Optimize Your Mentoring Practice
- Strong mentorship has been linked to increased productivity, self-efficacy, and career satisfaction in mentees, among other positive outcomes. However, few mentors and mentees have received formal training on how to be a more effective mentor or proactive mentee that communicates their needs to a mentor.
- Recommendations for how to improve mentorship relationships from the 2019 National Academies report, “The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM,” are detailed in the article.
On January 13, 2020, Dr. Christine Pfund, director of the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experience in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, presented a talk on the science of effective mentorship as well as the 2019 National Academies Report “The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM,” which Dr. Pfund participated in creating as a committee member. Dr. Pfund’s work primarily focuses on STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine) subjects in an academic setting. However, the tools and strategies discussed during the seminar can also be applied to mentorship in other disciplines.
During the talk, Pfund began by defining mentorship as “a professional, working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support the personal and professional growth, development, and success of the relational partners through the provision of career and psychosocial support.” (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019). The term “mentorship” is used in place of “mentoring” to emphasize that mentorship is a working partnership between the mentor and mentee to support each other across different domains, rather than a relationship where the mentor is dominant.
Research on mentoring shows that strong mentorship has been linked to increased research productivity (Steiner & Lanphear, 2002; 2007; Wingard et al., 2004), enhanced science identity, sense of belonging and self-efficacy (Palepu et al., 1998; Garman et al., 2001; Paglic et al., 2006; Lopatto, 2007; Bland et al., 2009; Feldman et al., 2010; Cho et al., 2011; Chemers et al., 2011; Thiry & Laursen, 2011; Byars-Winston et al., 2015), persistence (Gloria et al., 2011; Solorzano, 1993; McGee & Keller, 2007; Sambunjak et al., 2010; Williams et al., 2015; Bordes-Edgar et al., 2011; Campbell & Campbell, 1997), higher career satisfaction (Schapira et al., 1992; Beech et al., 2013), and enhanced recruitment of underrepresented minorities (Hathaway et al., 2002; Nagda et al., 1998). Trainees in underrepresented groups, particularly, are less likely to receive support from their mentors (Noy & Ray, 2012). Although mentorship is not the only factor in mentee success, it is still a major determinant in the likelihood of success (Brunsma et al., 2017) and is often the most important yet most disappointing aspect of training for students (Katz & Harnett, 1976).
In a 2016 paper, Dr. Pfund and colleagues proposed five core categories of effective mentorship based on existing literature and factors shown to impact academic persistence. Those categories are:
- Research: learning technical skills, building research self-efficacy.
- Interpersonal: listening actively, aligning expectations, building trust in the relationship.
- Psychosocial and career: finding motivation, developing coping efficacy, developing science identity and belonging.
- Cultural responsiveness/diversity: advancing equity and inclusion, reducing the impact of bias and stereotype threat.
- Sponsorship: fostering independence, promoting professional development, establishing professional networks, advocating for one another.
Although the list of factors necessary for an effective mentorship might seem daunting, it is supposed to provide a framework for starting productive conversations between mentors and mentees. In an effective mentorship, mentees identify their needs and can express them to their mentor, while mentors assess which categories they are skilled in providing support and which categories they might need outside expertise to optimize the mentorship relationship. Not every mentee requires guidance in every category at any given time, and a mentor/mentee pair does not need to provide every category to each other. In effective mentorship relationships, a broad range of needs can be satisfied across a mentoring network.
Despite the importance of mentorship, many mentors and mentees have not received formal training (Balster et al., 2010). As a result, mentees may not know how to engage proactively with their mentor to express their needs, and many faculty mentors are not aware of or believe that the socioemotional functions are part of their mentorship role, such as creating a sense of belonging or demonstrating active listening during conversations with mentees (Laursen et al., 2010). Due to the lack of formal mentorship training, in recent years, there has been a lot of increased national focus on mentorship, with calls to action from the National Academies, National Institutes of Health, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation, and the Sloan Foundation among others for optimizing mentorship relationships in academic training.
Optimizing Mentorship Practices
Building on over a decade of work by Dr. Pfund and colleagues, the seminar focused on two sides of optimizing mentorship practices: mentor training and mentee training.
Mentor training focuses on helping mentors learn skills to optimize mentorship relationships by working on competencies such as: aligning expectations, maintaining effective communication, assessing understanding, fostering independence and mentee research self-efficacy, addressing equity and inclusion, cultivating ethical behavior, promoting professional development, and fostering wellbeing. These competencies were adapted from organizational research and used to build a nationally recognized, process-based curriculum called Entering Mentoring that focuses on collective problem solving among mentors across a range of career stages and disciplines. This curriculum utilizes case studies built around common, real experiences that mentors and mentees face to show example strategies and provide resources to better assess how a mentorship is progressing, as every mentorship relationship will be unique. To study the effectiveness of the curriculum, a randomized control trial was conducted with mentors who went through six hours of the process-based curriculum compared to a control group, and this showed significant improvements in mentors’ skills in several competency areas, such as maintaining effective communication, aligning expectations for the mentorship, and assessing mentees’ understanding of research (Weber-Main et al., 2019).
