At Blackburn Mentoring, clients have text and phone contact with their mentor between sessions. It is used for short check-ins, quick problem solving and reminders that keep the weekly steps moving. It is not an emergency or crisis service. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Why contact between sessions matters
A session is where goals get set and broken into weekly steps. The week is where the steps either happen or do not. Most plans slip on an ordinary Tuesday: an assignment feels too big to start, an application sits half finished, a workout gets skipped and then another. A short message in the middle of the week often makes the difference between a small slip and a lost week.
This is a big part of how one-on-one mentoring differs from a weekly appointment. For more on rhythm, see how often to meet with a mentor.
What it is for
Check-ins
- A quick note on the day a step was due: did it get done?
- A message from the client after something went well, such as an interview, a test or a hard conversation.
- A short call when the week has gone sideways and the plan needs adjusting before the next session.
Quick problem solving
- Stuck on how to word an email to a professor, manager or landlord.
- Not sure which of three tasks to do first today.
- A small decision that would otherwise stall the whole week.
Reminders
- A nudge before something the client committed to, like a class, a shift or an appointment.
- A reminder of the one step that matters most this week.
- A prompt to update a planner or budget that slipped.
The aim is follow-through, which is the core of accountability coaching. The client is still the one doing the work.
What it is not
- Not an emergency service. Mentors are not crisis counselors and messages are not monitored like a hotline. In a crisis, call or text 988. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
- Not therapy or treatment. Mentors do not diagnose or treat anything. Mental health or substance use concerns belong with a licensed professional.
- Not tutoring. A mentor can help a student plan study time or decide when to ask for help, but does not teach course content. See mentor vs tutor.
- Not a replacement for the session. Bigger topics, like changing goals or working through a setback, get the time they need in the next session.
Making it work well
A few habits make between-session contact more useful for clients and families:
- Agree how you will use it. In the first weeks, ask your mentor how they prefer to be reached and what kinds of messages are most useful.
- Keep messages short and specific. “Finished the cover letter, sending tonight” is more useful than a long recap.
- Report misses as well as wins. A missed step is information, not a failure. Saying so early is how the plan gets fixed.
- Save the big stuff for sessions. If a message turns into a long conversation, it probably belongs in the next session.
For parents
Between-session contact is between the mentor and the client. For high school students, parents receive regular progress updates; for adult clients, updates to family happen with the client’s permission. Read how parents stay informed for the details.
Where a mentor helps
Clients meet weekly or several times a week, in 30 or 60 minute sessions, by video anywhere in the US or in person in Los Angeles. Text and phone contact fills the space in between, so the plan stays alive all week. The full process is on how mentoring works, and your first mentoring session covers how the routine gets set up.
Related
- The Blackburn approach
- How matching with a mentor works
- How to stay consistent
- Mentoring for young adults
Common questions
Can I text my mentor between sessions?
Yes. Text and phone contact between sessions is part of how Blackburn mentoring works, used for check-ins, quick problem solving and reminders.
Is my mentor available in an emergency?
No. Mentoring is not an emergency or crisis service. In a crisis, call or text 988. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Who starts the check-ins, the mentor or the client?
It can go both ways: a mentor checking on a weekly step, or a client sending a win, a miss or a quick question.
Does between-session contact replace sessions?
No. Sessions are where goals are set and reviewed. Contact in between keeps the week on track until the next one.
Get started
Want a mentor who stays in touch through the week? 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.