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November 9, 2007

Say "Thank You" To Your Mentor

I've continued plow through the build up of professional publications on my desk in an effort to implement the paper reduction act of 2007. Just when I get down to the bottom two or three on the stack, a new wave of publications comes in through the mail.

Massage and Bodywork Magazine's latest issue looks back over the 20 years that they have been publishing about the industry. One article resonated with me called The Student-Teacher Connection. They describe the transcendence of the teacher to mentor in the following way:

"I am, in effect, allowing them to take my job. . . . If I'm teaching you the skills in such a deep way that when it's my time to move over, there's someone there who truly knows and understands how to do this, the I've moved into a mentoring role."

As we learn how to be in relationship with one another in a way that supports all life, we perceive less threats and see through dichotomies. At this stage, we move into a relationship of equality, or "peership" as Buck says, where we value the other, not as a someone separate or threatening, but as ourselves. . . . To have such boundaries blur, however, requires deep initial respect for boundaries and limits, then a dropping of them to open to something limitless.

When I was a new massage therapist, I cold-called a therapist in the phone book because they had an AMTA logo in their ad. Little did I know that therapist would become my mentor. Without knowing me, she opened her office on an as needed basis so that I could practice massage while I searched for a permanent location. After a few years, we eventually shared office space. She has exhibited only strength and selfless commitment to helping the profession of massage therapy. Proudly, our local community voted her the best massage therapist of the year. She also has shouldered the burden of teaching the new massage curriculum at our local community college. And while we remain close, she has taken to mentoring two other massage therapists with the intention to expand her office space to include them. My mentor is walking a hard road in one of her personal relationships right now. I wish that there was more I could do to support her in her time of need.

So, if you have a mentor, or a favorite teacher, call them up and tell them how much you appreciate them. They took the time to help you; it takes almost no time to say thanks.

tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health

Posted by linda at November 9, 2007 7:12 AM