Mentee training helps mentees learn the skills they need to proactively and effectively engage with mentors. These skills include thinking about what they are seeking from mentors, recognizing that effective mentoring is not just mentors guiding mentees but also mentees guiding mentors, understanding what core attributes they need from a mentor (i.e. identifying the specific needs a mentee needs from a mentor and assessing whether that mentor can meet the need), and learning about resources that help them build their skills as mentees. Like the mentor training curriculum, mentee training is designed using tested active learning exercises and case studies exploring these competencies. Examples of mentee training programs are:
- Entering Research curriculum, designed to “level the research playing field for undergraduate and graduate students,” particularly from underrepresented backgrounds, introducing them to the culture of research and the skills needed to navigate mentoring relationships successfully.
- Mentoring Up curriculum, developed for postdoctoral and junior faculty to help them navigate their careers and proactively manage their mentoring relationships.
To learn more about the curricula mentioned in this section, please visit the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) website here. CIMER also provides assessment services for institutions implementing mentoring education programs. This national data repository is used to analyze what mentorship strategies work for different populations in different contexts.
Resources for Mentorship Education
The National Academies report contains an online guide which covers a variety of topics around mentorship such as: functions of mentorship, how identities and disciplinary context affect mentorship in STEMM, the role of the institution, program assessment, and developing a culture of effective mentorship. Some other resources provided in the online guide include:
- Recommendations for how to create a culture of intentional, inclusive, and effective mentorship:
- Provided for all levels of participants, from individual mentors and mentees to institutional leadership (presidents, provosts, deans). Many of the recommendations are applicable to non-STEM disciplines as well
- Mentoring tools and examples for each:
- Individual development plans
- Mentoring plans
- Mentoring compacts
- Guidance for developing and managing mentorship programs:
- Mentorship education
- Program assessment
- Matching mentors and mentees
Additional mentorship resources mentioned during the seminar include:
- Curricula for Entering Mentoring, Entering Research, and Mentoring Up
- Tools for evaluating mentorship education
- Online mentor/mentee training programs, video case studies, self-paced mentor training
- Humanities PhD Project
- Resources for mentoring graduate students
- Council of Graduate Schools
- Resources for mentors, mentees, and institutions
Regardless of the specific role one plays in a mentorship ecosystem, whether as an institutional leader, program leader, department chair, mentor, or mentee, it is important to continue to engage in mentorship education and support the use of evidence-based approaches in mentorship. Program leaders should ensure that there are guidelines and tools for mentors and mentees to set clear expectations, engage in regular assessments, and participate in mentorship education.
Balster, N., Pfund, C., Rediske, R., & Branchaw, J. (2010). Entering research: A course that
creates community and structure for beginning undergraduate researchers in the STEM disciplines. CBE- Life Sciences Education, 9(2), 108–118. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.09-10-0073
Beech, B. M., Calles-Escandon, J., Hairston, K. G., Langdon, S. E., Latham-Sadler, B. A., & Bell, R. A. (2013). Mentoring programs for underrepresented minority faculty in academic medical centers: a systematic review of the literature. Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 88(4), 541–549. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e31828589e3
Bland, C. J., Taylor, A. L., Shollen, S. L., Weber-Main, A. M., & Mulcahy, P. A. (2009). Faculty success through mentoring: A guide for mentors, mentees, and leaders. R&L Education.
Bordes-Edgar, V., Arredondo, P., Kurpius, S. R., & Rund, J. (2011). A Longitudinal Analysis of Latina/o Students’ Academic Persistence. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 10(4), 358–368. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192711423318
Brunsma, D. L., Embrick, D. G., & Shin, J. H. (2017). Graduate Students of Color: Race,
Racism, and Mentoring in the White Waters of Academia. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 3(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649216681565
Byars-Winston, A. M., J. Branchaw, C. Pfund, P. Leverett, and J. Newton (2015). Culturally
diverse undergraduate researchers’ academic outcomes and perceptions of their research mentoring relationships. International Journal of Science Education 37(15), 2533–2554.
Campbell, T. A., & Campbell, D. E. (1997). Faculty/Student Mentor Program: Effects on Academic Performance and Retention. Research in Higher Education, 38(6), 727–742. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40196285
Chemers, M. M., E. L. Zurbriggen, M. Syed, B. K. Goza, and S. Bearman. (2011). The role of
efficacy and identity in science career commitment among underrepresented minority students. Journal of Social Issues, 67(3), 469–491.
Cho, C. S., Ramanan, R. A., & Feldman, M. D. (2011). Defining the ideal qualities of mentorship: a qualitative analysis of the characteristics of outstanding mentors. The American journal of medicine, 124(5), 453–458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2010.12.007
Feldman, M. D., Arean, P. A., Marshall, S. J., Lovett, M., & O’Sullivan, P. (2010). Does mentoring matter: results from a survey of faculty mentees at a large health sciences university. Medical education online, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.3402/meo.v15i0.5063
Garman, K. A., Wingard, D. L., & Reznik, V. (2001). Development of junior faculty’s self-efficacy: outcomes of a National Center of Leadership in Academic Medicine. Academic medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 76(10 Suppl), S74–S76. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200110001-00025
Gloria, A. M., & Kurpius, S. E. (2001). Influences of self-beliefs, social support, and comfort in the university environment on the academic nonpersistence decisions of American Indian undergraduates. Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 7(1), 88–102. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.7.1.88
Hathaway, R. S., B. A. Nagda, and S. R. Gregerman. (2002). The relationship of undergraduate
research participation to graduate and professional education pursuit: An empirical study. Journal of College Student Development, 43(5), 614–631.
