The PhD Path: Growing Through Uncertain Years

Beginning a PhD is unique and bold. You move may to a new city, begin learning in new ways, and meet new colleagues. Unlike other school or work experiences, this one often asks you to work mostly on your own. The independence that once felt exciting can slowly turn into isolation.

Even in departments filled with kind, brilliant people, competition can quietly hum beneath the surface. You may care deeply for your peers while also wondering where you stand. At times, relationships with advisors or professors can feel strained, leaving you unsure of how to move forward or where to turn for support.

Working with a therapist who understands the graduate school experience can help you find steadiness in these uncertain years. At Growing Sideways Therapy, Lisa brings years of experience walking alongside graduate students through the twists and turns of this long, often uncertain journey. We’ll create space to reflect and reconnect. Together understanding growth is not always upward, but in the sideways, surprising directions that lead you back to yourself.