Continuing Education Courses: A Guide for Counselors

We know that continuing education courses can often be underwhelming. I have found myself either paying hundreds for a training I am really excited about or taking VERY affordable, but low quality CEU’s. While not all CEU’s are created equal there are ways to optimize your learning and leave feeling inspired by time well spent instead of just checking another boring box off your to-do list.

As an educator and a business coach I know a thing or two about learning, so lets get into how we can make the most of continuing education so its not just another thing to cross off and can be time well spent.

Ask yourself “What did I learn in my continuing education (CE) courses last year?”

If you can immediately name several valuable takeaways, congratulations! However, many mental health professionals find themselves responding with a hesitant "uhhh..." when asked this question.

This common experience raises an important question: Why doesn't continuing education stick?

The Science Behind Continuing Education Retention

Current research on learning and memory reveals why most continuing education (CEU) content fails to create lasting impact. The good news? You can apply evidence-based learning strategies to any CE course to dramatically improve retention and application.

Proven Strategies to Maximize Your CE Learning

1. Choose Continuing Education Courses Strategically

Many therapists make the mistake of repeatedly selecting familiar content that aligns with their existing knowledge base. Instead:

• Select challenging material that pushes beyond your comfort zone

• Choose courses that challenge your current thinking or introduce entirely new concepts

• Embrace productive confusion - courses that create mild stress and confusion actually enhance learning and memory formation

• Look into new modalities you might be suprised what resonates

This approach activates deeper cognitive processing, leading to better long-term retention of your continuing education content.

2. Take Handwritten Notes

Research consistently shows that learners who receive presentation handouts experience significantly reduced retention rates. Here's why handwritten notes work better:

• Active processing: Writing forces you to engage with and synthesize material rather than passively consuming it

• Putting the information in your own voice helps you to retain the knowledge

• Enhanced encoding: The physical act of handwriting creates stronger neural pathways than typing

• Selective attention: Without handouts, you must actively listen and choose what's important to record

3. Apply New Knowledge Immediately

The most effective continuing education creates immediate, practical application opportunities. To maximize retention:

• Use your new skills the same day when possible

• Create implementation plans during or immediately after the course

• Practice retrieval by explaining concepts without referring to notes

• Solve real problems using your new knowledge within 24-48 hours after learning it

• Take risks by using new knowledge in the field with clients who can benefit

For example, if you've completed CE training on Marketing and SEO, then that same day while the information is fresh go ahead and do a little bit of SEO work while you are feeling inspired and the information is new.

4. Teach Others What You've Learned

Sharing your continuing education knowledge with colleagues, supervisees, or team members serves multiple purposes:

• Reinforces mastery by requiring you to organize and articulate concepts

• Identifies knowledge gaps when you struggle to explain certain points

• Makes communities stronger by having people doing the same work

• Creates accountability for actually using what you've learned

• Benefits your professional community by spreading valuable knowledge

Focus on explaining not just what you learned, but why these concepts matter and how they apply to practice. What kind of client is the modality appropriate for? What is the data behind what you learned? Is there research backing it up?

Making Your Continuing Education Investment Count

Your time and money deserve continuing education that creates real, lasting change in your practice. While CE requirements exist for good reason, the true value lies in education that transforms how you work with clients and create your business.

By choosing challenging courses, taking handwritten notes, applying knowledge immediately, and teaching others, you can ensure your continuing education hours translate into meaningful professional growth.

Want a Business Focused CE Experience?

We want to help you not only meet your continuing education requirements for the renewal period, but also get valuable business training that we didn’t get in graduate school. Here at Allyssa Powers we are passionate about teaching you how to create and sustain the private practice of your dreams. Sound too good to be true? Check out all the details of our evergreen course, The Private Practice Lab. We have an FAQ page with anwsers to all of our most common questions.