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Health & Fitness

Youth mentoring and coaching

• Tell me about your business CT Youth Mentoring and Coaching? I help teenage boys figure out their lives, helping them decide the life they want through mentoring and coaching strategies. I mentor and coach them through challenges they might be having and will guide them to their desired outcome. • Why is mentoring important? Mentoring is important for anyone at any age really. I think it’s especially important for teenagers because there are times during adolescents where a teenager might not want to share feelings with their parents. So it’s important for the teen to feel comfortable with another person to help guide them through challenging times, or just acting as a role model. I also think even two competent parents will be challenged by their teenager and why a community of people is needed to raise a teenager. • Why is mentoring important for adolescent males? Again, I think a mentor is important for anyone at any age. I really enjoy working with adolescent males because I can relate to them and they can relate to me. And that is important for creating a relationship with my clients. I’ve been through a lot of experiences my clients have as a young person. I think a lot of male teenagers need more positive role models. I work with a lot of mothers who are divorced or single and the father is absent. I think it is very important for a young person to have a positive male role model or more than one role model. Someone they can look up to and ask questions, acting as a map to manhood, to talk about things they would only to another man. I think all men have looked for another man to look up to, to follow, to feel comfortable around without any of the stigma our culture or the media has created about manhood. • What are some challenges you see teenagers going through? I see a lot of teenagers stressed out by school, getting good grades, pressure from parents and only seeing one way to be successful in life which is only going to college. I see them more focused on doing what other people want instead of becoming self-aware, or finding their spark, the passions they really want to pursue. And sometimes they don’t realize there are other avenues for being happy and successful in life until I talk with them. • What are some ways you help your clients? Some of the simplest strategies go a long way with the teenagers I work with. Sometimes all they need is for someone to listen to them, someone to be present with them. I provide motivation and guidance on challenges such as stress, school, effectively communicating with parents, and helping them find their passions and creating their own identity. And this is all done by creating dialogue with the teenager. It’s very effective and challenges the thoughts and actions of clients. • How do parents know if their teenager needs a mentor? Parents can be brave and simply ask. “are you interested in talking with another person”. Because it is important for the teenager to want me there and not feel invaded. Parents should understand a community of people is best to help raise a teenager. A mentor and coach will be beneficial. If some behaviors are too challenging or parents have questions, they should definitely call a qualified mentor and coach.

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