If you are thinking….gosh….can I even pass this Hand Therapy Certification Exam….it’s so hard. That’s because everyone and their mother has been telling you it’s hard. Then, that’s the story we tell ourselves and then it becomes harder and harder. That mountain we have to climb seems too out of our reach.
Do you know that story? About the train that could? Be like the train that could
Not the train that couldn’t…
I think I can, I know I can
I struggled with this during my early years as a therapist….and even still now 20 years later. Whatever story comes into your head in an instant…QUESTION IT.
“What stories are you telling yourself?”
What if you changed your story a little? And it’s not to lie to yourself. You can know factually that it’s a 50% pass/fail rate. But what if you told yourself a different story and asked yourself different questions?
What if you asked yourself – “what do I need to do in order to increase the likelihood that I will pass the CHT exam?” instead of asking yourself “Can I even do it?”
That latter question is so vague, your brain will give you the weakest answer. NO or I don’t know. Ask yourself that first question – “what do I need to do in order to pass the hand therapy exam to become a Certified Hand Therapist this time” – and you may be surprised with the answer you get yourself.
You might come up with a plan. You might be more motivated. You might take the steps that make it easier to believe in yourself. Littles steps forward – surmount to huge action. Look at the train that could….he creped up and up slowly and when he got over the hurdle….it was a race to the finish line.
One part of this exam in order to become a Certified Hand Therapist is about knowledge, memorizing, and applying concepts so that you can be a critical thinker, problem-solver, and decision-maker.
The second part is just as important part – your MINDSET going into this exam.
Here are some major mindset points to consider when preparing for the exam:
- Give it the respect that it deserves. Take it seriously. Prepare like you are serious about passing. Too often, when people fail – if they are HONEST with themselves, they did NOT carve out the time to prepare. Or they carved out the time, they did not FOCUS. Sitting around and “clock hours” like you are studying but not studying is useless. And an energy drainer.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. You are unique. Your experiences in life are unique. How you study and what you do exactly is unique. When you waste time and brain space thinking about how someone else got their CHT and why you “should” get yours as compared to them – you will dive into the world of self-doubt and lose your focus. Don’t compare yourself. Stay focused on yourself, and what you need to do.
- Emotions like anxiety and self-doubt are real. Test anxiety is real. Self-doubt from past failures is real. These are examples of negative thinking. These are real emotions that we need to dive into way before the exam. In the meantime, a powerful strategy is positive thinking. When you fill your brain space with gratitude or positive thinking, there is no space for negativity. If you need additional guidance with this please let me know. It’s a big deal for some and needs to be addressed before the exam.
You want to have a strong mindset going into the exam. Whether this is your first time or just another time that you are trying – give yourself a better chance of being successful. As therapists, we are always challenging our patients to get the best results possible.
They come to YOU to get the best help.
Who are you going to for help? Who is in your close circle? Who influences you?
This is why I created this community, so you can find the support you need to prepare and pass the CHT exam. Everyone hits a roadblock, sometimes, if you find yourself studying and you’ve suddenly hit a study plateau, It can be so discouraging and hard to get that motivation back.
You know you want to become a Certified Hand Therapist this YEAR. Because you have put it off way too long or just because this is your career goal.
If this sounds familiar. Don’t worry, I’ve got nine mindset strategies to help you break through your limiting beliefs and sabotage, and get moving.
It’s supernormal. I promise!
Your study plateau represents your comfort zone.
That’s why it feels so uncomfortable when you want to break through the glass ceiling. And why we often sabotage ourselves.
- It doesn’t mean that you’re not meant to be successful and keep preparing.
- It doesn’t mean that that’s you are not an amazing therapist that doesn’t care about your patients.
So here are my 9 mindset tips to kick-start your studying:
- Get Real About Your Study Schedule
- Identify Your Fears About Failing
- Identify your strengths
- Acknowledge Your Success So Far
- Set And Hold Your Boundaries
- Set a New Goal
- Take a Break
- Give Yourself Permission to NOT know everything
- Go To Work
My mission is to help Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists who want to specialize in hand therapy develop their skills, grow their confidence to be able to treat any patient that comes their way with a hand or arm injury and help them prepare and pass the Hand Therapy Exam to become Certified Hand Therapists.
The truth is everyone who studies for the CHT exam struggles with getting started, staying focused, and feeling prepared enough to pass. (whether they want to admit it or not).
Overwhelmed with all the info that you need to learn? The Hand Exam Prep Program helps OTs and PTs who are committed to becoming certified hand therapists. It is designed to keep you accountable, focused, and give you the support to pass the CHT exam!
