I’m a Therapist. I Want to Teach What I Know. Now What?: Six Basic Steps that Help Lead to a Completed Workshop!
First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS!! Why, you ask? It is because you are embarking on a new and vulnerable journey! I am so proud of you for even considering sharing a piece of yourself in this way. Your knowledge and experiences are unique. You are the best person to share what YOU are passionate about and you know. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s dive on in!
Step 1: Know Your Why!
What is your purpose in facilitating and teaching your topic area? Why do you want to do it? Your reasons are valid and I recommend writing them down! Doing so will allow you to be able to go back to them and gain the motivation you need when content development, facilitation, and/or teaching becomes tough. Without your why, it is easy to give up! Know what drives you and let that be the pillar that continually motivates you!
Step 2A: Pick a Topic that is within your niche areas as a clinician
As clinicians, there is so much we learn in our graduate programs, in our day to day sessions with clients, and through professional trainings. However, a topic you teach on should be one that you are passionate about sharing with others! Passion will be huge in driving your motivation when the writing process becomes tough! It is ESSENTIAL that the topic you select is one that you not only know about from your lived experience (in or out of the therapy room) but one where you know the communities most impacted by them and how to get connected with those communities! Your topic can have a myriad of subtopics, and THAT'S OK! Start with what builds your confidence and you can tackle the other subtopics later. The most important piece is that you are starting. Pick a topic and stick with it!
When thinking about the topic you want to facilitate or teach on, it is important that it is SPECIFIC! For example, trauma therapy is a wonderful topic, but it is extremely broad! It is broad because there are so many ways clinicians can talk about trauma and trauma therapy. A more specific topic could be: ‘Understanding Complex PTSD in High School Aged Youth’. It is specific because it holds a particular piece of therapeutic knowledge (Complex PTSD) AND a particular impacted community (High School Aged Youth). By having a larger topic like this, folks can find a direct connection between the therapy you provide and the topics that you are teaching on!
My topics in courses I have created have fluctuated and changed over the years. Making adjustments shows your audience your continued growth as an expert in your topic area!
Step 2B: With that Topic, figure out what YOU know best!
Now that you have a general topic based on your niche, it is important to figure out the angle by which you will teach your audience! Was there an experience that led you to learn more and build expertise in this area? Will it be based solely on your audience? Will it shift based on your topic? These are important questions to ponder!
Even though many folks are creating curriculum/content, no two individuals are the same, so please know that the perspective you bring will reach your audience because YOU are bringing yourself into the experience of teaching!
Step 3: Identify your target audience!
Who are you hoping to engage with what you create? Is it mental health professionals? Parents? Teens?
This is IMPERATIVE to consider because it will play a significant role in how you deliver your content and how you will connect with your intended audience. If you do not know your audience, it will be difficult to make sure you create something that can be targeted and successful! When I create trainings for wellness organizations, I utilize language, examples, and experiences that directly connect with them. Creating this connection builds trust between you and your audience!
Step 4: Identify what YOU want folks to leave your workshop or course knowing
If there is one thing I hope you leave with after reading this, it is THIS QUESTION! This question can help answer all the other questions brought up before and after this! Knowing your target and what folks can do once they have worked with you will keep you on track, helping you know exactly what to include and what can be saved for a different learning experience!
Step 5: Work Backwards!
When I say work backwards, I mean start with what you hope folks will learn and work from there! With each component you create, ask yourself: how does this connect to what I want folks to learn at the end of my workshop? Reminding yourself of this question CONSTANTLY helps you include what matters and remove the fluff!
Step 6: Create Your Timeline
Formulate achievable goals and reward yourself along the way! Personally, I like to outline by month when I would like to have each part of the content done and reward myself with smoothies when I reach each milestone! Set dates (broad or specific depending on your needs) and know that they can be adjusted along the way to fit your needs! Some examples of goals you can set are: (1) completing brainstorming (2) deciding target audience (3) complete through research of my topic, etc.!
This process is tough! It is important to find a community that can support you in this journey! Especially if this is your first time, please know there is no rush and that you can amend as you go!
If you would like to gain support with content development , facilitating or teaching, feel free to reach out to me as these are some of the most basic steps! We can work together to get you to a COMPLETED library of content you can pull from to design workshops, courses, etc!
I support my consulting clients with developing each of these steps and can take a load depending on the need. I create customized experiences for each content development consulting client so please let me know if you have a need! If you have any questions, feel free to use THIS LINK to schedule a time with me or email me at josephine@ampawpc.com!
