia.

I look forward to catching up with many of you at the AMT Zoom Conference in October.

In the meantime, stay well and COVID-safe.

About the Author

Subhadra Gerard is a massage therapist and occupational therapist in Perth, WA. In May this year he took on the role of Chairperson of the AMT Board of Directors.