Mentoring
Alessa
asks: "Is there any sort of mentoring program for pre-licensed
members?"
Great
question! Well the simple answer is yes. There are several options available
for mentoring. We will review a few professional mentor programs, options for
locating a mentor on your own, and hiring a coach or consultant to meet your
needs.
First, professional
organizations can be a great resource in finding a mentoring relationship. Both
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapist (CAMFT) and American
Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) have mentoring programs.
CAMFT has compiled a list of the contact information of licensed individuals
who have volunteered to provide mentoring. Pre-licensed CAMFT members have
access to this information when they log in to the members only section of the
CAMFT website. The program is free for mentees, and upaid for mentors, and
mentors and mentees are responsible for interviewing one another to find the
right fit and to define the relationship. Larger areas are likely to have 2 or
3 options, but smaller cities often have no mentors listed.
AAMFT
provides another, more informal option. Their forum provides a space where
prospective mentors or mentees can post a request for a mentoring relationship.
The benefits are that the postings are more free-form so people can make
special requests and provide information about specialties. However, unlike
CAMFT, these postings are not in a private forum, and to date, there are no
postings from either mentors or mentees.
You can also
commit to locating a mentor yourself. Through your interactions at local
professional network meetings like your local CAMFT chapter, NASW meeting, or
other professional meeting you can begin to scout for professionals that may
meet your needs. You can also contact professionals that appear to be a good
fit through the phonebook, online search engines, or any other avenue.
Another
option is to use coaching or consultation to fulfill you mentorship needs. Of
course, this means paying someone to provide you with the functions of the
mentor. Why would you ever do that? There are many reasons you might choose a
paid relationship. You may not find any suitable mentors in your area. You may
have specific needs that available mentors cannot fill. Or, your goals may be
better suited to a coach or consultant that has specialized skills and
expertise. In addition, having a business relationship can sometimes give
interns a greater sense of control and empowerment to use the relationship in a
way that is most beneficial for them. There is no worry of stepping over the
lines of a volunteer mentor relationship.
Whatever your
situation is, I encourage you to consider a mentoring relationship of some
sort. No one ever said you had to become a successful professional all on your
own! Want to learn more about building a relationship with a potential mentor
or area professional? Tune in next time for Learning to network: Hooking your
mentor and other professionals.
Want to learn
more about mentoring? Check out my website by clicking here. I link to the CAMFT mentor
pamphlet, and the AAMFT forums. Or feel free to send me
additional questions about mentoring.
By Miranda Palmer, MFT As published in March Interns Matter! Newsletter