How Mentoring Helps the Recovery Process

Did you know that January is set aside as National Mentor Month? It’s a season in which we’re all encouraged to reflect on the good things that come from nurturing, one-on-one relationships. And while mentorship can have a positive impact on many areas of our lives, our interest is in how it benefits those on the road to recovery.

Certainly, WestBridge has long recognized the importance of mentorship as a way to offer structure—and impart crucial skillsets—to those in the recovery process. While recovery ultimately comes down to the individual—it’s important to be proactive in choosing recovery, and no one else can make that choice for you—mentors can offer individual attention and care; affirmation and encouragement; and, most significantly, key life skills needed to move on, move forward, and cope with the daily challenges life in recovery brings.

A big part of recovery is developing the strategies needed to address new stressors, the things that might trigger hardship or even relapse. These life strategies might look different from one individual to another, and so a blanket approach to them is seldom effective. The one-on-one nature of a mentorship-based relationship, however, allows individuals to receive customized guidance and support as they seek to implement their personal strategies.

Mentorship also brings with it a sense of accountability. Anyone who has ever made a New Year’s resolution knows that accountability is critical. Saying you’re going to do something, without anyone there to follow up or double check, often leads to lapses. But with a mentor, you can actually enjoy the benefits of having someone there to gently nudge you and keep you to your promises.

Mentoring someone in recovery is not necessarily an easy job—but it does make a big difference. We salute these selfless men and women during National Mentor Month.

Has mentoring made a difference in your recovery? Tell us about it, over on Facebook!