There is one thing people don’t talk about when they discuss building a bridge: bridges must start and end on stable ground.

I have recently been writing about my experiences as a teacher and psychologist, focusing on the challenges I faced starting out and the personal qualities I had to foster and develop to elevate my teaching and consulting. Not surprisingly, I concentrated on my own regulation—the ability to manage my energy, anxiety, frustration, thoughts, and behavior.

In the role of teacher, mentor, instructor, or trainer, we are all called to expand our self-awareness and commit to personal growth. This includes growth in our knowledge and skills but, perhaps more importantly, growth in our mental and emotional fitness and our capacity for self-regulation.

Teaching and mentoring are all about building bridges. Before we can impart knowledge, provide support, or challenge our students, there must be an established path of connection and communication. Like all bridges, that path must start and end on solid ground.

As a mentor to many riding instructors and trainers, I find that the most common challenges they face revolve around their students’ emotional regulation. I hear about struggles with their students’ tears and fears, anger and frustration, acting out, and shutting down. When our students are dysregulated, we cannot teach, and they cannot learn.

When this happens, we need to rebuild the bridge, starting with establishing stable ground in ourselves and helping our students find theirs. ~ Paul