CPD Films

CPD Event 2021 Introduction

David Balen - 2021

The focus of the 2021 CPD Event was on Mental Health and Well-Being. Helping therapists to understand what they need to look out for in their own clients, how they may be able to help and when they need to refer on.

Mental Health - a case for integration: why, what and how this may work in practice

Dr Michael Dixon - 2021

Dr Michael Dixon talks about Mental Health - a case for integration: why, what and how this may work in practice. Dr Michael Dixon discusses current approaches in mental health and why an integrated approach is necessary.

Mapping the Mental Health Territory

Dr Rosy Daniel - 2021

Dr Rosy Daniel, discusses Mapping the Mental Health Territory for us, explaining the key symptoms and range of needs people have in body, mind and spirit when experiencing them.

The Legal Bit: Vulnerable Patients, Consent and Psychiatric Injuries

Hannah Volpe - 2021

Hannah Volpe addresses The Legal Bit: Vulnerable Patients, Consent and Psychiatric Injuries, including examples of cases involving claims for psychiatric injury.

Current trends in mental health provision

Helen Wadley - 2021

Helen Wadley CEO of Mind Birmingham , looks at Current trends in mental health provision - where do Natural Health and Well-Being Professionals fit into the scene now and going forward?

CPD Event 2021 - Q & A Session

CPD Event 2021 - Q & A Session - 2021

CPD Event 2021 - Q & A Session

App Update

App Update - 2021

App Update

Resilience and the Healthcare Juggling Act

Professor David Peters - 2019

Professor Emeritus, Westminster Centre for Resilience, University of Westminster, Editor in Chief, Journal of Holistic Healthcare

After they have been distorted, resilient materials bounce back into shape.  But a human being isn’t as simple as a rubber ball, we can learn and adapt.  We respond to strain by changing in ways that either push us towards health and wellbeing or further away from this. Life’s challenges can be opportunities to bounce forward, a stress-free existence is neither possible or even desirable.  However when work is over-demanding and the ability to recover poor, persistent stress begins to distort the way we see ourselves, our patients, and our working world.

Research suggests that empathic Health Care Professionals are safer, happier in their work and perceived as more effective.  But we know too that empathy fades as stress levels rise and that this is one aspect of the descent into ‘burnout’.  When the daily round of meeting patients becomes an overwhelming uphill struggle, how can this downward spiral be reversed? 

Dr Peters will show that a working knowledge of the interpersonal neurobiology of stress, emotion, social engagement and empathy can help us make sense of the caring role.  Self-compassion, self-care and self-awareness, nurturing core values, and the ability to self-soothe, all help us to be at our best even in stressful circumstances, and to flourish personally and as professionals.

From Passive Healthcare to Proactive Health Creation

Rosy Daniel - 2018

BSc MBBCh

Rosy has witnessed the political shifts from Alternative to Complementary Therapy and now welcomes the exciting shifts towards proactive Lifestyle Medicine and empowering Health Coaching.  The ways that we live and work today are causing a health crisis of equal proportions to the environmental crisis.  Rosy’s talk will emphasise the need for healthy self-care by practitioners, with supportive mentorship to walk our talk rather than continuously projecting our needs onto those in our care.  Rosy will share with us some startling truths about the state of the nation’s health and healthcare system, and motivate us to join her in her great passion to get society to shift ‘from passive healthcare to proactive health creation.’

Dr Rosy Daniel has worked at the heart of the holistic medical profession since qualifying as a doctor in 1983; first as doctor then Medical Director at the Bristol Cancer Help Centre (now Penny Brohn UK) and since as an author, activist, researcher, teacher and practising consultant in Integrative Medicine in Bath.  Her contribution to helping get us onto a sustainable path is through training people in her Health Creation Mentorship Programmes and Healthy Workplace Consultancies.  Discover more about Rosy at: http://www.drrosydaniel.org/

Introducing The Hard Science of Self-Healing

Jeremy Howick PhD - 2018

Author of Doctor You

Oxford Philosopher and Medical Researcher, Dr. Jeremy Howick has had a long standing interest in the placebo effect and the body’s self healing mechanisms.  He has conducted groundbreaking studies about placebos and why we need unbiased experiments.  Jeremy’s textbook The Philosophy of Evidence-Based Medicine spearheaded a new sub-discipline.  He collaborates about placebo treatments and the need for rigorous evidence with the National Institutes of Health in the United States, the National Institutes of Health Research in the United Kingdom, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in Canada. Jeremy will be sharing with us his insights and understanding of this fascinating topic. 

