Mentoring for young women matches a woman between 18 and her late twenties with one dedicated mentor who helps her turn a vague sense of what she wants into weekly steps she actually takes. Common goals include choosing a direction, moving forward at work, handling money, living independently and building routines. Sessions are by video anywhere in the US or in person in Los Angeles.
Where clients usually are when they reach out
There is no single profile. Some of the young women we work with are finishing college and dreading the question of what comes next. Some are two or three years into a job that looked right on paper. Some have moved out for the first time, or back home, and are figuring out how to run a life on their own terms.
A few things come up again and again:
- She is doing a lot, but not sure any of it is adding up to something she chose.
- She is good at meeting other people’s expectations and less practiced at naming her own.
- She has a goal (a new job, a move, savings, a degree decision) and keeps pushing it back.
- She wants a sounding board who is not a parent, partner or friend.
What the first month tends to look like
- Week one: get specific. The mentor asks a lot of questions. What is going well, what is not, what would be different in six months if this worked. The output is two or three goals written in her own words.
- Week two: shrink the goals. “Figure out my career” becomes “have two conversations with people in fields I am curious about.” “Get my money together” becomes “see every account in one place.”
- Week three: notice the patterns. Where does the plan break down? Late nights, a demanding schedule, saying yes to everything? This is where routines and limits start to matter.
- Week four: adjust. Keep what worked, cut what did not, and set the next month’s steps. Between sessions she can text or call her mentor.
The areas we work on
Career and direction
Clarifying what kind of work fits, preparing for interviews, asking for more responsibility, deciding whether grad school is worth it, or planning a move to a new field. See career and education and should I go to grad school.
Money and independence
A first real budget, a plan for debt, understanding a lease, or saving toward moving out. Mentors are not financial advisors; they help her learn the basics and stick to her own plan. Our money and life skills page covers this.
Confidence at work and at home
Speaking up in meetings, negotiating, handling a difficult manager, and holding a line with family. Confidence grows from doing hard things in small doses, so that is how we approach it. Our guide to setting boundaries with your parents has scripts for the family side.
Routines and health
Sleep, exercise, food and a schedule that does not collapse by Wednesday. The aim is a routine that fits her life, not someone else’s ideal morning. See how to build a daily routine.
Relationships and friendships
Making friends in a new city, handling roommate tension, or thinking through a relationship decision out loud with someone neutral.
When a family reaches out for a daughter
Parents sometimes contact us first, often because they can see their daughter is capable and stretched thin, or capable and stalled. That is a reasonable place to start. The key is that she decides to do it. Mentoring is hers: her goals, her pace.
A simple way to raise it: “I found something that might be useful. Would you be open to one free intro call and deciding from there?” With her permission, the mentor shares progress updates with the family; without it, the details stay private. More on how this works for parents is on our for families page.
What a mentor is, and where other help fits
A mentor is a steady, practical person in her corner who knows her goals and follows up. A mentor is not a therapist or a clinician. If anxiety, low mood, an eating concern or substance use is part of the picture, a licensed professional is the right step, and with her permission a mentor can coordinate with professionals already involved. In a crisis, call or text 988.
For the broader service, see young adult mentoring. If she feels stuck rather than busy, help for young adults who feel stuck may be the better fit.
- Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student or yourself and the goals. It takes about five minutes.
- Have a free intro call. Our team reviews it personally and sets up a short call.
- Meet the mentor. We match each person with a mentor whose experience and style fit.
- Start the plan. 30 or 60 minute video sessions on a weekly or monthly plan, scheduled in your local time.
Related
- Young adult mentoring
- Accountability coaching
- Mentoring for young men
- Mentoring by video across the US
- Finding a Mentor for a Teenage Daughter
Common questions
What ages do you work with?
Mostly women from 18 into their late twenties. We also work with high school students, with a parent or guardian involved, through our high school program.
What should I share before being matched with a mentor?
Anything that matters to you: your goals, your schedule and how you like to work. You can share it on the short assessment and talk it through on the free intro call.
Do I need a big problem to start?
No. Some clients are struggling, and others are doing fine and want to move faster or think more clearly. The work starts with goals you choose.
Are sessions online or in person?
Both. Video sessions are available anywhere in the US in your local time, and in-person sessions are available in Los Angeles.
Get started
Want to talk it through first? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.