Katz, J., & Hartnett, R. T. (1976). Recommendations for Training Better Scholars. In Scholars in the Making: The Development of Graduate and Professional Students, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Ballinger Publishing Company.
Laursen, S., E. Seymour, A. B. Hunter, H. Thiry, and G. Melton. 2010. Undergraduate research in the sciences: Engaging students in real science. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Lopatto D. (2007). Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 6(4), 297–306. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.07-06-0039
McGee, R., and J. L. Keller. (2007). Identifying future scientists: Predicting persistence into
research training. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 6(4), 316–331.
Nagda, B. A., S. R. Gregerman, J. Jonides, W. von Hippel, and J. S. Lerner. (1998).
Undergraduate student-faculty research partnerships affect student retention. Review of Higher Education, 22(1), 55–72.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). The Science of Effective
Mentorship in STEMM. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25568
Noy, S., & R. Ray, (2012). Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Their Advisors: Is There Systematic Disadvantage in Mentorship? The Journal of Higher Education, 83(6), 876-914. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2012.11777273
Paglis, L. L., Green, S. G., & Bauert, T. N. (2006). Does Adviser Mentoring Add Value? A Longitudinal Study of Mentoring and Doctoral Student Outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 47(4), 451–476. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40197412
Palepu, A., Friedman, R. H., Barnett, R. C., Carr, P. L., Ash, A. S., Szalacha, L., & Moskowitz, M. A. (1998). Junior faculty members’ mentoring relationships and their professional development in U.S. medical schools. Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 73(3), 318–323. http://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-199803000-00021
Pfund, C., Byars-Winston, A., Branchaw, J., Hurtado, S., and Eagan, K. (2016). Defining
attributes and metrics of effective research mentoring relationships. AIDS and Behavior, 20, 238-248. PMID: 27062425
Sambunjak, D., Straus, S. E., & Marusić, A. (2006). Mentoring in academic medicine: a systematic review. JAMA, 296(9), 1103–1115. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.296.9.1103
Schapira, M. M., Kalet, A., Schwartz, M. D., & Gerrity, M. S. (1992). Mentorship in general internal medicine: investment in our future. Journal of general internal medicine, 7(2), 248–251. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02598026
Solorzano, D.G. (1993). The Road to the Doctorate for California’s Chicanas and Chicanos: A Study of Ford Foundation Minority Fellows. CPS Report.
Thiry, H., and S. Laursen. 2011. The role of student-advisor interactions in apprenticing
undergraduate researchers into a scientific community of practice. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(6), 771–784.
Weber-Main A., Shanedling J., Kaizer A., Connett J., Lamere M., El-Fakahany E. (2019). A
randomized controlled pilot study of the University of Minnesota mentoring excellence training academy: A hybrid learning approach to research mentor training. Clinical and Translational Science. 1-13.
Williams, M. M., & George-Jackson, C. (2014). Using and doing science: Gender, self-efficacy, and science identity of undergraduate students in STEM. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 20(2).
Wingard, D. L., K. A. Garman, and V. Reznik. 2004. Facilitating faculty success: Outcomes and
cost benefit of the UCSD National Center of Leadership in Academic Medicine. Academic Medicine 79(suppl. 10), S9–S11.
Wisconsin Center for Education Research and the Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Christine Pfund, Ph.D. is a senior scientist with the Wisconsin Center for Education Research and the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW). Dr. Pfund earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology, followed by post-doctoral research in Plant Pathology, both at University of Wisconsin-Madison. For almost a decade, Dr. Pfund served as the Associate Director of the Delta Program in Research, Teaching, and Learning and the co-Director of the Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching helping to train future faculty to become more effective teachers. Dr. Pfund is now conducting research with several programs across the UW campus including the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. Her work focuses on developing, implementing, documenting, and studying interventions to optimize research mentoring relationships across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM).
Dr. Pfund co-authored the original Entering Mentoring curriculum and co-authored many papers documenting the effectiveness of this approach. Dr. Pfund is the principal investigator of the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) Coordination Center. She is also director of the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experience in Research at UW-Madison (CIMER). She is a member of the National Academies committee that recently published the consensus report and online guide, The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM.


I’ve hankered to stay in a lighthouse since I was a young girl, my nose buried in countless Famous Five novels. I still can’t think of a more exciting prospect of bedding down for the night, perched on a blustery headland, the rough seas lashing salty spray against the windowpanes.
My childhood wish was finally realised, amid the blowy Atlantic westerly winds on our recent stay in the charming Old Lighthouse Upper on Lundy Island.
And although the salty sea spray didn’t exactly reach our windows, waking every morning to the chatter of bird song, the baahing of contented sheep, and the thundering waves crashing far below, Old Lighthouse – you didn’t disappoint. Rather you’ve hooked me.
If you’re seeking adventure, have a thirst for the outdoors, and love wildlife, I strongly recommend a visit to Lundy. And, if you want it to be a memory that lasts forever, one of those special ingrained warm memories that make you feel fuzzy inside, book one of the Landmark’s exceptional properties, and be one of the few when the boat leaves. You’ll be in paradise.
Old Lighthouse Upper sleeps 5, no dogs allowed, and costs from £267 for a two-night stay. Book well ahead as Lundy is very popular even in Winter. You can book 2-3 years in advance!
You can also camp on Lundy (National Trust members can camp for free!).
