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Mentoring and Therapeutic Relationships

Mentoring and Therapeutic Relationships. Week 6 The Mentoring Relationship Part 3: How does mentoring differ from other helping relationships?. Outline. Collect Midterm Exams One thing I learned Learn to Mentor Toolkit Differentiating Mentoring from Parenting Helping Relationships

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Mentoring and Therapeutic Relationships

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  1. Mentoring and Therapeutic Relationships Week 6 The Mentoring Relationship Part 3: How does mentoring differ from other helping relationships?

  2. Outline • Collect Midterm Exams • One thing I learned • Learn to Mentor Toolkit • Differentiating Mentoring from Parenting • Helping Relationships • The Realm of Helping Relationships • Mentoring vs. Therapy • Differences and Similarities

  3. Last Week • Topic: Empathy, sympathy, and the art of being emotionally aware • One thing you learned…

  4. Learn to Mentor Toolkit • Title: Differentiating Mentoring from Parenting • Examining some of the shared roles between mentors and parents. • Complete the module individually, and we’ll discuss it as a class.

  5. Introduction • Now that you have some knowledge about the important aspects to consider in an adult-child relationship, we can step back and look at the big picture. • Consider all the possible helping relationships that someone can have with a child.

  6. A Few… • Teacher • Physician • Mentor • Friend • Parent • Sibling/Relative • Therapist • Counselor What do they all have in common??? They all have the potential to be a positive influence in a child’s life.

  7. Helping Relationships • They all fall within the realm of potential helping relationships – that is, they all have the capacity to help a child in a number of different ways. • These relationships may have some similarities, but the manner in which they help and the focus of their efforts is typically unique.

  8. The Realm of Helping Relationships Note: This is not a comprehensive diagram, by any means.

  9. Example • Looking at TWO relationships inside the realm: Caring for the well-being of the child (Shared aspect) MENTORS TEACHERS Interested in formally assessing (e.g. grading) the child’s progress and performance. (Teachers ONLY) Not interested in labeling or grading. Instead, they are interested in working within the individual child’s current abilities, talents, and interests. (Mentors ONLY)

  10. Focus on Therapists • Why therapists? • Psychology, as a field, has adopted this type of helping relationship as THE helping relationship. • Both mentors and therapists are outsiders who are suddenly brought into a child’s life for a specific purpose (known in therapy as the referral question). • What is a therapist? • A trained mental health professional who, via mostly verbal exchanges, uses empirically supported techniques to manage and reduce the number of symptoms, problems, and stressors in the lives of their clients.

  11. Mentoring vs. Therapy • Next, we’ll discuss some of the differences and similarities between mentoring and therapy. • Feel free to add to the list, if you think of any.

  12. Similarities 1 • Both stress the importance of the relationship between the child and the adult figure. • In therapy, it’s called the therapeutic alliance. • It refers to the amount of rapport, the level of trust, and the general strength of the relationship. • Therapy outcome studies have shown that stronger alliances lead to better results for therapy clients.

  13. Similarities 2 • Both have long-term goals that are accomplished in abstract ways • Being direct or blunt may not be appropriate for a number of reasons – most notably the child’s age, developmental status, and level of resistance. • Thus, covert methods may be useful in the quest to learn more about the child and his/her situation. • Therapists often use a technique known as Play Therapy with their child clients. Through pretend play, it’s said that the child’s own feelings, cognitions, and motivations are revealed.

  14. Similarities 3 • A hierarchy/power differential exists. • The child should always perceive the adult as the expert – although the expertise might come off as authority in a therapeutic relationship. • The power differential varies greatly… • Depending on the style of the mentor or therapist • Depending on the style of the child • Depending on the length of the relationship • Problem: Is it possible to achieve a friendship with a child who sees you as an authority?

  15. Differences 1 • In mentoring (and not in therapy)… • A friendship is cultivated • Mutuality exists • There is more non-directive play, activities, discussions, etc. • Interactions take place mostly in non-formal settings • Mentors volunteer their time

  16. For Next Week • Topic: Dealing with difficult kids • Reading: To be distributed

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