I have been very blessed throughout my life to be surrounded by strong, amazing and intelligent women who are focused on changing the world and have chosen a couple of these to be my mentor as a lactation consultant. As a 35 (almost 36 yr old) mom who already has a pretty good career as a doula, CLEC and Prenatal yogi, do I need a mentor? YES. I believe we all do and here’s why: (Or the things my mentor does for me and why she ROX!!!)
Helps me to help myself.
My mentor is not only focused on what’s best for me but how I can help myself. In all of our conversations (emails in our case) she always answers my questions and then throws the question back. “What do you think now?”, “Tell me what you ended up doing”, “What are your plans? And how are you going to make it work?” These are all questions that force me into action, to take part in my own advancement AND make me accountable to my own success.
Tells me the truth.
There have definitely been emails (I remember one in particular) where she has written back “WTF??!!” and called me on my shit. Whether it was a lack of information, not following through with plans or something that I needed to clarify (to myself or her), She will ALWAYS tell me the truth and if you know Jaye that’s just one of her amazing qualities and how she supports the people she mentors and her community. It’s why I have her as a mentor. My time with her is a safe space where I can grow and make mistakes so that when I’m out in the professional world working with families, healthcare providers or colleagues I am confident that I am representing myself in the high standards of my chosen field.
Checking in and the all-important pat on the back.
I thrive in a positive environment. When I feel like I’m doing a good job, like what I do matters and that the people around me are happy I LOVE my work, this is true for everyone who is passionate about our careers and can change daily. So when I email my mentor to check in about my plans/ goals for getting my IBCLC and possibly opening my own clinic and she emails back saying “it’s wonderful and here’s why……” it fills my cup. I can now carry on with my full course load, workshops and caring for my beloved Boo because I have an approved plan by one of the best in my field and I believe I can do it! A simple “pat on the back” from a trusted source can facilitate in 2 important things: 1. It lets me know that I’m on the right track and 2. Keeps me focused on my goals.
The two things that I would add about finding a mentor and this is true whether you are working towards your IBCLC (Board Certified Lactation Consultant) or have another path
#1. You NEED to find the best. You deserve it and can only benefit from getting advice from a senior member of your community. I read a post on twitter that said “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room” So find someone who you and your peers look up to, who is focused on making the world a better place and is active in that change, don’t settle.
#2. If you have the good fortune to have a mentor, you MUST mentor yourself one day. Maybe not now and probably not soon but it is absolutely our responsibility to give back. I think i’ll wait for Jaye to tell me when I’m ready for that step though. 🙂
For those of you who are interested and would like to find out more about my mentor, here are the links to Jaye Simpson’s websites and professional services which include mentoring, webinars and speaking engagements. I would highly recommend her webinar “Counseling LGBTQ couples – This webinar will provide insights on how to work with LGBTQ couples. Topics include but are not limited to: Sex vs Gender, Identity, Parental Labels, Bio vs Birth Parent and gender neutral language.”
Love and light friends.
Holistic Birth Community 