How She Got Unstuck and Finished

When I began my doctoral studies, it was difficult back and forth, getting the assignments in. Being in the classroom would've been best, but since I was away, that was kind of my best shot is to go online. When I got to the dissertation, that was the ultimate challenge. When it came time to actually writing it, I had done all the research, I got all the journals, but the step-by-step needing the direction and the guidance and the support, that was sorely lacking. I was really discouraged. I didn't I didn't get enough guidance. And so compiling articles, going through journals, trying to find what I need, understanding where I need to put everything, that proved to be a challenge. As I would turn it in, it would be returned with more, you need to do this now. I felt kind of lost. I was lost in data. It's one thing to gather data, but it's another to understand how to integrate it. Into a cohesive piece to be able to really get there. Because I already had the data, I just didn't know how to put it together. I was lost in just progression. I didn't know quite how to get to the next step. I'm not a quitter, so I knew I wasn't going to quit. I was asking myself, how am I going to do this? Because it's one thing to be determined, but it's another to feel like I'm not getting anywhere. I'm paying semester after semester. I'm not really seeing the progression. And so when I found Dr. Tippins Ph.D., I was extremely relieved because all of the struggles of trying to really figure out, okay, how do I move on to the next thing? That's when the coaching was extremely helpful. It's you start here, this is what your professor is looking for, and this is where you get to the next stage. It was very specific in terms of what I needed. In order to really get to what, you know, my chair was, was in fact asking. You know, one of the things that was also intimidating is, okay, you get here, but yet you're stuck. You know, what do you do? And so I was a little bit embarrassed by that. But I think for him there was a sense of ease that I felt it was exactly what I needed. As soon as we started, I basically turned over everything that I had. Then he gave me some feedback on that specifically, which, which was really helpful, offered me different perspectives. And that part was really important because it's not just assistance in the dark, but because he had chaired and understood from the mindset of a chairperson, he could really give me input that I otherwise wouldn't have. I had his time, I had his ear, and he had the experience to be able to really help me in terms of understanding what my chair was looking for. What to expect. I had the opportunity to have mock interviews when I was ready to present. The first thing he did, he put his camera off. He empowered me because I was shaken, which was really helpful because then I could just kind of go, go through the process of really delivering what I had just worked so hard on. Also, what he was able to do is help me to anticipate research questions that they were going to ask My topic was trauma. I don't believe that's a topic that he studied, but he was so versed in what I needed to know, which really helped me to understand what I need to convey to really help people to understand what I was trying to do through my study. I found him to be very compassionate, very understanding, extremely patient because sometimes what I needed was an atta girl, redirection, a little bit of handholding, and I think he was able to provide that. The reason why I didn't seek out help is because it was so expensive to begin with. I didn't think that option was open to me. So for me, it really was the support because if I had that, if I had the direction and the guidance, I knew that I could really kind of make it down the stretch. During weeks where I really didn't feel motivated, wasn't sure what I was gonna do, I was still able to get some stuff done because the time was already preset. It was scheduled. So for me, having that type of discipline and motivation to have somebody there other people that were also going through the same process. That also helped me to understand that I was not alone. Most of all, he was personable. For me, that was an aspect that was very important to me because I needed somebody at my level, not speaking as kind of a doctor. And I love the fact he says, well, call me whatever you want. I've answered to worse things. So, so that made me feel like a colleague more than anything. My experience was exhilarating. It was a hard road to trot, but it was made easier by the fact that I could lean on someone. You know, sometimes I would write a few chapters and just turn it into him and, you know, let him, you know, look at it. Please let me know what you think before I turn it in. And of course he accommodated. And so that was really helpful because I needed that because of my working schedule. I have a family as well. So the The only thing I regretted was not meeting him earlier because there's just so much heartache and time that could have been spared. I'm just really thankful for having had the opportunity to work with Dr. Tippins Ph.D. He was really everything that I needed at the time to be able to now call myself Dr. Cadet. I can't thank him enough. You know, I told my Dr. Tippins that I would be back into the classroom a little bit because I, again, I just need the structure to be able to work in order to really break down my dissertation into an article. So it is going to require some work. And I do mean it, the only thing I wish I had done was found him earlier because I think sometimes if you start out early enough, I think transitioning into your dissertation can be so much easier if you have kind of the foundation. And that is kind of one of the things that he provides. Once you have the foundation, you can kind of spring off So when I share with my friends, you know, they're like, okay, we were okay for now. I think it's just a matter of time. Anybody who's looking for assistance and help in any way, don't scroll through thinking I don't need this right now. The sooner you can get in, the easier getting through the dissertation will be. So can't thank Steve Tippins Ph.D. enough. It was money well spent.