Jeremy has degrees from Dartmouth College, the London School of Economics, and the University of Oxford. He has over 75 academic publications in top journals such as the British Medical Journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, and The Lancet. An academic who lectures widely, Jeremy is currently working on a mega-study of the benefits of doctor empathy. Discover more about Jeremy at: http://www.jeremyhowick.com/about-jeremy-howick/

Elevating The Role of Natural Health in your Community

Robert Verkerk PhD - 2018

Founder, Executive & Scientific Director, Alliance for Natural Health International

The burden of chronic diseases, ageing populations, the power of the science and public disillusionment with drug-based approaches has never created such a perfect storm for natural health. Yet for many practitioners their businesses have yet to benefit fully. Find out what you can do through clinical practice, collaboration, the judicial use of technology and patient/client empowerment to make the most of the opportunity.

Dr Verkerk has authored over 60 papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings and contributes regularly to magazines and other popular media. He is a speaker, campaigner and advocate for a wide range of issues relating to sustainability in healthcare and related fields. Discover more about Rob at: https://anhinternational.org/about-us_2/

Building Healthcare Networks in your Local Community

Robert Verkerk PhD - 2017

Founder & Executive Director, Alliance for Natural Health International

We are stronger together – with more and more reliance being placed upon ‘evidence’, there is a growing need for further research into the effectiveness of many different forms of alternative medicine.  The Hawthorn Health Initiative (HHI) is a networking group, which is looking to develop avenues for therapists and their clients alike to give feedback on the effectiveness of the different treatments that they receive.  The talk will give feedback from the HHI meeting on Sunday 21^st May.   

Complementary and Sustainable Healthcare in the UK and Europe: who can secure its future?

Seamus Connolly - 2016

EFCAM European Federation for Complementary & Alternative Medicine

The UK is about to have a Referendum regarding staying or leaving the EU.  Regardless of the outcome, Alternative health care systems are already being impacted upon by EU regulations, Seamus Connolly will explore the reality of CAM at the EU level and look to options for assuring the future of CAM across Europe in a sustained and resourced way. 

Beyond Peak Medicine

Professor David Peters - 2016

Head of Integrative Medicine University of Westminster

We can’t go on doing medicine as we are.  So let’s go back to basics: what do we mean by whole person care?   This talk will unpack holistic medicine and look for signs that the NHS is beginning to realise that humankind cannot live by meds alone.  By general agreement the NHS can be an amazingly good service when hi-tech is called for.  But, for the sorts of everyday pain, misery, and anguish we see on the frontline magic techno-bullets seldom work.   What’s to be done about medicine’s ignorance of the mind-body connection?  What is ‘social prescription’?  What might complementary therapies’ role be in a future bio-psych-social system of care?  

The Therapeutic Relationship - including research into its benefits

Professor David Peters - 2015

It is well established that all treatments may be powerfully enhanced by the effects of a positive practitioner-client relationship; sometimes to an extraordinarily high degree.  This effect, though it has been marginalised and discounted as non-specific, subjective or placebo-response, is in reality an essential part of what our patients consciously or otherwise hope for.  

A positive practitioner-client relationship improves treatment outcomes and client-satisfaction, makes work less stressful and makes errors and complaints less likely.  In chronic illness and disease - perhaps especially where stress and lifestyle are significant component - how effectively practitioners co-regulate their clients and support their self-care will often be crucial therapeutic factors.

