Dissertation Coaching Duo

New for this year, I’m pleased to offer dissertation coaching duo- a two person “mini” group dissertation coaching program. Work with one other colleague who is also committed to finishing their dissertation, and use our duo sessions to keep yourself accountable and making progress.

I’ve been wanting to offer duo coaching services for a while, but now, finally, my schedule permits it. Duo coaching is a great option if you are looking for more personalized attention than my dissertation group coaching program yet you still want the camaraderie and support that comes from partnering up with another ABD to finish.

The amount of “partnering” you do is completely up to you, but I hope that you will find your dissertation duo coaching buddy to be an additional source of acceptance and support for you as you finish- and vice versa.

The way duo coaching works is this:

  1. You express your interest in taking part in a dissertation duo, you can do that by sending a message through my contact form
  2. In that message, let me know where you are in the dissertation process, and what has interested you about duo coaching. Please also let me know if you have a duo coaching partner in mind, or if you want me to match you up with someone.
  3. Once a duo has been formed, we’ll set up our coaching sessions. You will have to agree to meet together, at the same time, for our duo coaching. (Otherwise it’s not duo coaching, right?)
  4. I’ll give you more details and information as your duo is formed.
  5. Then all you have to do is show up, be coached, and do the work you commit to. That’s it!

The duo coaching program is a test, and, as such, I’m looking for just 6 participants at this time- that’s 3 duos. We will schedule at a time that is mutually convenient for the three of us; and will meet on a private conference line. You each will be sent a copy of the recordings from our meetings so you have these to refer to.

I suggest that duo coaching be a three month commitment so you have time to put in place the habits and skills you need to successfully complete the dissertation.

The investment for duo coaching is $300 per month per person. This will include three (45 minute) meetings each month, recordings of the calls, and brief email check-ins between our meetings, if needed.

 

Here is what past students have said about working with me

I took a few rounds of your coaching sessions in 2014 and 2015, and just wanted to let you know that I defended my thesis on the 2nd of May, ten days ago. (It is an anthropological study about manufacturing in South America, you may remember the topic from our Skype meetings). It passed with great success.
I mention you in my acknowledgements, but would also like to send you this:
Thank you so much for your input, Rachna - I used (I still use) many of your concrete advice on how to make small steps and acknowledge progress, but also on how to build up a support team, how to manage feed back (and lack of feed back), and on the balancing of relations within the academic world (with supervisor/no supervisor/new supervisor, work on the side/economical support/lack of economical support etc).
I truly wish you all the best with your coaching sessions and I hope you do continue - it was one of the most positive and constructive aspects of my PhD process,
Dr. A. C., 2017

The great Rachna: After languishing with my dissertation for far too long, I participated in several "group" dissertation coaching sessions with Rachna and the investment was well worth it as I am certain that without her help I would not have moved it across the finish line. She has a perfect combination of coaching skills; ways of understanding things (such as the mechanics of the dissertation, conceptualizing, and writing); and encouraging/holding accountability to reasonable, "doable" incremental goals. She is so professional and is very perceptive about this or that client's skills, strengths, and weaknesses - which she helps the student improve upon. I'd recommend her highly, without hesitation.

S.S., PhD, 2016

Having [Rachna as my] dissertation coach was a wonderful help and resource.  It was a good feeling to be validated throughout the process.  Working towards my dissertation completion I found very similar to training for my first marathon.  I could not have done that without my running coach, but I could also not be expected to go out and run 26.2 miles without dedicating time to run every week.  Writing my dissertation was similar, I had you, my coach, but I also needed to “train” a certain amount every week.  Just like training for a marathon, you cannot be expected to train on your treadmill everyday in your house, you need to go out and run.  A big turning point in my process was leaving my house and sequestering myself in the library.  I found it much more efficient.  I had no distraction of laundry, the phone etc.  My dedicated library time resulted in much more production.  I also felt less guilt of my children seeing me at home in front of the computer, where they tended to feel ignored.  By leaving the house I was out of their site and out of their minds (a little way).

Jill Druhan-Albanese, Ed. D, Educational Leadership

If you’ve been following my newsletter or blog for any amount of time, you know that my “Get it Done” methodology has helped more than 1000 ABD’s become PhD’s; most in a year or less.

I’ve been doing this work since 2001, and am mentioned in hundreds of dissertations as a guiding force to completion of that project. I share this only as a way of explaining that I know how to help you get your dissertation done- no matter where you are starting from today.

If you want to take part in my duo coaching program, please submit your interest through my contact form and we’ll get you going as soon as possible.

I look forward to making this your year of the PhD.

Warmly,