My name is Katie and I am an Asian American woman from New England. I got my Ph.D. in Social Psychology and am currently working as a public health researcher.
Based on my own experiences as well those of others who have navigated the same journey, I know that grad school can be stressful in lots of ways. Many aspects of scientific research are unpredictable: More often than not, we end up spending months and even years working on a project without getting any publishable results.
Furthermore, the research experience is often isolating on two fronts. Our non-academic family and friends have a hard time grasping the challenges we face in academia, yet we hesitate to confide in our peers and mentors because we feel compelled to maintain a competent, professional image at all times. These stressors can often contribute to the development of mental health issues and might exacerbate the struggles of those who already live with mental illnesses.
It is my hope that this site will provide you with much-needed resources, both in navigating the grad school experience while taking care of your own mental health and in the management of mental health challenges in a professional environment that values perfection and competition. I will be writing about some of the existing research on graduate student mental health as well as compiling a collection of relevant personal essays and advice from around the Internet. Please take the time to explore our site and share it with anyone who might find it helpful. Thank you for joining us!
Academic Mental Health Collective 