The Use-It-Tomorrow Test
If you've been in private practice for any length of time, you'll know this feeling. You buy a training. You feel motivated. You take notes. Then real life happens. Back-to-back clients, admin, life. And the CBT CPD sits there half-watched.
A few weeks later, you're back on Facebook asking the same question. "Any CBT CPD recommendations?"
This isn't because you're lazy or uncommitted. It's because a lot of CPD is designed to be consumed, not used. So here's a practical way to protect your time, money, and confidence.
The Use-It-Tomorrow Test
Before you buy any CBT CPD, course, workshop, or training bundle, ask this. Will this make my next session easier within 24 hours?
If the honest answer is "not really," it might still be interesting. But it's less likely to translate into better private practice work.
Private practice rewards resources that reduce uncertainty, decision fatigue, prep time, and stuck moments. So the rest of this blog is a checklist to help you spot that quickly.
The 5 Questions That Separate "Good CPD" From "Usable CPD"
Does it give you a repeatable session structure?
A trustworthy CBT resource should help you run a session that looks something like this. Check-in. Agenda with two items maximum. Link to the maintaining pattern. One intervention. One between-session practice step. Summary plus feedback.
If it doesn't help you structure sessions, you'll often end up with great insight but vague progress. The green flag is when it gives you a structure you can repeat weekly. The red flag is when it assumes structure will come naturally.
Does it tell you what to do when the session gets stuck?
This is the private practice difference. A resource is only as good as what it does with homework not done, with "I don't know," with silence, with rumination spirals, with reassurance seeking, with avoidance and refusal, with intense emotion derailing the plan, with you blanking completely.
Most training shows best-case sessions. You need support for typical sessions. The green flag is when it includes troubleshooting and "what to say next." The red flag is when it blames the client's resistance and moves on.
Does it include scripts or real example language?
Many counsellors don't need more definitions. They need words. Because in the moment, the hard part is saying something that is warm and clear and boundaried and still CBT-consistent.
Think about example situations like "Can you just tell me I'm okay?" or "But what if..." or "I don't want to do exposure" or "Homework was too hard."
The green flag is scripts you can adapt in your own voice. The red flag is vague guidance like "use Socratic questioning" with no examples.
Does it reduce your prep time or add to it?
This is the quiet killer. If a resource requires you to design your own templates, create your own worksheets, and translate theory into a plan from scratch every time, it's likely to become another saved folder you never revisit.
The best private practice resources come with an agenda template, a homework planner, a formulation-to-plan sheet, trackers, and simple one-page decision aids.
The green flag is when you can print it and use it immediately. The red flag is when it creates more work for you.
Will you still use it in 3 months?
This is the ultimate question. A resource stays in your workflow if it fits mixed caseload reality, works in short sessions, is easy to revisit quickly, and helps you when you're busy, not only when you're inspired.
The green flag is when it's designed for reference with checklists, one-page maps, and quick videos. The red flag is when it's designed like a syllabus where you have to watch module 1 through 12 first.
A Quick Scoring System (So You Can Compare CPDs Easily)
Give each item zero to two points. Session structure provided? Troubleshooting for stuck moments? Scripts and example language? Templates and tools that reduce prep time? Designed for mixed caseload reference long-term?
Score out of 10. Anything below seven out of ten might still be interesting, but it's less likely to change your day-to-day sessions.
Why This Matters: What Counsellors Are Actually Buying
Most people think they're buying CBT knowledge. In reality, private practice counsellors are buying confidence, clarity, structure, a next step, and a way to avoid feeling stuck or incompetent.
A resource that gives you those outcomes will be used. A resource that only gives you information often won't.
A Helpful "Try This Tomorrow" Mini Plan (Free, No Purchase Needed)
If you want to make your next session more CBT-shaped without becoming rigid, do this. Set a two-item agenda. Identify one maintaining factor like avoidance, reassurance seeking, rumination, or low activity. Do one intervention such as an experiment, a behavioural activation step, problem-solving, or an exposure step. Set one tiny practice step that's scheduled and feels at least seven out of ten confidence. End with summary and feedback.
That's enough to make therapy feel more purposeful immediately.
Optional: A Free "Use-It-Tomorrow" Checklist
If you'd like, I can share a printable version of this buyer checklist plus a simple 15-minute pre-session checklist you can use before your next client.
(Insert your link here: "Download the free checklist + pre-session sheet.")