FAQ’s
WELCOME TO THE FAQ
Here Is The Most Frequently Asked Questions.
About Mentoring
Mentoring is a relational process that bridges the gap between therapy and everyday life. A mentor meets clients in real-world contexts—whether hiking a trail, grabbing coffee, or working through practical tasks—while also holding space for emotional growth and self-discovery. Mentors provide accountability, encouragement, and honest reflection, helping clients build life skills, confidence, and direction.
Therapists focus on clinical treatment, diagnosis, and healing past wounds. Mentors focus on applying growth in day-to-day life—building structure, practicing new habits, and learning to navigate relationships. Many clients find mentoring complements therapy: what is explored in a therapy session can be practiced and embodied with a mentor in real situations. For some clients, mentoring can stand alone; for others, it’s most effective alongside therapy, psychiatry, or school support.
We combine professional mentoring skills with a deeply relational approach. Our model is built on the 7 Stages of Mentoring, which guide both clients and mentors through a clear developmental process—from setting intention to building connection, taking action, reflecting, and eventually stepping into service and mastery. A Noble Mentor is not a distant guide offering advice they do not practice themselves. The foundation of our work is that each mentor is actively engaged in their own self-development, and it is from this lived experience that they offer service to their clients. This creates a relationship that is authentic, embodied, and grounded in shared growth rather than detached instruction. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, Noble Mentors brings together a network of resources that support the whole system—clients, families, and community. These include parent coaching, family systems support, life skills groups, Authentic Relating circles, community-building opportunities, retreats and rites of passage, and ongoing trainings that strengthen both clients, mentors, and the larger Noble Mentoring community.
We serve teens, young adults, and anyone who could benefit from a more practical and relational approach to growth. Our clients include boys, girls, men, women, and individuals across the LGBTQ+ community. Some are navigating school transitions, work readiness, or the challenges of becoming independent; others are working through struggles with anxiety, depression, executive functioning, or avoidance patterns such as technology and
substance use. In addition to direct work with clients, we support parents through coaching and family systems work—helping families shift unhelpful patterns, set healthy boundaries, and foster stronger relationships at home.
Mentoring is well-suited for young people who need more than advice but may not need—or may already be receiving—formal therapy. It provides a practical and relational way to navigate life’s challenges while building confidence and resilience. Common areas of focus include: Anxiety, depression, or lack of motivation Technology, gaming, substance use, or other avoidance patterns Life skills (time management, routines, organization, executive functioning) Building confidence, resilience, and social skills Transitions into independence (school, work, moving out, adulthood) Exploring values, vision, and purpose Relationship struggles with family, peers, or partners Identity, self-esteem, and questions of belonging Developing healthy habits around money, health, and daily structure Mentoring is not a replacement for crisis intervention or intensive clinical treatment. Instead, it’s the bridge that helps clients apply growth and learning to their everyday lives.
The Mentoring Process
Every mentoring relationship begins with a free 30-minute intake call. During this call, we listen to the client’s story (often through the parents first), gather context, and clarify goals. From there, we consider personality, needs, and life experience to match the client with the mentor best suited to them. Because connection is essential, we prioritize fit—sometimes this means starting with one mentor and, if needed, adjusting to ensure the relationship feels natural and supportive.
Most clients meet with their mentor once or twice a week, though frequency can be adjusted depending on needs and goals. Sessions last around 90 minutes and may take place in a variety of settings—on a hike, at a coffee shop, in a gym, or online. Between sessions, mentors stay in touch through texts or brief calls, providing encouragement, accountability, and support as clients practice what they are working on.
Mentoring takes the growth process out of the office and into the world. A session might look like a walk in nature, a conversation at a café, working on life skills such as budgeting or job applications, or attending a community event together. The goal is to meet clients in real-life situations where growth can be practiced directly. Sessions blend practical coaching with relational presence—listening deeply, reflecting honestly, and encouraging values-driven action.
Yes, mentoring can be done virtually. Many clients appreciate the accessibility of Zoom sessions, while others thrive most in person. We also use a hybrid model—meeting face-to-face when possible and continuing momentum online when distance or scheduling makes that easier. The relational quality of mentoring translates well to both formats.