Have you been to Lundy? I’d love to hear your stories and which accommodation you stayed in. (I’m longing to try out Tibbets next, the old signal and watch station and the remotest property of the island with no electricity!)


Hypertrophy bodybuilding is a popular training method aimed at maximising muscle growth and size. One of the most common questions among trainers and bodybuilders is how many sets and reps are ideal for achieving hypertrophy. In this article, we'll review studies and evidence-based recommendations on the optimal number of sets and reps for hypertrophy bodybuilding.
What is Hypertrophy Bodybuilding?
Hypertrophy bodybuilding is a form of resistance training that focuses on stimulating muscle growth and size. This is typically achieved by performing exercises that target specific muscle groups, such as the chest, back, legs, and arms. To achieve hypertrophy, the body must undergo a process of muscle damage, repair, and growth, which is achieved through progressively challenging resistance training.
How Many Sets and Reps for Hypertrophy?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how many sets and reps are ideal for hypertrophy bodybuilding. The ideal number of sets and reps can vary depending on factors such as fitness level, training program, and individual goals. However, recent studies provide some evidence-based recommendations on the topic.
Sets and Reps for Hypertrophy
A review of studies published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that performing 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, using a variety of exercises targeting multiple muscle groups, is effective for increasing muscle size and strength in both novice and advanced lifters. They suggest that performing more than 5 sets per exercise may provide marginal additional benefits but may also increase the risk of overtraining and injury.
Another study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that performing multiple exercises targeting the same muscle group in a single workout session (i.e., a "muscle group" training split) was more effective for increasing muscle size and strength than performing a single exercise per muscle group in each workout (i.e., a "total body" training split).
Progressive Overload for Hypertrophy
While the number of sets and reps is important for hypertrophy, progressive overload is also crucial for continued growth and adaptation. Progressive overload refers to gradually increasing the resistance (weight) lifted over time to continue challenging the muscles and stimulating growth. This can be achieved by increasing the weight lifted, the number of sets and reps performed, or the frequency of training sessions.
Recovery and Nutrition for Hypertrophy
Finally, it's important to note that proper recovery and nutrition are also essential for hypertrophy. Adequate rest between training sessions and adequate sleep are necessary for the body to repair and grow muscle tissue. A well-balanced diet with adequate protein intake is also crucial for providing the building blocks necessary for muscle growth.
In conclusion, the ideal number of sets and reps for hypertrophy bodybuilding is typically 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, using a variety of exercises targeting multiple muscle groups.
This approach provides a balance between training volume and intensity and has been shown to be effective for increasing muscle size and strength in both novice and advanced lifters. However, it's important to individualise training programs based on goals, fitness level, and preferences and to prioritise progressive overload, recovery, and nutrition for continued progress and adaptation.
If you're looking to achieve the best results with your hypertrophy bodybuilding program, working with an ELITE personal trainer can be highly beneficial. Our personal trainers will provide individualised guidance and support, helping you to develop a program that is tailored to your specific goals, fitness level, and preferences. Our coaches can also help you to maintain proper form and technique during exercises, reducing the risk of injury and maximising the effectiveness of your workouts. Additionally, an ELITE coach can help you to stay motivated and accountable, providing the encouragement and support you need to stay on track and achieve your goals.
Whether you're a beginner or an advanced lifter, working with an ELITE personal trainer can help you to optimise your training program and achieve the best possible results. Contact us today to learn more.


I’m always soft for you, that’s the problem. You could come knocking on my door five years from now and I would open my arms wider and say ‘come here, it’s been too long, it felt like home with you.’
The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you’ve said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a tellar but for want of an understanding ear.
It hurts to let go. Sometimes it seems the harder you try to hold on to something or someone the more it wants to get away. You feel like some kind of criminal for having felt, for having wanted. For having wanted to be wanted. It confuses you, because you think that your feelings were wrong and it makes you feel so small because it’s so hard to keep it inside when you let it out and it doesn’t coma back. You’re left so alone that you can’t explain. Damn, there’s nothing like that, is there? I’ve been there and you have too. You’re nodding your head.
—Henry Rollins, The Portable Henry Rollins (via observando)
There’s all this bullshit going around about wanting to be missed at 3AM. That is crap. I don’t want you to miss me at 3AM. I want you to miss me when you wake up in the morning after dreaming about me, missing the days when I wasn’t
justin your dreams. I want you to miss me when you take a look at your phone and realize you can’t call me or talk to me like you used to. I want you to miss me when you’re drunk and stumbling through the room, wishing I was there for you to look for. I want you to miss me when you’re out and you walk past someone who smells like me or has the same color eyes as me. I want you to miss me when my favorite song comes on. I want you to miss me when you’re with your friends, realizing that you’d rather be with me. I want you to miss me when you gaze at your empty hands, missing my touch.
ThenI want you to miss me when you’re still awake at 3AM and you’re lonely without me there to hold you. I want you to miss me in every waking hour, not just when it’s after midnight and the loneliness forces you to think about all that went wrong. I want you to miss me every waking hour; I want you to miss me the way I miss you.
Home’s the place we head for in our sleep.
—Louise Erdrich, from “Indian Boarding School: The Runaways” (via litverve)
I love being horribly straightforward. I love sending reckless text messages (because how reckless can a form of digitized communication be?) and telling people I love them and telling people they are absolutely magical humans and I cannot believe they really exist. I love saying, Kiss me harder, and You’re a good person, and, You brighten my day. I live my life as straight-forward as possible.
