Mentoring Programme
Do you ever feel unsure about an aspect of your practice, unclear about how to proceed in a certain situation, unsure about how to work with something that has come up for a client?
Ever want to talk things through with someone, maybe set new goals, focus your practice aims?
Well, we now have a new way to support you and your CST training, via our new Mentoring Programme and, specifically, our 1:1 Mentors.
This programme allows you to record the hours you spend doing certain skill-building activities and gain recognition for them. The activities include receiving treatments, going to study groups and participating in 1:1 mentorship.
What do you get from it?
Many of us have asked questions of our teachers, study group leaders and colleagues, and asked for the support we needed, and this will not change, but Upledger Institute International felt it was time to develop a way of recording and acknowledging this training beyond the classes so that practitioners can gain recognition for it.
On the International IAHP website they outline the courses we have done with ‘dots’. Participation in this programme allows the skill-building activities to count for something more, so that when you complete 24 hours worth of activities, as outlined in the mentoring programme below, you get an extra dot!
Plus you get all the advantages of having participated in the activities in the programme of course!
How do I get my hours?
You need 24 hours in total of various types of mentoring to achieve your ‘dot credit’. You will need six hours of each of the following three categories of mentoring, and six more from any of them.
Category A: Treatment
Receiving treatment from a qualified Upledger CST practitioner (CST or CST-D), where each session counts as one hour.
Category B: Small or large group support
This includes study groups, virtual study groups, conferences or symposium, clinical applications classes or other small or larger group learning settings (as long as they are presented by UI endorsed / affiliated people).
You can count one hour of this category for each study group or virtual study group that you attend (typically the groups themselves would last 2-6 hours).
You can count 2 hours per day for attending a symposium, such as Beyond the Dura or Rhythm & Resonance.
You can count 6 hours for a clinical applications class.
You can count 1.5 hours per day of for acting as a therapist in a UII endorsed Intensive Therapy program.
Category C: 1:1 Mentoring
| UK Qualified Mentors | |
|---|---|
| Caroline Barrow | mail@upledger.co.uk |
| Lindsay Coker-Davies | cokerdavies@yahoo.co.uk |
| Marina Farrington | farringtonmarina |
| Fiona Gilbraith | fionagilbraith@gmail.com |
| Maggie Gill | mgcranio@yahoo.co.uk |
| Joe Gore | osteojoe1@yahoo.co.uk |
| Rachel Harrison | rharrison130@btinternet.com |
| Janet Hiller | janethiller2@gmail.com |
| Nikki Kenward | nikki.cranio@gmail.com |
| Francesca McCluskie | fmccluskie@yahoo.com |
| Caro O’Neill | carooneillcst@googlemail.com |
| In other countries: Eric Moya Susi Steiner |
(eric@ericmoya.com steinerotrl@gmail.com |
This can be done in person or it can be online (eg via skype) and must be with an approved mentor. All the hours do not have to be with the same mentor. Your professional needs and learning requirements are the priority and focus of the sessions.
Our current UK approved mentors are listed here, as are some of those in the US who may be known to us in the UK. There are also a few more to be added soon as they complete remaining requirements.
For a full list of International approved mentors please go to http://shop.iahe.com/Workshops/Mentors-CS-WEB
So how do I become a mentee?
It’s simple!
1. You can sign up to join the mentoring programme here. There is a £25 administrative charge that will cover what we and Eric do once we receive a completed form to carry out the necessary processes to get your work the ‘dot credit’ it deserves!
2. Download your Mentoring Tracking Form here.
3. You participate in the mentoring programme activities as shown above and get the appropriate person to sign the Mentorship Tracking Form.
Once it is all complete, send it (hard copy or scan) into the office.
A good thing to be aware of: The Mentoring Programme’s Mission
(I quote from Eric Moya:)
‘The core mission of the IAHE Clinical mentorship program is to help elevate the manual therapy profession by training and supporting practitioners to help other practitioners grow and develop professionally. The program is committed to fostering collegial and professional training/support programs for both mentees and mentors, as well as working collaboratively with modality leaders to ensure good standards of modality oversight as well as mentorship oversight.’
Frequently asked questions (adapted from the upledger.com site)
1. How much will it cost?
There is a small admin fee (£25+VAT) to process completed tracking forms.
The costs for treatments varies depending on therapists location and set up.
The cost for study groups or other small or large group meetings will vary. All our scheduled UK study groups are listed on this page: STUDY GROUP PAGE
The cost for the 1:1 mentorship will be £50 an hour. We have decided as a group in the UK that we want to have a standard fee for this whoever you choose to work with.
2. Do I have to have reached a certain level before I can join the programme?
It is useful and supportive to your practice to go over the work learned at any time. However, it is good to put the time in yourself after new classes, both treating and reviewing the material first.
3. Will mentorship help me towards certification?
Both the mentorship program and the Techniques and DIplomate Certification program are designed to help you refine and be recognized in your skills as a CST practitioner. Although the mentorship program is more focused on helping you become a better practitioner and the certification program is more focused on helping you be recognized as a skilled practitioner, it is assumed that the end goals are complementary.
Many people will work with a mentor in preparing for the certification process. If that is specifically the case for you, you might choose a mentor who is also an examiner for the certification process.
4. What does 1:1 mentorship look like?
1:1 mentorship looks different depending on your learning needs and goals. It might look like reviewing and practicing the techniques. It could look like tracking and having discussions about clients you are seeing in your own practice. It could look like co-treating with the mentor on one of your clients or one of theirs. There are many, many types of arrangements possible with 1:1 mentorship.
Part of the additional training your mentor has undergone has been to learn about different mentorship arrangements and when one type of mentorship might be more appropriate than another. When you schedule a 1:1 mentorship session, your mentor will work with you to establish your learning needs and goals and then make a recommendation on how best to meet those needs. Almost everything in the mentorship arrangement is about a supportive and collaborative discussion process between you and your mentor.
5. What can I do if there are no mentors in my area?
One of the beautiful things about the era we live in is the connectivity available to us. All of the Category B and C mentorship options are available in virtual formats. It is very possible for you to accrue the vast majority of your mentorship hours with a mentor who lives any distance from you and yet still have confidence in knowing that you are receiving a very high quality of mentorship from one of our certified mentors. Of course there may be some need to travel for treatments or 1:1 mentorship if you live more remotely.
6. Can I receive credit for mentoring I've received in the past?
If you have already been receiving mentoring, congratulations for being active in your own growth! As the program kicks off, we want to be able to support the work you”ve already done! The program officially began on 1 May 2014. You may count experiences from then.
7. Will a mentor teach me new material?
A mentor does not replace actually attending courses. Although the mentor might very well teach you things, the mentor won’t teach you techniques which are presented in courses that you have not yet attended. Reviewing techniques (and their applications) which you have already learned on IAHE courses may very much be part of your mentorship session.
8. Do mentors receive mentorship?
Yes! In order to even become a mentor, mentors have had to demonstrate a strong value in the process of mentorship in their career. Additionally, part of the mentor certification process includes regular contact with the ombudsperson of the mentorship program to ensure quality and consistency of mentorship
9. Can I become a mentor?
You can become a mentor. For a full list of requirements to be a mentor see this document. There are also ongoing requirements to maintain certified mentor status explained in this.
If you can tick the appropriate boxes and would like an application form to begin the process, please email the UK office at mail@upledger.co.uk or the programme coordinator@ericmoya.com.
Mentor program elements and criteria are subject to change. However, we feel we are off to an exciting and supportive start!