Most of us would admit that having some extra support as we traverse our professional path is a helpful advantage. To that end, one of the benefits of your SCV-CAMFT membership is the mentorship program.

A mentorship is a semi-formal relationship between an individual who desires support (the mentee) and a more experienced clinician (the mentor) who can provide guidance and wisdom. It is semi-formal in the sense that it has defined parameters for engagement. It has a beginning, middle, and end. It entails a commitment of time and energy over a six-month period. Participants commit to mutually agreed-upon ground rules such as confidentiality, respect, and keeping commitments. As is fitting to the profession, a mentorship can develop into a very rewarding and potentially long-lasting relationship.

Although it may provide support around the following topics, mentoring is not the provision of supervision, case consultation, or therapy. It is also not an opportunity for doing business together or engaging in a private practice internship.

In an MFT career, there are many possible opportunities to benefit from a mentorship. As a student in practicum, entering the profession can be very uncertain. During the pre-licensed period, new questions emerge, such as whether to work in an agency or in private practice, or both, how to best prepare for the exam process, and what to do once licensed.

There are other transition points where mentoring can be helpful. You may be moving from agency work to private practice (or visa versa). You may want to learn more about a particular theoretical orientation or clinical topic. Larger issues such as defining your professional identity, incorporating more creativity into the work, or working on developing your strengths can also be addressed. These topics and more provide great opportunities to learn from someone who is further along on the path.

So, what do you need to do to participate in the mentorship program? The SCV-CAMFT website includes links (under the 'Membership' tab). There are program guidelines, instuctions, and brief articles on how to make the most of your mentorship experience.

Here is how it works. Once a member selects to be a mentor (on option in your membership profile), they type in their 'mentor description.' A mentee can then review the list of mentors in the mentor directory and can select a few individuals who match their interests and goals (based on the mentors' descriptions). The mentee makes contact with potential mentors and interviews them briefly to determine a good match. Once the engagement is agreed upon, both parties sign the mentorship program engagement agreement (available from our website), and email it to the chapter, so we can keep track of participation in the program. From there, meetings are set up between the mentor and mentee, and the process is on its way.

We hope that many members will take advantage of this valuable program. Mentorships benefit both mentor and mentee. It is a powerful tool that can help to develop contacts, confidence, competence, and clarity in the MFT journey.

Catherine is an LMFT in private practice in Los Gatos. She works with adults who have experienced childhood emotional neglect. CEN is about what didn’t happen in childhood. When emotional needs for connection and acknowledgement are not met, you can be left with a deep sense of deprivation, worthlessness and shame throughout your life, which may show up as depression and anxiety in adulthood. Healing is Possible. Catherine can be reached at www.insight4growth.com.