Why a PhD peer support group?

Following Mental Health Awareness Week on ‘Anxiety’ (15-21 May 2023), I’m launching (and will facilitate) from 7 June a new online PhD peer support group, open to any PhD/Doctoral research student from any higher education institution.

The PhD/Doctoral Researcher Peer Support Group is open to any full or part-time student at any stage of a PhD/doctorate from any higher education institution and any discipline. It is aimed at addressing mental health and well-being issues, the sharing of PhD experiences, challenges at various stages of doctoral research, supervision problems etc. So many issues encountered by PhD/Doctoral research students are shared across disciplines and subjects, because doing a PhD is an unusual situation to find yourself in, as I’ve discussed before (see Rising to the mental health challenges of doing a PhD). Each meeting lasts 1.5 hours (90 minutes) every 2 months; attendance can be regular or occasional.

The group operates within a broad cognitive behavioural/Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach to understanding the interactions between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Participants bring to each session issues they wish to discuss with the group (and can send agenda items in advance). Where appropriate skills training can be provided to support building resilience and psychological flexibility to deal with the challenges of doctoral research, and to enhance personal agency.

Dates of meetings in 2023.

Attendance can be regular or occasional and is by Eventbrite ticket only booked in advance (£8 per session). Further details and booking can be found on the group Eventbrite page. Meetings are held via Zoom every two months on a Wednesday evening, 6.00-7.30pm (UK time):

• Wednesday 7 June 2023

• Wednesday 2 August 2023

• Wednesday 4 October 2023

• Wednesday 6 December 2023

Bill Sheate, 25 April 2023