Alliance Mentoring Groups
The Alliance offers mentoring groups as a membership benefit to psychotherapists who are in their first 10 years of clinical practice in the field of psychotherapy. The primary objective of the Alliance Mentor Program is to support early-career therapists through the challenges of beginning practice.
Mentor Groups are led by mid-career and senior psychotherapists and analysts who volunteer their time. Each group has 4-8 members, and meets at least twice each month. Group formats vary, but typically mentees can expect clinical discussions and case consultation, exploration of psychoanalytic theory and frame, the opportunity for collegial connectedness, and an entrée into the broader Alliance community and its programs. Groups may also consider the pressing concerns of our times, including social, racial and climate justice issues, as they relate to the psychoanalytic tradition and practice of psychotherapy. Each group will develop its own character, based on the person of the mentor, and the desires and experiences of group members.
The Mentor Program is dedicated to surfacing and addressing explicit and implicit bias in ourselves, our clinical work, and our education, recognizing the long history of exclusion of certain groups in our training institutes and programs, and the quieting of their voices in the study, and important work, of psychotherapy.
See the FAQs for more information. If you still have questions that haven’t been answered, please email mentoring-groups@nwaps.org.
Program requirements:
- Group members must hold and maintain a current Alliance Membership. If you are not already an active Alliance member, please join or renew your membership prior to choosing a Mentor Group. Membership will be verified.
- Register for your group, and pay the registration fee of $150 for the 9 month term.
- Complete and submit the Mentoring Group Intake Form
- Arrange with your mentor to meet briefly, prior to the start of your group, for introductions and an orientation to your group. Your mentor will contact you to schedule after registration.
- Attend all group sessions, barring unforeseen circumstances or conflicts. Please verify that you are able to meet the schedule requirement for your group before registering. Each group meets for 1.5 hours, at least twice a month.
2024-2025 registration is open.
2024-25 Mentoring Clinicians
Peter Jabin, M.Div., LMHC This group has filled.
Dates: 2nd and 4th Mondays, 9:00–10:30am from September 9, 2024 to May 12, 2025
Location: Online Via Zoom
Bio: Peter Jabin, M.Div., LMHC is a pastoral psychotherapist in private practice in Seattle. My clinical identity is Jungian-born, psychodynamically trained, and pastorally formed. I received my M.Div. from University of Chicago, with post-graduate work at The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy of Chicago. I am a Diaconal Minister in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church. I have trained in the facilitation of grief rituals with Francis Weller and others.
This group will be focused on what it means to practice psychotherapy in this unparalleled moment of crisis for our species, within which our very idea of the self and its relationship to the world in which it is embedded is shifting at a tectonic level. The group’s ongoing conversation will be fueled by offerings (articles, book chapters, fiction excerpts, poetry, videos) on these themes selected by both mentor and participants. We will also make time for case consultation and shared reflection on issues related to development of one’s practice.
Robert Bergman, MD This group has filled.
Dates: Every other Thursday, 7:30–9:00pm from September 12, 2024 to June 12, 2025
Location: In-Person, Ravenna
Bio: I've been doing psychotherapy for 63 years and have worked with people of many ethnicities, especially Native American. I have been in the private practice of psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis in Seattle for 42 years.
Nancy Hillel, PsyD
Dates: Every other Wednesday, 1:30–3:00pm from September 11, 2024 to June 4, 2025
Location: In-Person, Madison Valley
Bio: I am a clinical psychologist trained in psychoanalytic as well as more contemporary relational theory, and couples therapy with a focus on attachment theory. I believe the relationship in psychotherapy is central to therapeutic success and make use of transference and countertransference to inform my work. I have been in private practice for over 20 years. Prior to my private practice, I worked at a VA hospital with patients with dual diagnosis, an outpatient psychotherapy clinic, college counseling programs, and a non profit EAP program. My current practice is mostly focused on individual adults and couples counseling and I also offer supervision. I look forward to facilitating a safe environment to share and learn about our work and ourselves within our work in this mentoring group.
Brenna Bond, LMHC This group has filled. 
Dates: 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 9:00–10:30 am, from September 5, 2024 to May 15, 2025
Location: In-Person, West Seattle Occasional online meetings may be considered to accommodate the needs of the group.
Bio: Brenna is in private practice in West Seattle. She works with individuals age 13 and above. As a mentor, she is primarily interested in helping newer therapists find their own style and voice in the therapeutic setting.
This group will discuss challenges faced as a developing therapist and case consultation if desired. Other areas to be determined as the group evolves.
Jordan Wolfe, LMHC, CGP
Dates: Every other Wednesday, 1:00–2:30pm from September 11, 2024 to June 18, 2025
Location: In-Person, Northgate/Haller Lake
Bio: Jordan is a Seattle-based psychotherapist, group facilitator and executive coach who has been in private practice since 2015. He has a Master's degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (2010) and is a graduate of the Executive Development Program from the UW Foster School of Business (2022). He has extensive training and practice working with groups, teens, couples and families, and has extensive training and practice in CIMBS (Complex Integration of multiple Brain Systems), T-Group, Modern Analytic, and other relational, somatic, and psychodynamic approaches to growth and healing. His therapeutic style is warm and engaged and is informed by his diverse experiences of being a boxer, Buddhist monk, business owner, Army intelligence analyst, Arabic linguist, father, yoga teacher and musician. Jordan is a cis-gendered white man with a personal interest in the larger historic, cultural, and systemic influences which visibly and invisibly shape and contextualize the work that we as patients-clients and healers do together.
