When I contacted the Dissertation Coach in September 2011, I was in despair. My department was putting pressure on me to finish within the academic year. I had a draft of one chapter, and half a draft of a second one (out of three), and I was going to teach full-time for the first two quarters. And I had to find a job. To crown it all, I was battling with chronic depression and I had developed crippling procrastination habits. I simply could not figure out how I was going to finish the dissertation within the little time that was allotted to me. Alison Miller promptly called me back and put me in contact with Kathryn, who coached me for 6 ½ months. Kathryn really helped me build a realistic writing schedule and taught me that I could work on my dissertation even if I only had 30 minutes to spare. She was an incredible source of support and empowerment, and was there for me every single day, commenting on my progress and cheering me up. Less than a year later, I can proudly say I successfully defended and got a new job. Kathryn has a special place on the acknowledgements page of my dissertation. Being able to work with her was a blessing that made my Ph.D. come true.