Why then do we so widely ignore this precious aspect of our healing art and fail to foster it?  How instead might we reflect on it and nurture it?  How indeed are we better to understand and research it?  This seminar will provide some salient facts and cogent questions for reflective practitioners.  

What else can we do?

Robert Verkerk PhD - 2015

It is clear that there are a number of areas where questions are still to be asked with regards to the efficacy of CAM and where it fits within the wider field of Health Care within the UK today and tomorrow.  As part of this Journey, Balens are holding a Forum for UK Associations on Sunday 10^th May, to discuss cross Organisation support into research and the effectiveness of CAM.  Robert will give feedback on the findings from the Forum, initiatives for moving forward and how conference participants can be involved.

What patients expect from us and how this fits with Primary Care

Professor George Lewith - 2015

Why do patients choose CAM and what are they expecting from the CAM Practitioner?  Professor Lewith will explore some of the major reasons why patients seek help from a CAM practitioner, which include:

• To be heard and understood
• To be prescribed an individualised treatment: “for your back pain I would use this approach because this seems to fit with your symptoms”
• To be given mechanisms to empower themselves to self-manage their condition
• Implicitly to promote empowerment and well-being

And how this gives a basis upon which CAM Organisations and Practitioners can communicate with the NHS and primary carers, demonstrating these areas are at the core of what medicine would like to deliver but at the moment is in crisis and cannot deliver.  Structurally, politically, socially and emotionally Complementary, Alternative and Allopathic Medicine can help each other to deliver the best care for patients, which Professor Lewith genuinely believes is what the research is demonstrating.

Consciousness in Healthcare

Professor Paul Dieppe - 2013

Professor of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Exeter with David Balen

David and Paul will explore the area of the ‘unknown’ specifically with regards to how some areas of Complementary Healthcare do not conform with traditional scientific views.  They will look at the role of consciousness from the practitioner and scientists perspective, using healing as a specific case study, and having reference to the effects of belief, faith and the power of the mind and imagination on us all, with support from experiments in neuroscience and meditation.

Where is Healthcare Going?

Professor David Peters - 2013

Following on from last year’s successful and inspirational talk, Professor David Peters will discuss some of the recent developments in the NHS and their implications for Complementary Health-Care.

Realistic Hope - Finding a resilient response in the face of chronic or life-limiting illness

Dr Catherine Zollman - 2019

Medical Director Penny Brohn UK (formerly Bristol Cancer Help Centre), BA Physiol, MBBS, MRCP, MRCGP, Cert Med Ed, Fellow Integrative Medicine (Arizona)

When someone is diagnosed with a long term or terminal condition do they respond by searching for a cure, or by accepting their diagnosis?  By concentrating on living well or by preparing to die well?  Or is it possible to do all of these at the same time? 

This talk will demonstrate how by supporting people and helping them to build resilience in all areas of their life, we can enable them to stay on a middle path between 'false hope’ and ‘false hopelessness’.  By encouraging them to take back some control and find realistic hope we can help them unlick their potential to live as well as possible for as long as possible.

Warwick Holistic Health Questionnaire(WHHQ)–Development and evaluation of a patient-reported outcome measure to assess changes in health and wellbeing of those having Craniosacral Therapy (CST) Update

Nicola Brough - 2017

MPhil, RCST, Warwick University, Body worker and energetic practitioner

Identifying outcomes important to clients, is essential in holistic care. The WHHQ has been developed with input from CST users and practitioners.  The 25 item questionnaire incorporates holistic statements and represents new concepts in health care evaluation, such as self-agency and self-care. An ideal tool to audit practice, if reliability and validity is confirmed the WHHQ could be validated for use in complementary therapies more widely. 

Update on Research into Healing

Professor Paul Dieppe - 2016

University of Exeter Medical School / The Institute of Integrative Health, Baltimore

Healing is being explored by scientists from many different disciplines, in all parts of the world.  Recent syntheses of all data collected from trials of healing indicate that there is a positive effect that cannot be dismissed as 'just placebo'.  Analysis of data about people's experiences of healing have led to the development of new models and frameworks to help us understand how healing can occur. 

