Refreshment, camaraderie and coaching through your PhD years Just as ‘Spas’ in Roman times were places where people came together for ‘health through water’ (Salus per Aquam), PGR Spa is a space for you to find refreshment and the opportunity to decompress with fellow doctoral travellers. Doing a Doctorate is a more solo enterprise than most Undergraduate and Masters studies, and can become isolating and correspondingly anxious-making. At PGR Spa sessions, you receive group-coaching for good PhD-health. We look after the body, soul and relational network, as well as the mind. You will feel revitalised, grow your confidence, and be resourced spiritually, emotionally, bodily, socially and mentally as you navigate your PhD years. The Spa gatherings and coaching do not encroach upon or duplicate the work you do with your Supervisors; the academic and technical expertise that they bring. PGR Spa sessions complement your doctoral supervisions, and support you in the various adaptations life asks of you when doing a PhD, including: Adapting to solo working Being part of research teams or collaborationsKnowing and sustaining your vision and purpose for your PhDKeeping agile in body and mindMoving with flow between creativity and focusHandling procrastination and recovering momentumMaking your inner critic and imposter syndrome work for you rather than against youCalming perfectionismSaying ‘No’ so that you can ‘Yes’ to what you find most important and meaningfulFinding and sustaining networks of supportShowing up as you most want to at conferences, in giving presentations, etcStarting/supporting a family, and sustaining relationships over distanceDiscerning the next iteration of your career or vocation*** PGR Spa is an off-shoot of Abundant Academy, especially dedicated to PhD Life. It runs as a membership, rather like PhD Book Club. PGR Spa, Semester 2, 2024/25PGR Spa session in Semester 2 will run every three weeks beginning 23 January 2025. Early registration is recommended. All sessions are in-person, and with refreshments.* Four x 90-minutes sessions, 2.30-4pm, every third Thursday:23 Jan, 13 Feb, 6 Mar, 27 MarMeeting Room 1, Chaplaincy Centre , 1 Bristo SquareEach session will involve:Community time together, including benefiting from nature and time outdoorsInput and training on some key area that is very prevalent for PhD LifeSharing of rituals, activities, great reads and other inspiring resources, from members of the group.We currently have 15 new spaces, open to all PGRs at the University of Edinburgh who are able to attend in-person.* To Register, email Harriet at h.harris@ed.ac.uk, stating:Your nameYour School Why you would like to join PGR Spa PGR Spa is designed and facilitated by Dr Harriet Harris, a licensed Coach and Trainer with One of Many® the fastest-growing network of women leaders in the UK. Harriet is also a Trainer with Student Minds, an Embodiment Coach, and a Licensed Time-To-Think Facilitator. A former Lecturer, she continues to publish academically, and has thirty years’ experience of supervising and examining PhDs. She is lead University Chaplain to the University of Edinburgh, where she has grown what is widely regarded as the ‘flagship’ Chaplaincy in the UK, and out of which she runs PhD Book Club and Abundant Academy. She was awarded an MBE in 2017 for Services to Multi-Faith Education and Community Cohesion, and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2022 for her innovative work in universities. *If you would like group online-coaching, consider joining the Abundant Academy, which is an online Personal and Leadership development programme open to PGRs. This article was published on 2024-09-30