Coaching for Graduate Students Departing from Their Program
Whether you are leaving a graduate program due to a life transition such as marriage, illness, or relocation, or whether you are leaving due to problems with your program or department, the decision to leave can be a difficult and painful one. There are a myriad of issues one must face during and after departure. For some, it will seem that their whole world has been turned inside-out, and that there is no possibility that things will ever be right again. For others, though the decision to depart may feel like a relief, the prospect of figuring out what to do next may seem daunting. You may feel that you face the judgment, spoken or unspoken of others that you are a failure, a quitter, not bright enough, not strong enough to go the distance. Often you must also face those same internal judgments within yourself, while simultaneously grappling with fears about how to put your life back together, now that all your professional aspirations have been swept away in an instant. These feelings can be even more intense when it feels like departure has been the result of external factors, such as money, or departmental difficulties, rather than a deliberate personal choice.
As your coach, I can help you with each phase of this difficult decision, so that you can make peace with your experience, and emerge whole and strong on the other side, with a clear vision of a bright and welcoming future. Some of the issues we can address in coaching include:
- Deciding whether departure is right for you
- Planning and implementing your exit strategy
- Planning for financial ramifications of departure
- Addressing real or perceived judgments of friends and family regarding your departure
- Exploring new career options
- Redesigning your vision of yourself and your future
Please contact me by phone at 618-319-4998 or email to schedule a free initial consultation.