Because one day, I might get hit by a bus.
Maybe it’s weird. Maybe it’s scary. Maybe it seems downright impossible to just be—to just let people know you want them, need them, feel like, in this very moment, you will die if you do not see them, hold them, touch them in some way whether its your feet on their thighs on the couch or your tongue in their mouth or your heart in their hands.
But there is nothing more beautiful than being desperate.
And there is nothing more risky than pretending not to care.
We are young and we are human and we are beautiful and we are not as in control as we think we are. We never know who needs us back. We never know the magic that can arise between ourselves and other humans.
We never know when the bus is coming.


Sue and her husband, Craig, have been married 29 years. They live in El Paso, TX, where Craig works as an Orthopedic Oncologist. Sue is a Bible teacher, speaker and author. Over the last twenty years, her writing has appeared in Christian magazines such as Focus on the Family as well as in secular newspapers and devotional books. She enjoys worshiping through dance and drama, mentoring younger women, and being called “Grammy.”
Sue shares, “One of my favorite things is speaking with women about loving their husbands. Understanding our own husband’s need for our respect and for a satisfying sexual relationship within our marriage are vital components of a strong marriage.”
- You can read Sue’s blog here.


For all those wanting more from life Caspar’s message is incredibly motivating, providing plain-speaking practical guidance mixed with an exhilarating tale of adventure. The book goes behind the scenes of how exactly the Craven family made their magical plan happen, and gives clear advice on how we can follow in their footsteps, before taking us on a fantastic voyage around the world in their boat Aretha.
– Sir Ranulph Fiennes
It’s a great story and the book is really really good. I was so impressed. It’s brilliant.
– Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2
A captivating book that you won’t want to put down!
Wow! What a captivating book! Right from the start, your vision, making it clear about your plans…not deviating from your goal.
The planning processes, the preparation (so much to consider) I have to admit I wasn’t aware that so much planning, training and prep was required. It was great to read about your vision, how you involved everyone, how you planned and ultimately achieved everything you set out to.
You have allowed us, as readers, an insight into such an epic, momentous journey all all that it involved. Your book was such a joy to read! I was delighted to hear the adventures of each and every one of you along the way.
Congratulations on such an amazing read – I hope to read more books by you in the not too distant future!
If you do not want your life to change for the better then do not read this book.
If you do not want your life to change for the better then do not read this book and do not attend any workshops delivered by Caspar Craven. I did this week and I’ve been inspired to build high performing & happy teams which will create life changing experiences.
Through the medium of adventure along this round the world sailing trip Caspar reminds you why you must act now to realise your dreams and why and how you must ensure that you are bringing you team (be it family, friends, or business colleagues) with you.
– Ben Pullen
A masterpiece… an incredible personal development and business book all told through the lens of a gripping real life transformation and adventure story.
– Dr John Demartini – bestselling author of The Values Factor
Truly inspirational. Lessons for life and business in team work, grit, courage and delivering on the vision.
This book arrived on Saturday am – and it took up all my free time until I finished it on Monday evening. At first glance, you think it’s going to be a heart-warming tale about a family coping with all matter of adventure and adversity sailing round the world. And for those, looking for that, you won’t be disappointed. But it also cuts far deeper.
The lessons shared are relatable to business and family – and will inspire and compel you to make changes. Not necessarily changes as significant as selling up and sailing round the world (but for those looking to do that, it’s packed with knowledge and resources, so that may happen too!) – but certainly changes in thinking and mindset. I’m an avid reader of business books, and yet, this story has compelled me in a very short time to take more action than many I read.
The values piece for family was something I’ve never even thought of – and it’s something both my husband and I are behind. The other key takeaway for me was the belief and conviction that it really is necessary to make a life on your terms and doing what you want. As Caspar reminds us, we are here for a heartbeat in this amazing world. And yet, we are often shackled to routine and conforming to the ‘norms’.
Great story, great impact, incredible courage and determination and team work. Well done Cravens. Truly inspirational. I look forward to watching what happens next.
– Michelle Carvill
If you want to live your best life possible – read this now.
The sun shone all weekend yet I had my head firmly in Caspar’s awe inspiring book, staying up well past my normal Sunday night bedtime just so I could read to the end. I have the pleasure in knowing Caspar and have already benefited from his wisdom and direction both with my small business and personally with my family and daughter. That’s what I love so much about this book, whether you are a budding entrepreneur, sailing aficionado or just want to make sure you and your family are living the best possible life, there is so much to learn here. I would highly recommend it and look forward to putting into action some of the guidance offered to create my own adventure!
