Mentorship and the Nervous System

The essential goal of adolescent mentorship is twofold:

• To assist youth in completing the incomplete or fragmented nervous system imprinting from childhood
• To assist youth in expanding their range of choice of action through recognizing and broadening nervous system habits

Flight Response Mentorship

• Running (to complete belonging, and to complete the flight response)
• Competitive games (to activate the fight response)
• Squash (orienting)
• Soccer, frizbee, judo, aikido (safe fighting)
• Rock climbing (self-esteem)
• Community service and development

Freeze Response Mentorship

• Running (to unlock the flight response)
• Martial arts (safe fighting)
• Windsurfing (body awareness, centering)
• Weight training (energy increase and containment)
• Soccer, hiking, aerobics (energy management)

Orienting Response Mentorship

• Activities involving active choosing (orienteering)
• All team sports (collaboration)
• Safe extreme sports (white water kayaking)
• Meditation, relaxation
• Juggling

Fight Response Mentorship

• Relaxation (to activate the freeze response)
• Non-competitive games
• Games with containment and expression (tennis, backgammon)
• Meditation (the least favorite activity of fighters)
• Horseback riding, walking, gardening
• Tai Chi, Chi Kung