about our mentors
the badass girls approach + training process
why mentors?
Here at Badass Girls, our team isn’t therapists (though we love therapy), we’re mentors. Think of us as professionally trained big sisters/siblings.
Our experience is that most schools aren't adequately supporting preteens + teens to receive the life skills they need (meaning, tools for: emotional intelligence, body image, intimacy + sex, community + belonging), and that parents shouldn't have to do it alone. That's why Eliza created Badass Girls. We believe intergenerational community is the missing key: cool, wise, big-hearted young womxn mentors that your daughter adores, and you deeply trust. It’s a winning combination, right?
We’ve found that when given nourishing space to be themselves, preteen + teen girls (and all humans) naturally move towards wellness. Here’s one way to say it:
if a flower doesn’t bloom, we don’t say ‘oh, it’s a bad flower’ —
we change its’ pot and get it more sunshine/water. So, we’re here to be part of your girl’s nourishment plan. We believe the experience of belonging is an essential nutrient. Our programs’ curriculum includes mindfulness exercises, emotional intelligence techniques, somatic tools, Qoya movement, group process in the circle, 1:1 mentoring, and the Mothering & Daughtering relational approach (we’re pretty into attachment). We place a special emphasis on the experience of being in a body, as our mainstream culture often strongly emphasizes a brain-focused approach to being a human.
We believe that intergenerational mentorship is an essential missing piece in our society. We’re invested in exploring and co-creating a new model for growth, community and wellness that is sustainable, relational, and equitable. One way we do that is by investing in the brilliant young women who come through our programs, and empowering them to support girls younger than them through becoming mentors.
who are the badass girls mentors?
Our Certified Mentors are young womxn (ages 18+) who are experienced working with teens and preteens and have been trained by us (extensively!). We also have Assistant Mentors (older teens and young womxn) who have gone through the Badass Girls Mentorship Circles themselves as participants for multiple years, and then decided to get trained as Certified Mentors. All of our Certified Lead and Assistant Mentors live and breath the Badass Girls approach personally, and — because of their age — are able to relate intimately to the experience of their mentees in their circles (because they’ve just experienced a lot of the same developmental stages!).
Not all of our mentees go on to become Certified Mentors (they’re off being badasses in other fields), but those that do choose to be trained do so because facilitation and mentorship feels like part of their life’s calling. Their favorite thing in the world (not kidding here) is supporting preteen + teen girls to trust themselves. Here at Badass Girls, it’s part of our mission (and an incredible honor) to give these brilliant young womxn training and a viable job opportunity that honors their gifts and passion (because the world needs more emotionally intelligent facilitators).
If you’d like to see who our current Certified + Assistant Mentors are, click here (and scroll down). Mentors-in-training are not listed on our website yet.
what’s the badass girls mentorship training like?
For mentees who feel called to become a mentor, after 1 or more years of experience participating in a Mentorship Circle, our mentors-in-training dive into a thorough, sacred, and fun 9-month intensive training with Eliza from January to September (overview of the training curriculum below). The training is free for all trainees with a flexible agreement to work as paid mentors for Badass Girls in the future.
After their 9 months of training, they are apprenticed to a Lead Mentor as an Assistant Mentor for a 9-month Mentorship Circle from October to June, while receiving supervision and continuing education from Eliza and the Badass Girls Training Team.
Pending review and final certification assignments after their apprenticeship, they receive Certification and open enrollment for their own Mentorship Circle as a Lead Mentor. All Lead Mentors at Badass Girls work directly under Badass Girls Creator, Eliza Reynolds, and receive daily supervision check-ins and bi-weekly continuing ed.
We also have mentors who came to us outside of the Badass Girls eco-system and have had substantial education and/or professional experience working with preteens and teens. These young womxn have gone through an extensive interview process that includes examining facilitation skills, approach, values, and much more! Once hired, we build upon their knowledge with continued training and supervision.
Got a question about what’s covered in the training? We’d love to hear from you at hello@badassgirls.me. :)
