If You're So Smart, Why Can't You Finish Your Dissertation?
From Office Hours With Dr. Lacy by Marvette Lacy
January 14, 2026 · 33 min
About this episode
Dr. Lacy discusses her struggles with completing her dissertation and offers insights on overcoming challenges faced by doctoral students.
In this conversation, Dr. Lacy shares her personal journey of struggling to complete her dissertation, highlighting the emotional and mental challenges faced by doctoral students. She emphasizes the importance of community, self-care, and small actionable steps to overcome burnout and anxiety. Dr. Lacy advocates for building a support system and recognizing the need for safety in the writing process, ultimately encouraging listeners to seek help and invest in their academic journey. Dissertation Information Stuck No More Workshop: https://qualscholars.kit.com/ab5bc15b47 Qual Scholars Community: https://qual-scholars.circle.so/ The Finish Your Dissertation Institute: https://qualscholars.com/theinstitute/ Qual Scholars Website: https://qualscholars.com/ Qual Scholars' Instagram: https://instagram.com/qual_scholars/ Book An Astrology Reading: https://www.qualscholars.com/offers/8q2V7xF3/checkout Chapters 00:00 The Struggle of Completing a Dissertation 02:46 Finding Inspiration and Community 05:47 The Importance of Small Steps 08:24 Understanding Burnout and Self-Care 11:16 Building a Support System 14:00 The Role of Creativity in Overcoming Challenges 16:57 Recognizing the Need for…
People in this episode
Host: Marvette Lacy
Topics covered
- dissertation completion
- mental health
- community support
- self-care
- burnout
- academic journey
Keywords
- dissertation
- burnout
- self-care
- support system
- academic
- community
- mental health
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Qual Scholars, Finish Your Dissertation Institute, Qual Scholars Community, Qual Scholars Website, Qual Scholars' Instagram
More episodes of Office Hours With Dr. Lacy
- How To Write Your Qualitative Dissertation Proposal Faster · April 6, 2026 · 28 min
- The 3 Rules to Finish Your Dissertation · February 11, 2026 · 21 min
- Why Reading Is Blocking Your Writing Progress · February 4, 2026 · 5 min
- How I Finished My Dissertation With Dr. Tasha Wearren · January 28, 2026 · 1h 1m
- Why Is It So Hard to Write Consistently? · January 21, 2026 · 23 min
- How I Finished My Dissertation In 2 Months · January 7, 2026 · 55 min
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