There is no one set timeline. Some clients work with a mentor for a few months around a specific transition; others continue for a year or longer as they move through multiple stages of growth. Mentoring is designed to be flexible: it lasts as long as the client is actively benefiting, building independence, and moving toward their vision.
Resistance is common at the beginning. Many young people don’t want “another adult telling them what to do.” Our mentors specialize in building authentic connection first, focusing less on fixing problems and more on earning trust. Once a relationship is established, resistance usually softens as clients discover that mentoring is a space where they are respected, supported, and given more ownership of their own process. Additionally, if a client is not yet ready to engage in mentoring, we can still support the family system. Through parent coaching and boundary-setting, we help create the expectations and natural consequences that make mentoring not only more accessible, but also more desirable when the
client recognizes the need for support.
The relationship matters more than anything. If it doesn’t feel like a good fit, we will reassess and connect the client with another mentor in our network. Finding the right relational chemistry ensures the mentoring journey is fruitful and sustainable.
Parents and Families
Parents are an important part of the mentoring journey. In the early stages, parents are included in the intake call and in shaping goals for the mentoring relationship. As the client builds trust with their mentor, the focus shifts toward supporting the client’s independence while still keeping parents in the loop through regular updates. We also help parents adjust their own role—moving from managing details to setting boundaries and offering guidance—so the family system evolves alongside the client.
Yes. Many parents choose to engage in parent coaching alongside their child’s mentoring. Parent coaching provides tools to shift patterns of dependency, communicate more effectively, and establish healthy expectations and boundaries. This work helps parents support their child’s growth without falling into cycles of micromanagement or conflict. In many cases, parent coaching is just as transformative as the direct mentoring work with the client.
Confidentiality is essential for building trust. What a client shares with their mentor stays private, with the exception of safety concerns or situations that require immediate attention. At the same time, we value the parent’s role in the process. Mentors provide regular updates on progress, themes, and goals without disclosing private details that would break trust. This balance allows clients to feel safe opening up, while parents remain informed and supported in their role.
Mentors and Approach
Noble Mentors are carefully selected for both professional training and lived experience. Many have backgrounds in psychology, coaching, education, or youth development, and a number of our mentors are therapists-in-training—graduate students actively pursuing their master’s degrees in counseling. All mentors are trained in the 7 Stages of Mentoring model and receive ongoing supervision and support. Our mentors draw from a wide range of approaches, including mindfulness practices, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, somatic awareness, and Authentic Relating. Just as importantly, every mentor is deeply engaged in their own self-development—living the practices they offer. This combination of professional skill, clinical training, and personal integrity
creates a grounded, authentic mentoring relationship.
Yes. Many of our clients are already connected with therapists, psychiatrists, doctors, or academic supports. With client and parent consent, we collaborate closely with these providers to ensure aligned care. Mentoring often functions as the bridge—helping clients practice in daily life what they are working on in therapy or other settings. We also share observations and feedback with care teams so that everyone supporting the client is moving in the same direction.
Practical Details
Our billing is customizable and tailored to the needs of each client. Based on our initial consultation, we’ll recommend a structure for getting started, which can be adjusted over time as needs change. Rates vary depending on the mentor’s training and experience, ranging between $100–$150 per hour. Parent coaching sessions are billed separately. Billing is generally done at the end of each month, and we accept a wide range of payment methods. We also provide clear policies around cancellations, missed sessions, and communication so families know exactly what to expect.
We do not currently accept insurance, but we are in the process of becoming able to accept insurance for some of our services. Your growth is more important to us than our bottom line, so if finances are tight we offer sliding scale options to keep this work accessible. Give us a call and we can work out the details.
Getting started is simple:
- Free Intake Call – You (and/or your child) meet with our team to share more about your current needs, and we’ll explain how mentoring works. This is an honest conversation to determine whether Noble Mentoring is the right fit.
- Matching with a Mentor – Once we have a sense of the client’s needs, we pair them with a mentor based on personality, experience, and relational chemistry.
- Meet & Greet Session – The client meets with the mentor to get a feel for the connection. Most of the time one meeting is enough, and sometimes it takes a couple to find the right match.
- Create a Plan – Together, we outline session frequency, focus areas, and any additional support such as parent coaching or family systems work.
- Begin Mentoring – Sessions begin in real-world contexts, with mentors staying in touch to provide continuity, accountability, and relational support along the way.
