Every time you sit down to write, your brain goes blank. You know what the goal is—finish the dissertation—but the words just won’t come. In this solo episode, Dr. Marvette Lacy breaks down exactly why this keeps happening. She shares how burnout, shame, and lack of clarity are working against you, and why more time isn’t the answer—better energy management is. You’ll learn about the Scholar Basics, the real reason your writing plan keeps falling apart, and the one question that can help you get unstuck today. If you’ve been showing up for everyone else and wondering why you can’t show up for yourself, this episode is for you.

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/

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

What happens when your world falls apart in the middle of your PhD? In this raw and powerful conversation, Dr. Michelle Rascon-Canales shares how grief, neurodivergence, and academic pressure collided—and how she found her way back through coaching, community, and creativity. We talk about why writing in isolation doesn’t work, how the wrong advisor relationship can shake your confidence, and what it really takes to keep writing when life gets heavy. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re the only one struggling to keep it all together behind the scenes—this one’s for you.

Michelle Rascon-Canales (She/her)

• [email protected]
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rascon-canales
• Instagram: @michellephd_lmsw

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 Introduction to the Journey
• 03:06 Navigating Personal and Academic Challenges
• 05:51 The Impact of Grief on Academic Pursuits
• 09:00 The Role of Community in Overcoming Obstacles
• 11:59 Finding Support Through Coaching
• 15:03 Transforming Writing Practices
• 17:48 The Importance of Self-Care in Academia
• 21:02 Building a Supportive Network
• 23:56 Conclusion and Reflections
• 25:12 The Importance of Writing in Community
• 29:06 Navigating Relationships with Advisors
• 32:44 The Iterative Process of Writing
• 38:43 Embracing Neurodiversity in Academia
• 45:13 Finding Safety in the Writing Process

Join us for the 10 Pages In 2 Days Writing Retreat https://qualscholars.com/10pages/

Here’s why writing is so hard 🖤 Agenda 🖤Introduction 🖤5 min sound bath w/ 🖤 3 Reasons Why It’s Hard 🖤 Dangers of Micro-Quitting 🖤 How To Write When It’s Hard Join us for the 10 Pages In 2 Days Writing Retreat https://qualscholars.com/10pages/

Join us for the 10 Pages In 2 Days Writing Retreat https://qualscholars.com/10pages/

Join the Qual Scholars Community https://qual-scholars.circle.so/ Find the resources your need to get to graduation. https://qualscholars.com/

Join the Qual Scholars Community https://qual-scholars.circle.so/ Find the resources your need to get to graduation. https://qualscholars.com/

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/

More Information

Simple Business Institute: https://qualscholars.com/simple/ 

Happy, Free, and Paid YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyFreePaidQS 

Marvette’s Personal Instagram: https://instagram.com/marvettelacy/

Happy, Free, and Paid Instagram: https://instagram.com/happyfreeandpaid/

Join the Qual Scholars Community https://qual-scholars.circle.so/ Find the resources your need to get to graduation. https://qualscholars.com/