A New Kind of Superhero

What is more powerful than a super hero who swoops in and takes a child away from an unfortunate life circumstance? Someone who joins them in their misfortune and provides support, hope and skills to manage their own life. 

Mattie’s name means, ‘powerful and mighty in battle,’ and that’s what her Great Life mentor taught her to be. 

At the age of ten, this sweet girl was experiencing Adjustment Disorder: a stress-related condition that affects how she feels and thinks about herself and the world around her. 

Adjustment disorders can derive from any number of life changes. Most of the time, people adjust to the changes within a few months. But if you have an adjustment disorder, you continue to have emotional or behavioral reactions that can contribute to feeling anxious or depressed (Mayo Clinic).

Mattie’s stressors were ongoing, and she was anxious as a result. Her mental health therapist thought she needed a supportive, stable adult in her life, so she referred her to Great Life Mentoring. 

Great life Mentoring is a Research-Based mental health intervention that utilizes trained community volunteers to enhance the lives of children facing adversity. The organization trains the mentors to be effective supplemental attachment figures that enhance the youth’s social-emotional development. 

Due to the issues her parent struggled with, Mattie’s life was unstable. They were at times homeless, or ‘couch-surfing,’ moving every couple of months. Eventually they found home in a shed that had heat, and the use of a bathroom at a neighboring home. It was a very small room for her family to live, sleep and breathe in. 

Mattie and her new mentor connected warmly. The mentor, Deb, noticed that when they were together, Mattie seemed happy, talkative and quick to learn and have fun. They talked easily together, and their days were filled with hope. 

Because Mattie is a creative person who says she wants to be an artist when she grows up, Deb made a way for them to do creative art projects in their time together each week. The program even found a donor who provided art supplies that helped Mattie cope in the small space she called home. Every week Mattie looked forward to time with Deb, and she typically called or texted a couple of times before their outing, just to say she was excited to see her mentor. 

There were times when Mattie would share about how the people around her were overwhelming to her. She felt the instability and emotionally unavailable nature of her family deeply. This child experienced what felt like an insurmountable amount of instability and negativity, but over time, she began to heal. She had the ongoing support of a therapist, and the gentle presence of a Great Life mentor who was a secure base to circle back to every week—and that made the difference. 

Great Life mentors are a stabilizing force in a child’s life. Their presence assures the child, ‘you don't have to tough it out on your own.’ In Mattie’s case, it helped her to grow into her own name, and become powerful and mighty.

To volunteer as a mentor, contact Great Life Mentoring. We will train and support you to be a successful mentor to a child facing adversity. 

Volunteer in Vancouver WA or volunteer in Portland OR now. Other locations coming soon.