Beginning your Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) or Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) training is exciting — and completely overwhelming. You’re stepping into a new professional world filled with acronyms, clinical jargon and models that make you wonder if everyone else got the manual before you.
You’re not alone. Every EMHP and CWP who’s gone before you has felt exactly the same.
This post brings together honest, peer-to-peer advice gathered from trainees, forums, and real experiences to help you feel grounded as you navigate the early months of your EMHP or CWP course.
1. Start Your Portfolio Now — Not Later
This is the single most common piece of advice trainees share.
It’s tempting to wait until you feel ready to start your EMHP portfolio, but that day never really comes. (Let’s be honest — it’s not the most thrilling part of the course.)
Start now. Open the template. Write something — anything. Note down what you learned in your first lecture, or a reflection from supervision. Those drafts will save you later when deadlines appear out of nowhere.
Tip: Keep it simple — what happened, what you learned, what you’d do differently. It doesn’t have to sound perfect; it just has to exist for now!
2. Expect to Feel Overwhelmed (and Know That It’s Normal)
Everyone feels it. The pace is fast, the expectations are high, and you’re learning while doing the job.
There will be days when you question your competence or wonder whether you’ve made a huge mistake. That doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’re learning.
Try this reframe: You’re not behind — you’re becoming.
When it all feels too much, just do the next small task: one reflection, one email, one note. That’s enough for today.
3. Imposter Syndrome: Comes Free With the Course
At some point, you’ll look around and think everyone else is coping better. They’re not.
Every trainee worries that their reflections aren’t deep enough, their interventions aren’t “CBT enough,” or that their brain just doesn’t work fast enough for the theory lectures.
Here’s the truth: imposter feelings don’t mean you’re out of your depth — they mean you care. They’re a sign of growth, not failure.
And a confession: even experienced therapists still feel them at times; they’ve just learned not to take them so seriously.
4. Build Relationships Early — Especially if You’re School-Based
If you’re based in a school, the first few weeks matter. Teachers are often stretched thin, but they’re your best allies.
- Introduce yourself early, even if it feels awkward.
- Learn who handles pastoral care and SEN coordination.
- Be visible — pop into the staffroom, attend assemblies if you can.
When teachers know you, they’ll trust you — and that trust makes your work easier, smoother, and more impactful for the young people you support.
5. Don’t Compare Your Progress to Others’
No two placements are the same. Some trainees see clients in week two; others wait a month. Some services move at lightning speed, others take a gentler approach.
If you see someone posting about “already finishing their first intervention,” take it as encouragement — not competition.
Your progress isn’t a race; it’s a process. Focus on what you’re learning, not how quickly you’re ticking boxes.
6. When Things Don’t Go to Plan — Practise What You Preach
There will be moments in training when things don’t go to plan — and not because you’ve done anything wrong.
Maybe the referrals aren’t suitable for your recording. Maybe your client cancels the session you were meant to tape. Maybe you’re still waiting for a case that fits your learning outcomes.
You’ll spend the year teaching young people to problem-solve and focus on what’s within their circle of control. You’ll need to do the same.
Ask yourself:
- What can I actually influence here?
- Who can I speak to for support or clarity?
- What small action can I take today to move this forward?
Sometimes the answer is practical — a quick conversation with your supervisor or course lead. Sometimes it’s giving yourself permission to pause and not spiral into “I’m failing.”
The goal isn’t to stay calm all the time; it’s to keep moving when things feel uncertain. That’s real CBT in action!
7. Enjoy It While You’re In It
It might not feel like it at times, but you’ll probably look back on your training year and miss parts of it.
The train rides to university that gave you a change of scenery. Lunches that didn’t involve rushing back to a caseload. Even a full day away from service pressures — no inbox, no managers, just space to think and learn.
When you move into full-time work, you’ll notice the difference — fewer protected learning spaces, less time to reflect, and more responsibility.
So try to enjoy it while you’re in it. It might seem impossible to imagine that you’ll ever miss a year filled with deadlines, reflective logs, and PowerPoint fatigue — but trust us, many people actually do.
Final Thoughts
This next chapter will ask a lot from you.
You won’t know everything at the start (no one does), but you don’t need to. What matters is the attitude you bring — curiosity, kindness, and the willingness to try.
There will be moments of doubt, excitement, and everything in between. When that happens, remind yourself: this is the beginning of something meaningful.
So take a breath, trust the process, and hold on to why you wanted to do this in the first place. You’re about to make a difference — and that’s something to feel proud of already.