Filling the Void
Great Life Mentoring (GLM) has made dozens of matches during the pandemic, and each one has a unique and important story. This is Molly and Morgan’s story.
Morgan was very isolated and struggling with anxiety and depression. It wasn’t about the pandemic, but her life in general. One parent battled addiction and was not someone Morgan could count on, and the other she did not know. Empty promises, lies and disappointment were the norm. Morgan lived in an alternative housing situation, and her therapist thought a Great Life mentor might be helpful.
Molly, a single woman, was needing some joy in her life and pursued mentoring to fill her own void. She had a lot to give and thought together they could each benefit.
When they met, Morgan was not accustomed to speaking to people and didn’t make eye contact. This new situation was hard for her, but Molly’s gentle grace helped. Knowing they both enjoyed being creative, Molly always had art supplies on hand. They could sit quietly and draw. But, it wasn’t long before things became much more comfortable.
Molly’s dependability was something new to her friend, and it helped Morgan grow to trust her. Every week, Molly showed up as planned and provided consistency. Together they explored their creative side while building a reliable bond.
Just a couple of months into mentoring, a caretaker reached out to say they were seeing positive changes and felt happy that Morgan had Molly in her life. Morgan was doing well in her school environment and was more light-hearted in general.
Molly and Morgan loved spending time together. After just a few months, they realized they had gone from being quiet to very chatty and laughing a lot every week. Things stayed like that for quite a while.
As the one-year mark approached, Molly decided she wanted to extend her commitment. She hadn’t yet told her friend when we heard from the therapist. The mental health therapist reported that Morgan had been crying during treatment, and was anxious at the possibility of losing her mentor. Although Great Life Mentoring requires a one-year commitment from mentors, around three-fourths of its mentors choose to extend beyond the first year. This has allowed GLM to maintain an astounding 98% mentor retention rate (compared to the national average of 45%).
Morgan was so relieved to hear their mentorship would not be ending. She said, “Molly is kind, generous and sincere, and these things are important to me. I really need someone like that.”
It was after this turning point that Morgan began to truly trust her mentor. She grew in confidence, realizing their relationship was mutual; They both wanted it to continue. Soon after, Morgan’s time in therapy was reduced due to her “substantial improvement.”
“We are not the survival of the fittest. We are the survival of the nurtured." —Louis Cozolino