Frequently Asked Questions

What does it cost to join MentorCONNECT?

Membership is free.

How do I apply to join?

The application can be found here: www.key-to-life.com/mcmembership

How are the mentoring matches made?

Once approved for membership, you will receive access passwords to view the profiles for our caring volunteer mentors, and (if you are joining as a mentor member) to the waiting list of mentees who are seeking a mentor. While it is perfectly acceptable for new members to make their own matches, we do provide assistance for many who wish to be matched.

What are the requirements to serve as a MentorCONNECT volunteer mentor?

New members who wish to become volunteer mentors must have achieved 12 consecutive months in sustained recovery (defined as "largely free from ED thoughts and coping behaviors"). Please read the Mentor Guidelines for more information.

Can I be a mentor and also have a mentor?

We do allow new members who qualify as mentors to also be mentored - this is actually the way our community was designed to function - mentoring is going on at all levels.

Will my information be kept confidential?

MentorCONNECT is fully private, confidential, password-protected, moderated, and pro-recovery. We have a zero-tolerance policy in these areas to safeguard the integrity of our community.

What kind of people serve as MentorCONNECT mentors?

Our volunteer mentors come from all walks of life. Many are distinguished in the field of eating disorders advocacy and recovery - some are authors, some speakers, some therapists or educators, some run treatment centers, some are in school to become medical professionals, some are life coaches. Others work outside of the eating disorders arena in daily life, yet volunteer their time due to personal or second-hand experience with eating disorders recovery.

Can I get therapy from my mentor?

In spite of the impressive credentials many of our volunteer mentors hold, they function strictly as lay mentors in their volunteer work with MentorCONNECT. Please click HERE for more about the function and role of a mentor within the treatment team model.

Can I just have a mentor instead of going to treatment or meeting with my treatment team?

A mentor NEVER replaces the need for professional medical care - most of our community comes to us with, and maintains, a partial or full treatment team, and many have received inpatient or IOP treatment as well. While we do not ever turn qualified applicants away who come to us without a support team, we encourage everyone who is matched to seek professional support as they are able to financially. Please read the Mentee Guidelines for more information.

What is the difference between the Mentoring Matchup and the MC Community Forums?

Mentoring Matchups are one-on-one partnerships, while our Community Forums provide our members with a wide variety of opportunities to access a warm, welcoming, pro-recovery group environment that mirrors the experience they have found in treatment and other support group settings. Members are free to create recovery blogs, upload photos, videos, music, and artwork, email and chat with other members, and participate in numerous themed interactive recovery support forums. In addition, our Monday night Forums chat support group is a much-loved and popular facet of MentorCONNECT membership.

How do you know that being or having a mentor (or both) is a benefit in my recovery journey?

We have seen and heard of the benefits of adding a mentoring relationship to the support team with our own eyes and ears, and many of us have also experienced the power of mentoring first-hand. As of May 2009, we are also working on a summer research survey, in partnership with a Ph.D. student in Psychology who also serves on the MentorCONNECT Leadership Team, to study the effectiveness of adding a mentor to the treatment team. The goal is to collect quantitative data attesting to the importance of including mentoring as a part of any successful, ongoing recovery program. Stay tuned for more on this exciting study!

Didn't find the answer to your question here?  Please feel welcome to email us.