Mentoring and SSA

October 6, 2008

I mentioned mentoring the other day.  I am currently in the process of recruiting mentors for myself.  My therapist is really pushing me to do this.  I have always avoided this in the past, and have focused on creating good peer relationships.  I never realised that mentoring relationships would be useful.  But, now it just seems obvious.

The energy in a mentoring relationship is just different.  The mentor is the dominant one, and as such he takes more responsibility for developing the relationship, for initiating contact, and for investing in the other person.  I like the idea of someone else looking out for me, and approaching me.  It would mean a lot for me to have someone else invite me to live life, rather than me feeling like I have to fight to live on my own.

I believe the healing that I can receive from such relationships is great - it really should not be underestimated.  So, I’m going for it.  I’ve already got one mentor, and I am meeting three other men this week to discuss mentoring, and whether they could mentor me.  This is exciting, but also scarey.  My therapist said to me, “When you start getting what you deep down want, it will hurt at first.”  I might react negatively at times, I might be abivalent, it may bring up deep loss and sadness, but I will also experience joy.  Processing all of these emotions is where the healing comes.

I will keep you posted…

Posted in My Life, Theory