Imagine a Done Dissertation!

ESPECIALLY FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS

WHO WANT TO FINISH FASTER--

AND ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you procrastinate endlessly?
Do you struggle to get work done without external deadlines?
Do you experience dissertation shame or anxiety?
Does your inner critic get the best of you?
Do you suffer from writer’s block or lack of focus?
Does negative feedback paralyze you?
Do you feel like an impostor or intellectual fraud?
Have you lost your motivation to do your dissertation?
Do you doubt your ability to finish your dissertation?
Are other commitments languishing due to your dissertation?
Are other commitments keeping you from your dissertation?
Are you concerned about your relationship with your advisor?
Do you need support figuring out how to get the job done?

Did you answer “yes” to any of the above?

Positive psychology coaching can help you develop confidence, build momentum and resilience, and finish your degree while developing success habits that will last a lifetime. Just ask my many clients who are now proud to be called “Dr.” It offers innovative, science-informed strategies that boost your mood, motivation, focus, and relationships.

Imagine if you could enjoy your life while you make progress on your degree. It is possible! My nuanced approach, informed by positive psychology and decades of college teaching, helps you create sustainable habits that get you across the finish line--while you enjoy the journey. You won't experience any cookie-cutter programs or empty cheerleading--just proven strategies tailed for your situation. These will allow you to cultivate the positive mindsets and success habits that will serve you now and after graduation.

Ready to get unstuck? Ready to put away the mental whips? Isn't it time to finish what you started and get your life back?

"I learned that self-compassion is a better motivator than self-criticism." Client N.J.

For a free consultation, please contact me.

"I assumed, when I started working with Gayle, that she would be, essentially, a deadline-setter: I’d tell her that I wanted to get x, y, and z done this week, and she would hold me to account. This was certainly true: Gayle did hold me accountable for self-imposed deadlines. But my sessions with Gayle did more than that. They opened my mind to a holistic approach to work, one in which care for the self is as important as quantifiable progress on my writing. Ultimately, self-care – and by this phrase, I mean respecting all of one’s commitments, to academic work and otherwise – is a way of respecting the self, and it’s this self-respect that is the ultimate driver of excellent, sustained work in any field."

J.M. (History Ph.D. candidate)

ALL BUT DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE: NOT JUST FOR ABDs

Don’t miss proven strategies for finishing your academic writing faster while enjoying the journey. Subscribe to the award-winning free e-letter, The All But Dissertation Survival Guide, brought to you by MentorCoach. As editor, I’m proud of the evidence-based tips and resource links we share for improving productivity and outlook--even if you are not a graduate student. Or peruse our extensive archives to savor articles like these (click title to download):

Feel Like a Fraud?

Is the Impostor Syndrome holding you back? If you struggle with perfectionism, rugged individualism, or juggling too much, take a breather and read this.

What Really Makes Your Procrastinate

Would you rather feel good–or finish and succeed? Learn why managing your moods may be the best thing for your productivity.

A Simple Plan to Finish Your Dissertation that Really Works

Discover a surprisingly overlooked method of nudging yourself to do what you say matters more often.

Secrets for Staying SANE–and Finishing Your Dissertation Faster

You are the tool that gets the work done. How good are you at self-care? Get better with these tips.

Free weekly planning template for ABDS: Download here.

INDISPENSABLE GUIDES FOR ACADEMIC WRITERS

It’s Just a Dissertation! by Denise K. Comer and Barbara G. Garrett.

No matter where you are in the dissertation process, this unique step-by-step workbook will boost your confidence while offering practical suggestions for overcoming external and internal hurdles.

Finish Your Dissertation, Don’t Let it Finish You! by Joanne Broder Sumerson.

Practical guide to help you design, conduct, and finish an academic dissertation or thesis with minimal drama, Excellent tips for choosing a smart topic, preparing your lit review, designing your study, and preparing for your defense.

The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending Your Dissertation by Carol Roberts.

Read this entire guide before you start–then keep it on your desk for continued referencing. In user-friendly language, this highly experienced graduate professor shares insights, strategies, and handy checklists that will save you time and worry.

Demystifying Dissertation Writing: A Streamlined Process from Choice of Topic to Final Text by Peg Boyle Singleton.

A highly useful manual for narrowing your topic and getting your manuscript out the door with emphasis on the writing process.

Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change by Timothy Pychyl.

Procrastination is the #1 problem in academia–and this book gives you scientifically grounded ways to overcome it. A must for those who put things off!

“They Say / I Say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (Third Edition) by Gerald Graff.

The best-selling book on academic writing. Identifies key rhetorical moves, explains how to frame arguments in context of existing literature, provides templates, etc.. Chapters for different disciplines. A terrific guide for writing a lit review that works.