by Dr. Cara | Mar 1, 2022 | Dissertation Coaching, Writing
Hello there, dissertator! Do you find yourself continually revising and reworking sections of your writing to the point when you feel like you just can’t move forward? The late New Yorker writer James Thurber advised that a first draft should be a “purge” of...
by Dr. Cara | Feb 1, 2022 | Dissertation Coaching
If nothing was expected of you during the cold winter months–no dissertation, work or family obligations–what would you do? For many, the answer would be: Sleep. Eat. Drink. Nap. Watch TV. Read a book. Repeat. While these responses may sound a lot like depression,...
by Dr. Cara | Jan 5, 2022 | Dissertation Coaching
Happy New Year, Dissertators! As a dissertation coach, I see firsthand the backlash of negative feelings graduate students experience when they don’t complete their stated goals. This self-blame often stymies them even more, creating a negative ripple effect that can...
by Dr. Cara | Dec 6, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching
Think of your favourite athlete and what he or she must do to prepare for a competition. It goes beyond a physical skill and extends into areas of nutrition, sleep and mental health. When it comes to completing your dissertation, consider yourself an academic athlete....
by caraweston | Oct 2, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching, Finish dissertation, Midlife PhD, Writing
Move over New Year’s resolutions. October is the new January. A Pinterest study revealed that the majority of us think of autumn as a popular time for starting over (again), taking care of long-awaited goals and making needed personal changes. It makes sense, right?...
by Dr. Cara | Sep 3, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching
Writing your dissertation can be a long and arduous process, albeit one with significant rewards. It can also cause a serious amount of apprehension and anxiety…enough to interfere with our sleep. Here’s the catch: unless we’re sufficiently rested, not only does...
by Dr. Cara | Jul 13, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching
Hi there, Great news! You are now almost at the end of a long and challenging journey. It’s so very, very close. You never thought this day would arrive, but miraculously, you have completed your dissertation. It’s been vetted by your advisor and the other...
by Dr. Cara | May 25, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching, Dissertation Supervisor
Hi there! Researching and writing a doctoral dissertation is often a long and lonely process. It can take anywhere from two or three years to what seems forever. Unless you’re a newly-minted graduate student with a few teaching duties and a scholarship that allows...
by Dr. Cara | Apr 15, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching
After some deep reflection, you’ve finally decided to take the leap and apply to a doctoral program. As well as the gratifying aspects of the Ph.D. process, the reality is that it consumes a good part of your life, take years to complete and costs a substantial...
by Dr. Cara | Feb 22, 2021 | Dissertation Coaching
It can be argued that writing a dissertation may be one of the most challenging cognitive tasks you’ll ever undertake. Many equate it to writing a book – but completing a dissertation goes beyond that. A better comparison: writing a dissertation is really...