We cover confidentiality when we are first getting to know a client, yet often it never comes up again. It is vital we and our clients know and keep in mind our role, our limits and our mandatory reporting laws in order to help reduce risk, a competency for all mentors/coaches or professional supervisors…

We have been focusing on the benefits of rest and how our clients require time to recharge. The hope when our clients take a sabbatical or vacation is that they get a break from their daily life and can focus on rest, new experiences and personal discoveries. We hope that they will return refreshed and excited to engage with normal life again, maybe with a new perspective and new ideas…

I often return to the term “posture before words” when considering the necessary skills of a mentor, especially the ability to be a good listener. While our words are important and should be chosen carefully, our active presence as a trustworthy and safe person in someone’s life is a powerful gift. Often the best thing we can do is show up with open hearts and listen attentively to what our clients need to say…

As Mentors or Professional Supervisors, we dedicate ourselves to helping others; we are natural caretakers and genuinely want to support and aid our clients. It can be hard to admit when we find ourselves out of our depth, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of; there are some issues we don’t have the proper experience or skills to address. There are times when we need to refer our client to someone with more specialised knowledge. We should remember that our client’s well-being is a group effort; we are part of a team our client can turn to in times of need. This is a wonderful thing as it takes some of the pressure from us, and allows our client to receive the most effective care…

Every time we meet a new person, shake hands and share names, what’s the first question we are asked? More often than not, it’s “What do you do for a living?” Maybe, what we really want to ask is, “Who are you? What are your values?” but these questions are so broad, and yet so personal, that we begin with

Every experienced mentor, coach and supervisor has had to handle clients who have been dealing with abuse. It is a painful moment to recognise that the client in our care is being mistreated, whether it is something seemingly small, like a condescending and controlling boss at work, to something dangerous and severe, such as a violent partner. It is in these moments that we have to ask ourselves, what is our responsibility…

Today, we are diving into a serious and challenging subject—addressing some potentially triggering material: What should you do in the face of abuse? If this subject matter is close to home and uncomfortable to read, feel free to skip this blog and join us next week. I also encourage anyone who is feeling triggered to reach out to loved ones and professionals for support…

It’s a feeling that everyone can relate to: too many tasks to complete and too little time. There are a few things that feel more overwhelming than looking at a full calendar or a lengthy to-do list while the clock ticks away. Feeling overwhelmed can lead to stress, anxiety and sometimes even depression. If your tasks are consuming all of your focus, time and energy, burnout is a likely result…

One of the significant challenges that my mentoring/supervision clients wrestle with is work/life balance and managing the priorities of life. On one hand, we all want to provide for our families and to be great employees. The challenge is that we want to be both a hard worker and dedicate time and energy to those we love most in life. We often face conflict with how to spend our time in a way that feels meaningful, productive and true to who we are…