Self-Compassionate Professor

Dr. Jake Livengood speaks about the importance of preparing for uncertainty in the career/job-search journey. He makes a convincing case for career transitioners and job seekers to develop a "yes and" mindset--a mindset grounded in improv theatre where one accepts uncertainty and play; and in the process, finds foundational elements of career wellness and resilience: self-compassion, presence, and letting go of control. This episode will help listeners to ease up on self-pressure and show up more fully in their careers and lives.   

Dr. John Southard describes his difficult transition out of academia and into the business world and offers advice to others in similar situations. He discusses how he found the strength to move through the "academia hangover" he experienced, the challenges of hitting rock bottom financially, how he began his career transition journey by networking, and how he discovered that his research prepared him well for his new role in business. For PhD candidates, John emphasizes the importance of having a back-up career plan, the necessity of coming to grips with your financial reality, and the power (and drudgery) of networking. Find him on LinkedIn. 

Dr. Tracy Costello tells the story of waking up one morning and realizing she no longer wanted to be an academic. Particularly astute at networking, Tracy went on to find new opportunities, explaining that networking is simply relationship building. She also talks about how "altac" is both an inaccurate and derogatory term, the importance of trying on new career identities, as well as her current work as a postdoc career coach and trainer. 

In this episode, Dr. Margie Serrato talks about the thread running through her life and career. She describes being motivated by self-analysis from the time she chose her double major in psychology and anthropology as a college student; to the dissertation topic she chose in graduate school; to her discovery of the professional world of coaching. She also describes the extremely positive impact such self-analysis and self-knowing can have on people's lives, offering questions listeners might ask themselves in order to clarify their own paths.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Wellman gets REAL, sharing her story about the difficult and often dark ways her academic career has punctuated her personal life. After losing her husband suddenly though, Ashley found that creative writing helped her process her grief. And through this process, as she gained strength and realized her own worth, she also found herself closing the door on her academic career. Despite the heavy career and life challenges she describes in this interview, Ashley leaves listeners feeling inspired, empowered, and hopeful. She tells us that we, if we desire, get to redefine who we are. 

A rising star in graduate school, who was highly sought after for tenure-track positions, Dr. Shahaf describes the exhaustion and stress she experienced navigating a tenure-track job while also learning how to be a new mother. Caught up in the culture of overwork in academia, her peers and mentors celebrated the career opportunities that were opening for her, never cautioning that she may be doing too much. So with everyone's blessing and a track record of solid scholarship, Sharon took her first tenure-track job. Today, after a very difficult journey on the tenure track, Sharon explains how she has finally stepped into her power. She's no longer an academic, but a writing and life coach who has learned intimately that self-pressure robs academics (and others) of their creative flow. Listen in. This interview is full of golden nuggets about life, writing, and how to step fully into yourself.