Where are we now? What is currently happening?

Professor Paul Dieppe - 2015

In a follow up to his Key Note Speech at Balens 2013 CPD Training Event, Professor Paul Dieppe will give a video presentation discussing with his colleague Professor Sara Warber and others, their current research into gaining an understanding of the client’s experience in healing encounters. 

Using some unusual research approaches, born out of the belief that the mainstream use of techniques based in a positivist, materialistic paradigm are not well suited to the complexities, context dependency and vagaries of human therapeutic interactions and their outcomes.  Paul and Sara are working in a realist framework and using techniques such as sensory ethnography.

Measuring Outcomes – Current research in CAM

Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown - 2015

Professor Stewart-Brown, herself a complementary therapist, has been conducting research into Health and Well-being for a number of years, looking at alternative scales that do not focus on the randomised control trials as required by the major pharmaceuticals.  In this short lecture she will discuss her findings and results of her experiences with regards to measuring outcomes in CAM.

The Therapeutic Relationship - including research into its benefits

Professor David Peters - 2015

It is well established that all treatments may be powerfully enhanced by the effects of a positive practitioner-client relationship; sometimes to an extraordinarily high degree.  This effect, though it has been marginalised and discounted as non-specific, subjective or placebo-response, is in reality an essential part of what our patients consciously or otherwise hope for.  

A positive practitioner-client relationship improves treatment outcomes and client-satisfaction, makes work less stressful and makes errors and complaints less likely.  In chronic illness and disease - perhaps especially where stress and lifestyle are significant component - how effectively practitioners co-regulate their clients and support their self-care will often be crucial therapeutic factors.

Why then do we so widely ignore this precious aspect of our healing art and fail to foster it?  How instead might we reflect on it and nurture it?  How indeed are we better to understand and research it?  This seminar will provide some salient facts and cogent questions for reflective practitioners.  

Empirical Science or Vitalism?

Professor Paul Dieppe - 2013

Are randomized control trials really necessary to establish the effectiveness of Natural Medicine and lifestyle approaches to Health and Well-being?

With the current climate of scepticism from some scientific quarters about the benefits of Natural Approaches to Health and Lifestyle, we ask the eminent clinician and researcher Professor Paul Dieppe to give us his views. 

Professor Dieppe will be considering the interface between Orthodox and Complementary and Alternative (CAM) Medicine, paying particular attention to the current up to date research on the effectiveness of Complementary Therapies, including such areas as how randomised trials are not necessarily the best method of testing CAM’s effectiveness and how CAM can be supported with this regard in the understanding of the public.

Dark Humour for Dark Times

Julie Stone - 2019

In this provocative session, Julie explores the role of dark humour in discussing taboos and exploring dark issues, including psychosocial aspects of long-term conditions and palliative care.  With a long standing expertise in professional boundaries, she explores how to blend creativity, ethics and comedy in discussing difficult moral issues.  

Developing Your Professional Practice

Jayney Goddard - 2017

MSc, FCMA, FRSM President, The Complementary Medicine Association

In this ground-breaking lecture you will learn about the savvy use of marketing approaches, including social media and newsletters, to retain existing clients, rekindle former clients and recruit new clients. A useful and insightful guide into methods to grow and develop your business. 

The Alphabet Soup of Complementary Medicine

Barry Tanner - 2016

GRCCT

In order to treat in a safe and appropriate manner it is vital that practitioners maintain a knowledge of current legislation, but which requirements are specific to complementary medicine and which are not?  What is evidence and which types should we use when promoting our practice?  By understanding the alphabet soup of government departments, regulators, registers, commissioners and authorities we are better able to defend against those who may seek to use these facilities to inhibit the practice of complementary medicine.

Negotiating the Boundaries - managing difficult situations with your clients

Tsafi Lederman and Jenny Stacey - 2012

A lecture exploring the relational dynamics that may be played out between practitioners and clients during treatment. By raising awareness and understanding of these dynamics the practitioner can explore new ways to communicate and respond more effectively to challenging situations in clinic.

