Viewing entries tagged
self-efficacy

Rising to the mental health challenges of doing a PhD

Rising to the mental health challenges of doing a PhD

by Bill Sheate

Why a PhD is different….

As a therapist specialising in stress and anxiety in higher education I get to work with lots of PhD and other postgraduate research students who at times find life tough to navigate. I also run a range of resilience skills training workshops to help build greater self-efficacy among such students.

Doing a PhD is a bit of a weird lifestyle; you get to research something you're interested in for typically 3 to 4 years, writing it up as a thesis to then be awarded the title 'Doctor'. During that time you usually have a degree of freedom to manage your own time and develop personal ownership of your research project, even if it is part of a bigger research programme. But there are several things that can predispose a PhD student to experience difficulties along the way, or find it difficult to respond to these difficulties with sufficient psychological flexibility. Here are just some of those most important key factors…… [Read more]

A sense of 'Self' - your own identity

A sense of 'Self' - your own identity

by Bill Sheate

Who am I?

For many at university it's a first real opportunity to explore your own sense of self or identity - who you are as an individual. And away from assumptions and expectations of you by longtime friends and family, or even of yourself in that previous context.

So what is important to you? What are your personal values, approach to work/life balance, hopes and dreams, sexuality; what motivates you - what are you passionate about?……[Read more]

Self-awareness or awareness of 'self'?

Self-awareness or awareness of 'self'?

by Bill Sheate

What do we mean by self-awareness?

Increasingly educational psychology recognises the importance of students developing self-awareness competency - the ability to reflect on one’s own role in society, to be able to evaluate one’s actions and to deal with one’s emotions and desires.

Typically, this involves five key aspects: ……..