Weaving Bonds for Better Mentoring: From the Definition to the Closure of the Relationship

The article discusses the central role of the mentoring relationship in the professional development of interns within both initial and continuing training contexts. This relationship, grounded in trust, recognition, and dialogue, goes beyond the simple transmission of knowledge, constituting a relational and dynamic process. The analysis emphasizes the fundamental phases of mentoring — definition, maintenance, adjustment, and closure — as well as the tensions and obstacles that may compromise its quality, such as role asymmetry, lack of time, and implicit expectations. The study concludes that effective mentoring should foster co-responsibility, autonomy, and agency on the part of the mentee, promoting co-learning that equally benefits both the mentor and the intern, within a continuous movement of sustainable professional development.