Your Business, Your Future

David Balen and Paul Grant and Simon Butler - 2012

General business, finance and legal issues to consider, including some common pitfalls and how to avoid these plus expert help that is available. 

Complaints – How to avoid, how to handle

David Balen, Paul Grant and Laurence Butler - 2012

Avoiding the possibility of things going wrong, case study discussion to include a clinician and medico legal experts point of view.  The importance of record keeping.

GDPR

Alice Lacey - 2018

Alice Lacey, a Solicitor from DAC Beachcroft's Clinical Risk team in Bristol, will be discussing the General Data Protection Regulation, or "GDPR", which will be coming into force as of 25^th May 2018.  Alice's 'need to know talk' will provide a whistle stop tour of the key legal issues that arise in relation to data protection, particularly in the context of the reforms being introduced. The intention is to prompt and support individual Healthcare Practitioners into considering the key issues, by highlighting central principles, and to help sign post some areas where compliance might be more challenging on a day to day basis.

Discover more about DAC Beachcroft's Clinical Risk Team at:  

https://www.dacbeachcroft.com/en/gb/expertise/services/clinical-risk/

A TALK IN TWO PARTS: Leases & Social Media

Paul Grant & Cassandra Dighton - 2017

Partner – BSG Solicitors

A general overview of the rights and obligation of leasing or buying a practice to include advice on how to interpret, check rights, responsibilities and obligations of tenant and landlord or licence. What questions should you ask to avoid common pitfalls prior to entering into a contract, such as restrictive covenants restricting you from practice?  An interactive session- bring your questions.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram…. Social Media is here to stay – but is it friend or foe to healthcare practitioners? Cassandra Dighton will be discussing recent cases that have centred on Social Media usage providing a checklist of considerations before you post as well as advising on the steps that can be taken if you find yourself or your business the victim of a negative social media campaign.

Learning from Claims and Legal Update

Hannah Volpé & Paul Grant - 2016

Partner - Clinical Risk, DAC Beachcroft LLP, Partner – BSG Solicitors

Case studies on real claims examples, with Risk Management feedback and advice and guidance on what might be expected from you, should you ever find yourself in a claim situation.  Plus information on Consent and a brief heads up on current legal changes.  

The Law and your Practice - Update

Paul Grant, Simon Butler and David Balen Carly O’Dwyer - 2013

This lecture will cover areas such as changes to the data protection act and how this impacts upon you, your clients and your record keeping;  the importance of having a written contract for example between a landlord and tenant when renting space and between therapists and clinic / salon owner where the therapist is self-employed. 

Your Vision, Your Message

Ian Lickorish and Paul Grant - 2012

Attracting  clients.  Legal issues around advertising including information on the ASA and avoiding problems.  Techniques for networking and getting your message out. 

Marketing, Mindset & Momentum

Jill Woods - 2018

Your life should make you happy and that includes your work and your practice!  A lot of practitioners love helping their patients, but may slowly, over time, fall out of love with their practice. This can happen because running the business and attracting the wrong kinds of, or not enough patients may start to get them down.  As a Health and Well-being Practitioner you have many free choices; which patients you see, the hours you work, the treatments you provide, etc. So on the face of it every Health Professional in private practice should be walking on cloud nine. If your practice is not making you happy & contributing to the life you want to live, there is clearly some work you need to do. 

Shifting your mindset & becoming skilled at marketing are the two things Jill has seen have the biggest impact on people finding happiness in their practice.  Let her show you how you can do that in your practice.   Discover more about Jill at: http://www.jillwoods.com/

Online marketing & social media

Ian Lickorish - 2013

As a follow up from our 2012 CPD Training, we received many requests regarding the benefits of online and social media for your business.  Ian will look strategies for online promotion, the benefits and pitfalls of this and the important of analyse to ensure success. 

Your Vision, Your Message

Ian Lickorish and Paul Grant - 2012

Attracting  clients.  Legal issues around advertising including information on the ASA and avoiding problems.  Techniques for networking and getting your message out.