From my experience as a PhD student (graduated in 2010) increased feelings of anxiety often coincided with feeling shutdown when faced with deadlines, supervision or the process of academic writing itself. Emotional shut down can be the result of feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. That’s why it’s important for doctoral programme leaders and supervisors and also leaders in any corporate organisation to listen to people who are feeling anxious and need support. When I was a PhD researcher my experience of being shut down impacted negatively on my critical/creative thinking, my organisational skills and on my writing projects. I had to address it quickly as it was having a negative effect on my confidence. Two of my online (on-campus available) workshops are based on my own experience of dealing with anxiety as a PhD researcher:
1. ‘Academic Writing: Reduce Anxiety’
&
2. ‘Stress Reduction Techniques in Research.’
Both workshops provide practical ways of dealing with anxiety which often occurs throughout the PhD journey. The ‘Academic Writing: Reduce Anxiety’ workshop is a practice-based session based on a new anxiety-reducing approach (I developed in the second year of my PhD) to academic writing which focuses on the development of the discursive analysis. Participants come to my workshop writing their chapter or paper (using my 7-step method) and the results have been remarkable. I have delivered this workshop to PhD researchers and postgraduates in the UK, America and Europe and it is having a very positive impact. My ‘Stress Reduction Techniques in Research’ workshop explores ideas and strategies related to enhancing positive mind management around PhD research. This workshop also introduces other anxiety-reducing approaches to the research process such as reading papers, note-taking for early stage PhDs, planning, time management etc.I think in these times these skills are necessary for PhD students to learn. For more information about booking my online workshops contact me here on LinkedIn or at info@scriptorcube.com. My website address is scriptorcube.com.