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As political attacks on colleges and universities accelerate across the United States, what’s happening in higher education is increasingly a warning sign for democracy itself.

In this episode, Leslie speaks with Alison Gash, Professor and Department Head of Political Science at the University of Oregon, about coordinated efforts to undermine academic freedom—from curriculum bans and anti-DEI policies to broader attempts to weaken critical inquiry. Together, they examine why universities have become such a central political target, and what is at stake when spaces devoted to evidence, debate, and learning are constrained.

The conversation also explores how faculty, students, and education leaders are responding through collective advocacy. Alison shares how networks like We Are Higher Ed emerged, why letter-writing campaigns have become a powerful organizing tool, and how community-based resistance can counter the isolation that authoritarian systems depend on.

Listeners interested in learning more or getting involved can explore the resources and advocacy efforts at We Are Higher Ed.

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Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

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Have you achieved a lot in your academic career — but something still feels off? In this episode, I explore the identity shifts that often hit academics in mid-career, especially around getting tenure.

Drawing on Arthur Brooks' provocative Atlantic essay on professional change, I unpack why purpose naturally evolves over time — and why that's nothing to fear. I talk about the post-tenure slump no one warns you about, the quiet fear of becoming irrelevant, and why academia's narrow definition of success can leave mid-career scholars feeling stuck.

I also dig into the different kinds of intelligence and how that distinction can help you stop seeing change as decline and start seeing it as evolution.

If you've been wondering how to make your career fit who you are today, this episode is for you!

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

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Many women in academia are diagnosed with ADHD later in life, often after years of burnout, shame, and being told they’re “just anxious” or “not organized enough.” In this episode, you’ll hear why that experience is so common, and why it has far more to do with systems than with personal failure.

I talk with Karen Costa, author of An Educator’s Guide to ADHD, about what ADHD actually is (and isn’t), how deficit-based assumptions shape classrooms and feedback culture, and why ADHD learners are often some of the most creative and engaged students when teaching is designed with neurodiversity in mind.

We also dig into practical, realistic ways to support ADHD students without overhauling your entire course, from externalizing information to rethinking how feedback is given. 

If you teach, mentor, write, or work in academic spaces, this conversation will help you see attention, creativity, and inclusion in a new way.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

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In this episode, Leslie sits down with Jennifer Polk, PhD—career coach, educator, and founder of From PhD to Life—to talk about what it really takes to leave academia and build a fulfilling career beyond the tenure track.

Jen shares why the hardest part of career transition often isn’t strategy, but mindset: the stories academics tell themselves about stability, meaningful work, and whether they’re “enough” for roles outside higher ed. Together, they unpack common misconceptions about non-academic jobs, the emotional weight of career change, and how to reconnect with your values before jumping into applications.

They also explore practical first steps, including informational interviews, redefining networking as research, and identifying the skills academics often overlook.

If you’re feeling burned out, uncertain, or curious about what else is possible, this conversation will help you start with clarity and confidence.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this milestone 100th episode of Your Words Unleashed, I reflect on my podcasting journey and share one of the most courageous pieces of writing I’ve ever published: “The Case for Radically Inclusive Writing.”

After more than four years of podcasting—and major life and career transitions along the way—I look back on how using my voice consistently has shaped my values, my work, and my willingness to speak candidly about what’s broken when it comes to academic writing.

The heart of this episode is my recent opinion piece for Contexts Magazine, where I argue that the future of academic publishing depends on radically inclusive and accessible writing. I unpack why jargon, gatekeeping, and exclusivity limit the impact of scholarly ideas—and why clarity is not the enemy of rigor.

This episode is about writing as connection, not performance. It's time to use our writing to build bridges beyond the Ivory Tower.

Here’s to the next 100 episodes!

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us Fan Mail

Many academic authors have little sense of what happens once a book is finished, especially when it comes to publicity. 

In this episode, I talk with Amanda Ice, a senior publicist at Harvard University Press, about what happens behind the scenes once a book is finished and why so much of that work is invisible to authors.

We walk through the publicity timeline, what authors can realistically expect from a university press, and why collaboration with your publicist matters more than most people realize. Amanda also shares common challenges academics face when promoting their work, including translating specialized ideas for broader audiences and deciding where to invest time and energy.

If you’re publishing a scholarly or academic trade book, this episode will help you approach publication with clearer expectations and better decision-making.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us Fan Mail

As another intense year in academia comes to a close, you might be feeling equal parts relieved and completely wiped out. 

In this episode, I’m reflecting on what 2025 looked like in my business and why I intentionally chose to do less—and felt better for it. Then I’ll walk you through a simple, low-pressure reflection that can help you figure out how to do just 10% less next semester without blowing up your career or your conscience. 

This isn’t about quitting your job or radically changing your life overnight. It’s about small, strategic shifts that protect your energy and make your work feel more sustainable. 

If you’re craving a gentler way to start the new year, this episode is for you.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Leslie talks with Dr. Abbie E. Goldberg—Professor of Clinical Psychology at Clark University and a leading scholar on LGBTQ+ families—about writing, research, and staying motivated when academic life feels overwhelming. Abbie reflects on how she came to see research as a form of storytelling and why life transitions for more than two decades.

They dive into the realities of academic writing: how to decide when a project no longer fits, why setting something aside isn’t failure, and how focusing on process rather than product can create more sustainable careers. The conversation also explores collaboration—what makes it work, what makes it painful, and how to spot mismatches early.

Despite all of the burnout and uncertainty in higher education, Abbie's thoughtful strategies for maintaining curiosity and finding hope through writing provide much-needed inspiration!

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this deeply moving conversation, Leslie talks with Dr. Katherine In-Young Lee, a higher ed coach and former tenured professor, about what happens when academic life and caregiving collide. After her father’s stroke, Katherine became a full-time caregiver for both her parents—a journey that reshaped her understanding of productivity and purpose. 

Together, they discuss the emotional, cultural, and institutional challenges that come with caring for aging parents while sustaining an academic career. Katherine shares hard-earned wisdom about things like navigating leave policies, finding support, and giving oneself grace through a demanding season of life. 

This episode offers a rare, honest look at the realities of elder care in academia and the clarity that can emerge when life’s priorities shift. It’s a conversation for anyone balancing their own academic careers with profound personal responsibility—and seeking a more compassionate way forward.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting. 

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...