– Hillary Williams
© Caspar Craven 2018


Original ArticleThe Incidence of Subsequent Surgery After Outpatient Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
Review articleOpen access
2016/08/01 Full-length article DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2016.01.039
Journal: Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery
PurposeTo quantify the incidence and risk factors associated with subsequent shoulder procedures in individuals undergoing outpatient arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR).MethodsWe examined the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative Systems outpatient database from 2003 through 2014 to identify patients undergoing isolated ARCR with or without concomitant acromioplasty. Patients were longitudinally followed up for a minimum of 2 years to determine the incidence of subsequent ipsilateral shoulder surgery. The impact of age, sex, insurance, concomitant acromioplasty, and tobacco use on reoperation was explored.ResultsBetween 2003 and 2012, 30,430 patients underwent isolated ARCR. The mean age was 56.6 ± 11.5 years, and 55.1% were male patients. A total of 1,826 patients (6.0%) underwent subsequent ipsilateral outpatient shoulder surgery a mean of 24.3 ± 27.1 months after the initial ARCR. Of patients who underwent repeat surgery, 57.3% underwent a revision cuff repair. Patients who underwent additional outpatient shoulder surgery were significantly younger (53.7 ± 10.9 years v 56.8 ± 11.5 years, P < .001). Tobacco use was associated with an increased rate of subsequent surgery (7.3% v 5.9%, P = .044) and accelerated time to reoperation (16.9 months v 24.7 months, P < .001). Independent risk factors for subsequent ipsilateral surgery after initial ARCR were presence of a Workers' Compensation claim (odds ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.89-2.36; P < .001) and initial ARCR without acromioplasty (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.34; P < .001).ConclusionsWe identified a 6.0% incidence of repeat ipsilateral surgery after isolated ARCR. Although reasons for reoperation are likely multifactorial, younger age, Workers' Compensation claim, and absence of acromioplasty at the time of initial ARCR remained independent predictors of subsequent outpatient procedures, whereas a history of tobacco use was associated with accelerated time to subsequent surgery.Level of EvidenceLevel III, retrospective comparative study.
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A storyteller at heart...
Whether through art, writing, theater, dance, music, or a combination thereof, ultimately I tell stories. Each method of storytelling informs the rest. Even my work as a Shiatsu practitioner influences my art. It has taught me that presence is the root of all healing.
This has inspired me to return to art with a focus on moments of connection, often as a means of processing aspects of my own life. I view creative expression as an opportunity for personal growth, meditation, expression, and healing.
My hope is that my work lets people feel seen, heard, and understood. May it inspire people to see the beauty that exists within and around them.


She's done it again! Oh man, Donna Kauffman is on a roll, people! Take note. First, this book grabbed my attention because it's about the rough yet flirty Seth. He's the one we had dreams about when he popped up in the previous Blue Hollow Falls book.
Seth has this effortless charm and when Pippa comes along it draws her in just like it did me! She is looking for a quiet place to heal her voice and work on overcoming the fear of performing. Seth might not have known it upon first meeting, but he was looking for someone to do more than flirt with-- and he gets it. Pippa satisfies him, if you know what I mean. Even more, she brings peace to the community.
At first I kind of thought she was being too pushy, but I realized that through building this relationship with such a small community she was pushing herself through the fear. I really liked the vulnerability of both Pippa and Seth in that respect. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, then stop reading my review and go read the book!!! I'm not spoiling a thing! It's too good not to read for yourself.
Bluestone and Vine is the second Blue Hollow Falls book by Donna Kauffman, and I love how the story just keeps giving.
Seth Brogan is tending to his animals and getting his vines ready for spring when his sister tells him that she’s swapped houses with someone from Ireland, except she swapped his house for the singer to stay while she recovers from over use of her voice. The first meeting between Pippa and Brogan sparks fly even in the cold, snowy weather.
You’ll enjoy this book as much or more than the first. I know I did!


That’s when I dropped my pants.
Funny how few circumstances there are when going bottom-less in front of other human beings is totally appropriate, but childbirth is one of them. I was ready to get in the tub. So I settled into the warm water, my husband held my hand, and Cherise knelt beside us and started pouring water over my belly. A few moments later, Mary came and stood at the foot of the tub. She must have known somehow that I was still feeling guilty about giving birth on Christmas, and she knew I needed a way to let that guilt go. The words she said to me… oh those words… those beautiful, beautiful words. Perhaps I’m not quoting her exactly right, but she looked straight into my eyes and said words very similar to this:
There is no greater gift to God’s service than what we’re doing right here right now.
As soon as her message penetrated my heart, it was as though the guilt instantly released its grip on me, and I began to cry. It was a massive, monumental, beautiful release. I sobbed, “Thank you…” and Mary didn’t skip a beat before responding, “Thank YOU.” Cherise and Mary both encouraged me to cry and let it out. This was the first time I had ever cried in labor, and it felt good. Releasing those trapped negative emotions allowed my body to move forward, and the contractions became even stronger.
As Cherise poured water over my belly, she would periodically say positive words, such as, “Opening. Releasing.” I’m not sure if it was her words that reminded me, but as I lay in the water, I remembered a story I had read a day or two prior in Ina May’s Birth Matters. She told of a woman whose cervix had opened a significant amount (while Ina May was doing a vaginal exam in labor) simply because the woman had declared, “I just want to open up and have this baby!” Ina May explained: “When I told her what I was feeling, her joy at hearing this enabled her to open even more” (p. 29).
In this birth more than any of my previous four births I saw how intimately intertwined our bodies and minds are, especially during childbirth. After remembering Ina May’s story, I started thinking to myself, “I am opening. I am opening.” Almost without fail when I would say those words to myself, I would have a contraction. Whenever the labor seemed to be slowing down, I simply had to say to myself, “I am opening,” and inevitably things would pick back up again. I really felt like I was in control, like the pace of the labor was up to me, and that things could go as gently or quickly as I wished.
