Looking for a life coach or mentor in Woodland Hills or Tarzana? Blackburn Mentoring matches each client with one dedicated mentor who meets by video or in person in Los Angeles. You set goals together, turn them into weekly steps and keep in contact by text and phone between sessions, so there is real follow-through rather than good intentions.
Family life in the West Valley
Woodland Hills and Tarzana sit at the western end of the San Fernando Valley along Ventura Boulevard, with family neighborhoods climbing into the hills on the south side and the Warner Center office district to the north. Summers are hot, distances are long and almost everything requires a car. For teenagers, that can mean a lot of time at home and a lot of time on a screen.
What West Valley families may need
- Motivation and follow-through. A high school student who can do the work and does not (motivating a teen at school)
- Gaming and phones. Late nights and lost weekends, and a better balance the teen helps design (resetting phone habits)
- Driving and a first job. A license, a car plan and somewhere to be on weekends (a teen’s first job)
- Senior year and after. College, community college, a trade or a structured gap year
- Young adults at home. A plan to work, save and move out (an alternative to failure to launch programs)
For high school students, a parent or guardian is always involved: you join the intro call, agree the goals and receive regular progress updates.
Large schools, easy to get lost
Many students in the West Valley attend large public high schools where it is easy to blend in and fall behind quietly. A mentor offers what a busy school often cannot: one adult who knows the student well, checks in during the week and notices when a missing assignment turns into five. The focus is habits and planning, not tutoring. See mentoring for high school students.
Parents and professionals
Plenty of parents here are juggling a commute along the 101, a job at Warner Center or a business of their own. Some want mentoring for themselves, on fitness, a career move or simply having one hour a week to plan. Early-morning and lunchtime video sessions work well around the workday (life coaching for professionals).
In person or by video
The 101 through the Valley is slow at most hours, so the regular weekly rhythm usually runs by video, with in-person meetings in Los Angeles when they help, for example a hike, a walk or a coffee. Video also lets a student keep the same mentor after leaving for college. Mentors are not therapists or tutors, and with permission they work alongside professionals already involved.
Getting started
- Start with a few questions. The five-minute assessment asks about the person being mentored and the goals that matter now.
- Have a free intro call. A person on our team, not a form letter, reviews your answers and calls to talk about fit, timing and rates.
- Meet your mentor. One mentor is chosen for the person, based on what came up on the call.
- Start meeting. Sessions run 30 or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, by video or in person in Los Angeles, on a weekly or monthly plan.
Related
- Life coaching in Los Angeles
- Life coach in Calabasas
- Life coach in Sherman Oaks and Encino
- Mentoring for families
Common questions
Can a mentor help my teen cut back on gaming?
Yes. Mentors help the teen set their own limits and build a week with other things to do, which tends to stick better than rules handed down.
What if my son or daughter does not want a mentor?
That is common at first. The intro call is low pressure, and the goals are set with the young person, not for them.
Do you work with recent high school graduates?
Yes. The year after high school is a common time to start, whether the plan is college, work, a trade or a gap year.
How long are sessions?
Thirty or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, on a weekly or monthly plan.
Get started
Looking for a mentor or life coach in Woodland Hills or Tarzana? 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.