What if the biggest breakthrough in your dissertation journey had nothing to do with writing—and everything to do with finally asking for help? In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Girsea Martinez get real about the grief, guilt, and pressure that can derail your academic progress. They unpack what it means to carry personal loss while collecting data, why rewriting can feel like reliving trauma, and how community became the turning point that changed everything. If you’ve been silently struggling, convinced you have to figure it out alone—this episode will remind you that you don’t.

 

Girsea Martinez (she/they)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/girsea

Girsea on LinkedIn and IG

 

Dissertation Information

• Qual Scholars Community: https://qual-scholars.circle.so/
• 10 Pages In 2 Days Writing Retreat: https://qualscholars.com/10pages/
• The Finish Your Dissertation Institute: https://qualscholars.com/theinstitute/ 
• Qual Scholars Website: https://qualscholars.com/ 
• Qual Scholars’ Instagram: https://instagram.com/qual_scholars/

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Grief and Higher Education 02:52 Post-Defense Reflections and Healing 06:13 The Defense Experience: Insights and Strategies 08:57 The Impact of Personal Loss on Academic Journey 11:57 Community Support and Resilience in Academia 14:54 Balancing Grief and Academic Responsibilities 18:12 The Role of Identity in Research and Writing 21:11 The Emotional Toll of Data Collection 23:55 Finding Purpose in the Dissertation Process 26:49 Navigating the Dissertation Journey 30:01 The Power of Community in Writing 34:15 Embracing Self-Care and Progress 37:59 The Emotional Weight of Rewriting 42:43 Overcoming Doubt and Finding Support 45:33 Investing in Community for Success