Academic Coaching and Educational Advising

Many adults are struggling with their current, former, or future academic experiences as college or university students. They find it difficult to interpret and align their intellectual, moral, and vocational identities. This can effect their motivation to learn in school or work.

These challenges can involve lacking practical knowledge about how to study or learn, but it can also involve understanding why they believe they are trying to learn (or have tried to learn) what they are trying to learn (or have tried to learn), and what that personally means to them.

For example, students may wonder:

  • Should I drop out of school or change what I am studying?
  • Why I am avoiding doing my academic work?
  • How do I make it less difficult for me to learn?
  • What do really want to learn about?
  • How can I help myself and others by what I am learning?
  • How can I explain to others why I did not finish my degree?

As an expert in educational and moral psychology, I am exploring roles such as academic coach or educational advisor where I would be able to help motivate current, former, or prospective adult students. I am interested in helping them explore and develop effective learning skills, as well as helping them reflect on, interpret, and align their personal intellectual, moral, and vocational development.

Current, prospective, and former graduate students might find coaching from me especially helpful in gathering and organizing their thoughts about their research and pre-professional experiences.

My approach to academic support coaching would be gentle, curious, and exploratory. It would center on helping people reflect on, interpret, and interact with what deeply motivates them in the context of their multiple identities and complex lives. I view the academic experience as part of one’s personal development as a whole person.

I would accompany students on their academic journeys learning about themselves and the world.

In practice, this could involve me helping students:

  • explore their intellectual or ethical interests, values, and aspirations
  • explain their academic experiences (positive and negative) to themselves and others
  • set and prioritize their learning goals
  • increase their motivation to study and learn
  • identify helpful learning strategies
  • develop effective study skills and habits
  • clarify research topics
  • improve their academic writing
  • practice presenting, critiquing, and defending their ideas
  • reflect on the meaning of their academic experience and intellectual lives
  • find and cultivate intellectual peers, mentors, and community
  • explore vocational and career options
  • navigate cultural differences and academic norms
  • design and plan morally meaningful service learning projects and experiences
  • discuss how ones research can help others

Neurodiversity

I bring personal and family experiences with neurodiversity, which informs my sensitivity to different ways people learn and experience higher education.

I am NOT a Mental Health Professional or Provider

While I hope my coaching would ultimately improve the physical and mental well-being of students, I am not a mental health professional or provider. My expertise is in educational and moral psychology (especially motivation), teaching, and coaching. I do not have expertise in clinical psychology or mental health counseling. I do not intend for any of my current or future work to diagnose or treat any physical or mental health disorders or illnesses. Such medical or therapeutic support is often important, complementary, and necessary, but it is not my calling or expertise. If you need such support, I would refer you to such experts.

Religious and Spiritual Inclusivity

You may notice that I also identify as a universalist Quaker monastic. You don’t have to be Quaker or religious to work with me. As a universalist Quaker, I would welcome working with people from many different cultural backgrounds, including those who identify with different religions and philosophies. While my coaching is motivated by my universalist Quaker spirituality, and I try to communicate and act in accordance with it, my coaching will not involve any attempt to convert you to Quakerism.

If my exploration interests you, please contact me via LinkedIn.