As things moved along, it was as though I would come to an emotional roadblock, and as I came to each roadblock, the right words would be spoken to me, usually by Cherise. My birth attendants were so exquisitely attuned to my process and my needs. It was incredible to hear exactly what I needed without even having to tell them what I was feeling. They just knew. I didn’t say a word of what was going on in my heart, but they knew. Each time this happened, their words would bring me to tears, and I would release the emotion that had been holding me back, and the labor would pick up and progress again. And then I would cry even more out of gratitude to them for the gift of those words.
As I soaked in the tub, I remember thinking that it felt like we had been there all day… that hours and hours and hours had passed. Time passes strangely when you’re in laborland. I asked my husband what time it was, and I remember being surprised that it was still morning. Some time after 10:00 a.m. It was around this time that they started pumping me full of herbal labor tea and coconut water. From this point on, someone was always putting a cup with a bendy straw in front of my face, saying, “Drink some more.”
Eventually I started feeling restless, so I announced that I wanted to get out of the tub. They wrapped me in towels and helped me climb out. I remember at that moment, Kelly started to say something like, “Do you want to sit on the toilet?” But Mary quickly stopped her and said, “Just do whatever your body tells you to do.” I did need to pee, and the toilet was close-by, so I sat right down. Getting my body upright and sitting on the toilet led to some pretty intense contractions, so I stayed put for awhile, moaning and gripping tightly to my husband when the intense waves rolled through me.
It was soon after this that my daughter came into the room, like my angel in Gethsemane, to give me strength for the finish. She asked me, “Are you OK, Mom?” And I quickly told her, “Yes.” Feeling her loving touches and her tender empathic energy was so beautiful. I was completely surrounded by love and support. I had never felt so protected, respected, and free in labor before. Once again I was in tears. Gratitude and pain mingled together and dripped down my cheeks as I sobbed and moaned through a few contractions. And Mary wiped my tears with a warm washcloth.
After a bit, I started to feel restless again, like I needed to do something different. I stood up. Mary said, “Yes, just do whatever you feel you want to do.” But I sort of looked around undecidedly, feeling a bit confused, and said, “I don’t know what I want…” Once again, she looked me right in the eyes and said, “Oh, but I think you do.” Instantly, she gave my power back to me. It was exactly the right thing to say. I went from feeling confused and frazzled one moment to feeling strong and courageous the next. I walked determinedly into the bedroom. I wanted darkness and privacy again.
After a few contractions standing and swaying, I lay on the bed, facing my husband. Cherise came in again and rubbed my feet. Things slowed down again for a bit, which was fine with me. At this point, I was so exhausted. Part of me felt like it was never going to end. But I said to my husband, “This won’t last forever, right?” He said, “Nope. It won’t.” I told him, “I don’t want to do this anymore.” I can’t remember what he said in response, but I think it was something excellent like, “You’re doing so great. I’m so proud of you.” At some point as we lay there in the dark, I heard Cherise pulling something out of my birth bag, and just moments later I felt her drape something over my body. Oh, my dear Cherise, I thought… You remembered. It was my white scarf, and I had forgotten about it. As I lay there, feeling like I couldn’t do it any more, she knew exactly what I needed. Under His wings you will find refuge. It was a tangible reminder that I was safe and supported and that everything would be fine.
Mary encouraged me to eat. She said that sometimes the body just needs to refuel so it can produce those strong end-of-labor contractions. I told her I was actually feeling pretty nauseous (which told me I was probably moving into transition), but I ate a date and some crackers, and Mary made a smoothie with oatmeal, dates, and powdered greens (sounds gross, but it actually tasted pretty good). After drinking and eating, I needed to use the bathroom again, so back to the toilet we went. Then I tried the birth sling for a bit. Then I stood up. Then I got that sickening feeling no one likes to feel, promptly turned around, and heaved the contents of my stomach into the toilet… over and over and over. Wow. Never done that in labor before. So much for refueling, I guess.
Cherise told me that it was around this point that Mary asked if she had any peppermint oil, so she grabbed some as well as some Ylang Ylang, and rubbed it on my arms. She says I inhaled deeply and seemed to take comfort in the scent. I sat back down on the toilet, and they helped me wipe the vomit off my face, asking if I wanted some water to wash out my mouth. But I was so out-of-it that I just shook my head.
At this point I think I started crying again. But this time it was because I was so incredibly tired and didn’t want to feel the pain anymore. Mary was kneeling on the floor in front of me, and I told her, “I just want to be done.” But even as I said the words, there was still a part of me holding back, still a part of me that was afraid to let my baby out of my body, worried about what the future would hold.
My eyes were closed as I leaned on my husband, but I heard Cherise’s voice next to me:
Remember… you’re under His wings. Right now, two hours from now, two days from now, two months from now, two years from now.
The right words. The perfect words.
And the tears erupted again, and I released the fear.
I was ready.
I stood up, and I got in the sling.
Once I told my body I was ready, I knew she would come. And she did.
I wailed as I felt Hope descend deeper and deeper, opening me wider and wider. It hurt so bad, but I was so ready for it to be over that the pain just made me push harder. Mary said the amniotic sack was hanging down between my legs. Then it burst, and I felt her head stretching me, crowning. I start breathing through pursed lips, little breaths, easing through the ring of fire. And then her head was out, and her slippery body followed. And I felt like I had never been so relieved before in my life.
She didn’t make a sound. Not even a tiny cry. She just started breathing, calm as can be. It was 11:54 a.m.
