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MentorCONNECT's Weekly Mentoring Moment
A Chance to Build New Skills for Mentoring Matchups
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June 29, 2009
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| Welcome to this month's Good News!
Keep your great questions coming...and be sure to check out
Shannon's brand new article about the power of mentoring and our
exciting upcoming event with Thom Rutledge on July 8th!
Also,
for those of you who need a refresher on how to log in and participate
for our Monday night e-support group meeting, you can find those
instructions below.
Hope you enjoy this week's edition of the Mentoring Moment!
Shannon, Kimberly, Jeanette, Andrea & Lynn
(your MC Leadership Team)
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Help Spread the Word about Mentoring!
Mentoring. Suddenly the word is everywhere. And now Shannon's new article about the power of mentoring
is in one of the most widely-read online resources, the renowned
Huffington Post. Help spread the word about mentoring by reading and
commenting on the article, then sending the link to your contact
network!
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RSVP NOW! "TALKING BACK TO ED" with your host, Thom Rutledge
Join Thom LIVE via Teleconference: July 8, 8pm CST
 EMAIL US to CONFIRM your attendance!
FREE to all MentorCONNECT members, the MC Teleconference Series kicks of with none other than Thom Rutledge,
speaker/trainer, psychotherapist, best-selling author of "Embracing
Fear" and co-author (with Jenni Schaefer) of "Life Without Ed".
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow!
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Mentoring "Thought for the Week"
Don't bite off more than you can chew.
Mentoring
someone who is newer to the recovery process can be an incredibly
fulfilling way to strengthen in your own recovery even as you give back
to others who need hope.
But it can also be incredibly draining.
It
may not have been so long ago that you were standing in your mentee's
shoes. You can still remember how much support you needed on a
daily...even hourly....basis.
Some mentees may only need
occasional support. Other mentees may want to talk several times a day.
Only you can gauge and monitor what time you have available to give,
and what amount of time may max you out and leave you vulnerable to
stress and relapse.
So start slow. Start small. Start with one
mentee. Keep your enthusiasm focused and in check. Take it one day at a
time. Deal with and learn from each moment before moving on to the next.
Even
as you begin to serve others, continue to learn to serve yourself well,
pace yourself, and give only what you can truly commit to.
In this way, and only in this way, everyone wins.
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Q: My mentor and I have been working together,
but it just isn't working out well. I don't know why. We seem to argue
instead of connecting around important issues, and I am not sure
mentoring is for me. What should I do?
A: Mentoring is not an exact science. First and foremost, it is a
relationship, and like any relationship, there must be a certain
"chemistry" that will indicate it is a good fit. But it is also this
very aspect that makes mentoring such an invaluable part of the
recovery process! Building healthy, proactive, open and honest
communication and relationship skills is critical to sustaining
recovery. Even when the partnership between you and your mentor is not
ideal, it still offers you a safe space.....to read the MC Leadership Team's full answer, click HERE
To submit your question click HERE. We answer each question in the order it was received.
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PLEASE READ: How to Log In to the Monday Night E-Support Group
 Each Monday night we offer a free moderated live e-support group at 8pm CST.
The support group takes place using the "chat" feature on the MentorCONNECT Community Forums.
If you plan to join in, it is highly recommended that you practice logging in at least one day prior to the next scheduled meeting.
For refresher instructions for logging in to the chat, click HERE
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The Healing Power of Art Group
 Art, music, poetry, creative writing...we reclaim our lives from ED bit
by bit as we unleash the creative soul within us.
This group is a place
where we can celebrate our artistic selves and share our art and
creative pursuits with each other.
Visit this Forums group HERE
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Helpful To-Do Ideas for Mentoring Teams
It's hard to get to where you are going if you don't know where you are going, or why you want to get there.
This
is why it is important to create a "Statement of Intent to Recover"*
that gives you and your mentor or mentee something to work towards
together.
A Statement of Intent is a written reminder of your intention to choose your LIFE over your eating disorder.
Your
Statement of Intent should reflect not only your intention to recover,
but also your "key to life" - the reason why achieving recovery is so
important!
Want to share an activity or idea that has worked well for you? EMAIL us!
*for a template of a Statement of Intent, re-read "The Key to Life" in Section Two of Beating Ana
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MentorCONNECT is grateful for the support of its Sponsoring Care Partners:
Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating Disorders
Tapestry: A Residential Treatment Center for Women with Eating Disorders
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NOTE: Participation in MentorCONNECT
is NOT meant to replace the supervision and care of a qualified medical
professional, and should never be construed as such. Shannon Cutts, the
MentorCONNECT Leadership Team and Key to Life
can NOT be held liable for any activities undertaken as a part or
result of receiving or participating in these online communities. If
you have a medical question, please consult your healthcare
professional.
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