Frequently Asked Questions
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The Foundations Course is our pre-requisite for any of our ongoing Mentoring Programmes (Personal, Team Mentoring, Couples and Mediations).
Our Mentoring Programmes are a more in-depth and supported journey which provides additional processing questions, actions and accountability with a certified Restoring Connections Mentor.
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The Foundations Course consists of:
16 videos that are approx. 20 minutes long, each with three distinct processing questions.
We recommend taking about an hour to work through. Participants are able to work through the courses at their own pace and reflect back at any time.
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Individuals need to have completed the Foundations Course [Online or Live] to be able to reach out to one of our certified Restoring Connection Mentors to enquire about engaging in the 8 month Personal Mentoring programme.
Once you have completed the Foundations Course, you can reach out to Our Mentors here.
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We are not, and we do not see what we do as counselling. We journey alongside those engaged in our programmes, offering proven tools, support and gentle guidance in how to develop good practices for dealing with conflict and deepening relational connections.
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The Restoring Connections mentoring programmes are created for individuals. We have found that working with individuals on their own personal growth has the greatest transformational impact on their relationships, especially their relationship with their romantic partner. We encourage both members of a couple to engage in their own unique Restoring Connections Personal Mentoring programme.
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Yes. Some of our Mentors are able to offer Mediation. To find out what Mentors are available and their prerequisites for assisting you with mediation see Our Mentors page.
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We are currently developing our Mentor Training Intensive as we know there are many out there that would do an incredible job journeying alongside others. One of the prerequisites to apply for the Mentor Training Intensive is that you have to have completed the Foundations Course (Online or Live).
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Restoring Connections is a non-profit initiative with tax-deductible, charitable status in Aotearoa, New Zealand. As such, all of our programmes and day-to-day operations are funded through the generosity of individuals and organisations that believe in the community-focused work that we do, as well as financial contributions from programme participants.
General
Personal Mentoring
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Personal interaction with the Restoring Connections Mentor via video messaging and live sessions.
Exclusive access to Restoring Connections online courses for programme participants only.
Advice and guidance towards recommended action points and strong accountability.
Concludes with an opportunity to pursue becoming a Restoring Connections Mentor.
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What you contribute is entirely up to you, as everything we do is fuelled through mutual generosity. We make your growth our priority and trust that our costs will be covered. Your contribution goes towards our charitable trust and helps us to continue serving and supporting others.
People who invest in their own growth tend to see the highest level of personal transformation. We suggest a donation of $85NZD per month as a means of keeping yourself motivated & engaged.
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Yes. You can complete our Foundations Course outside of a Personal Mentoring arrangement.
However the Personal Mentoring programme is tailored to be a lot more in-depth and provides the support of connecting and processing with a trained Restoring Connections Mentor. Mentoring is not just limited to Personal Mentoring; we also have Mentors who are able to provide Team Mentoring, Couples Retreats, Workshops and Mediation.
Team Mentoring
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Our Restoring Connections Team Mentoring Programme runs in two Phases.
o Phase 1 - The whole team completes the Foundations Course for Teams [including Managers].
o Phase 2 - Mentoring Sessions for Leaders
We treat each phase as a unique arrangement, with an in-depth checkpoint upon the completion of each phase before heading into the next phase.
There is no expectation of going forward into Phase 2 upon the completion of Phase 1. This gives us a chance to reflect on the effectiveness of the strategy and make adjustments, as needed to suit your group.
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The Foundations Course for Teams are facilitated workshops completed by all team members [including Managers etc] and is a prerequisite for Team Leaders Mentoring.
We have found that for Phase 1 to be most effective, it needs to be kept within a 2-month period, max. There are eight 1.5-hour workshops in total. This means that within the 2-month max period, a team leader can decide between the below options.
8 workshops to be completed within two months [includes workbooks]
o eight x 1.5-hour sessions
o four x 3-hour sessions
o two x 6-hour sessions
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Mentoring Sessions for Leaders (approx the 2-3 key team leaders).
Phase 2 is also ideally kept within a 2-month period, max.
This includes weekly one-on-one, 90-minute mentoring sessions with your top two or three most influential team members, including the Manager/ Team Leader.
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CliftonStrengths Coaching
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The Restoring Connections Team Mentoring programme walks teams through the Restoring Connections training curriculum while offering additional personalised support and mentoring.
CliftonStrengths Coaching is offered by trained and accredited CliftonStrengths Coaches and looks specifically at the outcomes of CliftonStrengths assessments and how individuals, partners and teams can best flourish in their identified strengths.
Some Restoring Connections Mentors may also be trained as CliftonStrengths Coaches and therefore are able to offer that in addition to the delivery of Team Mentoring.
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Generally, no, as most individuals will not see meaningful changes in their results. The times we may advise retaking the assessment are if the individual was distracted while taking it, took it in a non-native language, or took it early on in their life, and more than 10 years have passed (as they may interpret the questions differently).
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"Strengths science answers questions about what's right with people rather than what's wrong with them." -- Don Clifton
Traditionally, the field of psychology was focused more on interventions that decreased an individual's misery. But Don Clifton saw an opportunity to supplement this traditional science -- a way to build the "enabling conditions of life." Strengths science answers questions about what's right with people rather than what's wrong with them.
Clifton initiated early work on strengths and received a Presidential Commendation from the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2003 as the father of strengths-based psychology and the grandfather of positive psychology for his efforts.