Our Hope was here. Our first Christmas gift of the year, and our best Christmas gift of all time.


Fair Haven Ministries
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Fueling a Passion for God
Small Groups at Fair Haven are one of the best ways to connect, meet new friends, find belonging, and experience life in community with others. If you are interested in meeting new people, growing in friendships and in your faith, you might consider joining or starting a small group.
Join a Group: If you are interested in joining a small group, please email Pastor Greg and let him know.
Small Group Leaders: click here for resources to use in leading your group.
Study Guides are available from the First Love: Ephesians Message Series . You can use these guides for your small group, for your family, or individually.
Study Guides are available from the Radical Together Message Series based on the book by David Platt.


I have another blog that I’m working on, but I had to get this out! I’ll finish that one later, but this was burning in my heart. And y’all know I use this blog to process and share.
I’m in this season where God is pruning and pruning and picking and sharpening and molding and challenging, etc. It’s been a tough spot. Not even gonna lie or sugarcoat it. It is what it is. I had an entire temper tantrum. I was mad like, “God. What else do you want?! Haven’t I grown? Haven’t I made progress in that area? Can we not do this?” Y’all. I had a whole moment. Like crying and everything. If I could have, I would have thrown my body on the floor and start kicking and screaming. But I’m in my 30s so that’s not a good look.
Anyway- God is showing me one simple truth. My life doesn’t belong to me. Now, I know that in theory. I sing it in worship all the time. And honestly, I gave up my life to God. Well, some of my life. See, what I’m coming to realize right now is that I have multiple lives. Like a cat, but not. Essentially, there are different aspects and shades of my life. And some of them I’ve turned over to God. Those are the ones that are toxic and not in line with the Word of God or those things that are not becoming of a Christian.
I mean, in the grand scheme of things, those were the ones that were easy to give up. They made sense! Yup! I stopped drinking and sleeping around, etc, etc. That made sense to give up. I even went as far as to go into ministry. Got ordained as a minister. Made sense! Ooo! even further- I moved across the country (8 hours drive) away from my family and my friends and the life I knew to obey and follow God. I gave up my life!
But there are other lives, or aspects of my life, that God has His finger on that I haven’t given up yet. Some of them are hidden in the recesses of my subconscious but others I guess I didn’t see the harm in it. What I do with my free time, what hobbies I like, how I use social media as an outlet, who I connect with… As long as these things don’t oppose what God requires, it’s fine, right?
It’s not fine. Why? Because those “lives” aren’t mine either. I’ve been fighting to hold on to parts of me that I feel like I should be able to govern and control and make decisions about. But, how can I say that Jesus is Lord, but not allow Him to be Lord in EVERYTHING?
Lord – a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler; a person who exercises authority from property rights; an owner.Dictionary.com
We don’t like that word, control, but the reality of the matter is, when Jesus gave His life for us, He purchased our freedom. Our life now belongs to Him. We weren’t freed from sin into our own recognizance. We were freed into the lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore, because He purchased our freedom, we belong to Him. EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES.
Paul made this point in a couple of different ways:
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.Colossians 3:3
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.Galatians 2:20
Nothing in my life, and I mean nothing, belongs to me. And to be honest, this realization sucks. It sucks because it shows me where I don’t trust God. I want to hold on to the areas of my life that I want to control, the areas that I don’t want God to strip and the areas that I don’t know if He really will work in. That’s a hard thing to say, but it makes me realize that I have to give up my life, all of my lives, if I truly want Him to be Lord. I have to put my faith in His goodness and His trustworthiness and in His sovereignty.
I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. It’s going to require me to give up my time, my attitudes, my thought processes, my comforts, my desires (or lack thereof in some cases!) all in adoption of the life that He has designed for me. I have to give up my idea of what I thought my life would be like and instead embrace the one He’s painting for me. I have to stop fighting God’s way and let Him have His way in me. Thankful that the Holy Spirit is our helper and enables us to do those things that we couldn’t do in an of ourselves.
Today, I’m making the commitment to make Him Lord. My pastor says it this way, “Either He’s Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all.” I want Him to be Lord of all my lives to the point that there truly is only one life. That there are fragments and aspects of me that are divided. I want the message that I portray at all times is a reflection of my wholehearted trust in and devotion to God.
Father in the name of Jesus, I give you full control of my life. God, point out in me those areas that I haven’t invited you in. I want you to be Lord in my life. Not just in word, but in deed. Holy Spirit, help me to relinquish full control. Help me to trust beyond what I can understand. Help me to acknowledge in all my way. Show me that your ways are right and your ways are best. Give me the discipline to submit to you, even when it hurts. Even when I don’t want to. Even when my desires pull me away from your will. Form your will in me until it becomes my own. I lay down my life, all of them, and take up the cross that you gave me. Your word say that if anyone hold on to their life, they would lose it but if they give up their life for your sake, they would find it. God, as I commit to lay down my all aspects of my life today, help me to find my life in you. Help me to find my satisfaction in you and the things you have for me. Help me to find my identity and my security in you and you alone. In your plans, in your call, in your purpose and in your timing for my life. I submit and I devote to you again. Thank you for doing your work in me. You be glorified in my life.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
I hope that my musing and my processing helps someone to understand what God has for us. This walk isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s worth it! If I can pray with you in any way or be a support or an encouragement, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!
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