The Cohort Sistas Podcast
The Cohort Sistas Podcast is an empowering and enlightening podcast that holds space for Black women and nonbinary doctoral degree holders to share their stories, experiences, and expertise. Each episode features an engaging interview on a wide range of topics, including academic trajectory, application process, mentorship, funding, career development, mental health, and social issues. Hosted by Cohort Sistas Founder and Executive Director Dr. Ijeoma Kola, The Cohort Sistas Podcast is known for its authentic and relatable approach, providing listeners with valuable insights, practical advice, and a sense of community. Whether you're looking for inspiration, encouragement, or simply a thought-provoking conversation, this podcast is a must-listen for aspiring doctors seeking to connect, learn, and thrive.
Cohort Sistas provides digital resources, mentorship, and community to improve equity in doctoral education. While our programs and platform are open to all doctoral students, applicants, and degree holders, we prioritize and center the needs and perspectives of Black women and nonbinary scholars.
Be sure to follow us on social at https://www.twitter.com/cohortsistas and https://www.instagram.com/cohortsistas, and visit our website at https://www.cohortsistas.org.
The Cohort Sistas Podcast
Dr. Ayanna Abrams on Finding Security In a Doctoral Program and Prioritizing Mental Health
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Completing your educational journey without a break — from undergrad to earning a doctoral degree — is no easy feat. And it’s not uncommon to find that these candidates often have specific ideas on what they would have done differently after spending time working in their field and getting some distance from their studies. Such is the case with today’s guest, Dr. Ayanna Abrams, a licensed clinical psychologist, Founder of Ascension Behavioral Health, and Co-Founder of NotSoStrong, a platform that aims to improve the mental health and relational functioning of Black women. We talked with Dr. Abrams about completing her Psy.D, why she chose it over a Ph.D., and the difference between the two. She then reflects on what she might have done differently during her studies, like possibly choosing a different degree and what she could have done to avoid predatory student loans. We discuss how academic degrees rarely prepare students for the business side of their specialty, and why this is particularly harmful to those pursuing a Psy.D, specifically geared toward serving your community through therapy. We also spend some time exploring her fascinating dissertation topic, the research she conducted for it, and how she would approach it differently today. Dr. Abrams closes off by sharing her advice for students on how to find safety within overwhelmingly white institutions and why prioritizing your mental health during your studies is vital. To learn more about Dr. Abrams and her journey, be sure to tune in today!
If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you’re looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.
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