FAQs
Can I attend the first group to decide if it’s a good fit for me?
No. Like other classes, mentor groups ask for an upfront commitment that entails some risk to join. Mentors will contact each participant ahead of the first meeting. Speaking one-on-one with the mentor is an opportunity to begin building a positive relationship with your group. This initial conversation is also an opportunity to uncover potential conflicts that could indicate the group will not be a good fit.
What do I do If there is a clinical conflict with another participant or case material?
If you discover that you have a clinical conflict with another member in the group, please speak with your mentor to discuss the situation. In the case of dual relationships, it may be best to leave the group. If you discover that you have a clinical conflict with a case that is being presented, i.e. you have a personal connection to the case, please speak up right away so you can excuse yourself from the group consultation. Another option would be to make it known in your group that you’ve become aware of a conflict with the case material and work with your group to decide how to proceed. In all situations, you are encouraged to speak with your mentor about the issue. If you feel you need more help sorting through the dynamic, feel free to reach out to the Mentoring Program administrator.
Will I be the only person of color in my group? Can I know that in advance?
You may be the only BIPOC therapist in your group. That will likely not be known in advance, as group membership is self-selected, and we currently do not have any BIPOC-only groups. Mentor groups will not hold the expectation for any one person to represent all BIPOC therapists, clients and population groups. The mentor program is actively engaged in challenging systemic racism and bias perpetuated in psychoanalytic materials and group dynamics. Please work with your mentor to address any concerns you may have in your group. You may also reach out to the program admin, who will advocate for repair and resolution on your behalf. We appreciate you bringing any negative experiences to our attention, and will take all concerns seriously.
If I find that I’m the only person holding a specific identity in my group, can I change groups?
Placement in a mentor group is by self-selection at the time of registration. The potential exists to be the only female, male, non-binary person or other identifier in a mentor group. Mentoring groups are offered to the early-career therapist to foster professional and clinical development. We ask that you allow time for your group to build a degree of trust with one another, and that you share your concerns with your mentor so that we can work towards a solution. Placement in another group may be possible, but cannot be guaranteed due to space limitations.
I want to leave my group before the end of the term. Can I do so?
The expectation is that participants who register for full 9-month groups will attend for the duration of the group. No refunds can be given for early termination of a mentor group during the course of the program year. If you need to leave the group for an unforeseeable reason, you and your group may benefit greatly by openly discussing the ending. Please discuss this with your mentor as soon as you suspect a disruption to your participation.
Do you offer sliding scale or are scholarships available?
No sliding scale rates or scholarships are available for mentor group registration. Mentor group fees have been established to reflect the real cost of NWAPS administration of this volunteer-run program. The fee charged for a mentor group, moderated by a senior clinician, is an extraordinary value relative to what consultation groups offered in private practice generally charge. We will continue to keep the costs as low as possible.
Why do I have to be an Alliance member to join?
The Mentoring Program is one of the core benefits of joining NWAPS and reflects the mission and vision statement of the Alliance to promote psychoanalytic learning in the community. Limited space is available each term, so access to the Mentoring Program remains a benefit of membership, and is not open to the psychotherapy community at large.
I don’t know anything about psychoanalytic theory—is that OK?
Mentor groups are designed to be a gateway into learning how to listen and think psychoanalytically. Topics range from the basics of theory and practice of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic models, to the nuts and bolts of starting out in private practice. Some suggested readings may be challenging for participants who have not read psychoanalytic theory before, but the groups are designed to support new learning and do not hold rigorous academic expectations. Peer-to-peer consultation predominates in most groups, and diverse voices and experiences are welcomed.
I don’t have any clinical experience yet—is that OK?
Participants who get the most out of mentor groups, and feel they have the most opportunity to contribute to the life of the group, typically have clinical experience. If you are eager to listen and learn about psychodynamic/ psychoanalytic theory and practice,but don’t yet have any clinical experience, please contact the administrator to learn about the other educational offerings provided by NWAPS this year. The mentor program has been in continuous operation for many years, so it’s OK to wait until you have clinical experience to join a group!
I’ve only worked with people via telehealth. Can the mentors support me?
Like you, our mentors are experienced working psychodynamically and psychoanalytically over video platforms. We expect to serve many new therapists who graduated during the pandemic and may never have worked in-person. Much discussion and reflection has ensued in recent years about the impact of telehealth on our practices, and your mentor will be able to support you where you are.
I’m still in my graduate program. Can I join a group?
No. Mentor groups are for clinicians in their first 10 years of practice. We ask that you have completed the academic portion of your graduate program, and have started seeing clients in your internship setting, before joining a mentor group.
I’m in my internship. Can I join a group?
You may register for a mentor group if you are actively seeing patients in a clinical setting as a part of your internship. If you are in your internship, regular supervision with a licensed clinical supervisor is required. Mentor groups are not a substitute for personal psychotherapy, nor a substitute for the case supervision required for licensure. Please add the name of your graduate program, your internship site and the name of your supervisor to the intake form.
Do mentor groups count for supervision towards licensure or offer CEUs?
No CEU’s are offered for mentor group hours. Mentor groups DO NOT count towards supervision for licensure. Mentors have no legal liability for case consultation.
I work with children/couples/families/etc. Is there a mentor group for me?
Mentors welcome clinicians who work with children, couples, families or groups, and there may be a mentor who specializes in your interest area. While not every mentor will maintain a practice geared towards the specific population you serve, all the mentors have the educational background and professional experience to allow them to thoughtfully tailor their input to your work.