Benefit 1

Confidence, awareness, fresh thinking and feedback.

• Increased confidence: Whether it’s the ability to begin exercising again, or set better boundaries, people with mentors benefit from higher confidence in themselves. Mentors also experience an increase in self-confidence, as their mentee’s success reaffirms their abilities, resulting in a confidence boost.

• Higher self-awareness: Working out your physical goals with someone who has been through the same experience requires self-analysis around what we value and require in life to help break the pain cycle. As a result, those who have mentoring are more self-aware than those who don’t – and self-awareness is extremely beneficial when it comes to TMS chronic pain recovery.

• Exposure to new ways of thinking: For both mentee and mentor, the mentoring process exposes fresh ideas and 'out of the box thinking. This can have long-lasting effects on physical health as the neural transmitters connected to pain become begin to shift becoming dormant which ultimately encourages a faster resolution of chronic pain symptoms.

• Giving and receiving feedback: Feedback is something we could all wish to improve, but we probably don't ask for it enough due to the risk of vulnerability and shame. However, overcoming chronic pain requires we tap into our vulnerable side and learn not to be afraid of feedback, whether it is perceived as positive or negative.

Benefit 2

Mental health.

• Support in isolation: Struggling with emotional health issues can feel isolating and we can experience anxiety about both the future and our physical abilities. Mentoring is a proven method of supporting mental health issues for those in chronic pain.

• Self-confidence: An increase in confidence can positively impact mental health, particularly as mentees feel supported on their journey with chronic pain. Mentors also experience improved self-esteem and confidence from the act of helping others achieve their goals, resulting in improved mental health. So it is, without doubt, a two-way street.

• Lower levels of anxiety: A feeling of less isolation and greater self-confidence will drastically decrease levels of anxiety in anyone who is facing mental health issues resulting from TMS and mind-body chronic pain. The sense of support, the teachings learned and the shared insights will increase a feeling of being heard, understood and that of being an equal.

Benefit 3

Inclusion.

• Contemplating new and different perspectives: Every conversation we have with someone who is from a different background and has a different lived experience teaches us something. Whether it's specifically about chronic pain or wellbeing, in general, having the chance to learn and share with someone else in a safe space can be hugely impactful for inclusion.

• Empathy, self-awareness, social acceptance, and compassion: If conversations about emotional wellbeing are happening more frequently among us, with us sharing our thoughts, feelings, and perspectives, there will be an increase in empathy, self-awareness, and cultural and social acceptance, which can help foster a feeling of inclusivity, less alienation and a knowing that, as cliché, as it sounds, we are all in this little ‘fishbowl’ together. As a result, compassion is increased and this ‘little fish bowl’ suddenly appears a much more loving, supportive and forgiving place. The result, less physical pain.