Thriving in Graduate School: The Expert's Guide to Success and Wellness

by Arielle Shanok (Editor), Nicole Benedicto Elden (Editor)

Addresses the mental health challenges of graduate school and how students can succeed and thrive. With rates of depression and anxiety six times higher among graduate students than the general population, maintaining emotional wellbeing in graduate school is vital! Students must be prepared with skills that will not only help them perform well but also help them feel well. Thriving in Graduate The Expert's Guide to Success and Wellness is the first book on graduate student mental health written by mental health professionals. It promotes psychologically healthy approaches to navigating the graduate school experience and teaches students that they are not alone in their mental health struggles. The authors introduce students to unique perspectives that are key to positive mental health. Additionally, this is the only book of its type to explore issues routinely faced by historically marginalized graduate students. Special sections at the end of each chapter written for faculty, administrators, and mental health professionals augment the book by suggesting ways that each of these groups can help guide and support graduate students through their journey. Featuring vignettes and experiences from actual graduate students, Thriving in Graduate School sheds light on common—but hidden—truths to help students manage the many challenges they will face and even thrive during their graduate school years. Written with compassion and humor, this is a must read for prospective students and those who seek to support them.

408 pages, Hardcover

Published August 2, 2021

About the author

Arielle F. Shanok, PhD is the Deputy Director at the Graduate Center, City University’s Student Counseling Services where she has helped graduate students to thrive for over a decade. Dr. Shanok earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University and her BA at Wesleyan University. She previously taught at Barnard College, Columbia University. Editor and author of Thriving in Graduate School: The Expert's Guide to Success and Wellness, Dr. Shanok has additionally published book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals on a range of topics. She has a small private practice. Dr. Shanok provides consultations and counseling to graduate students in individual, couples and group contexts integrating psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavioral, emotion focused, and systems approaches. She also provides consultations to faculty. Dr. Shanok grew up in a multicultural, social justice-oriented family. Her approach is informed by compassion, multicultural humility and a strength focus.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has chapters from a variety of perspectives covering a fairly comprehensive set of issues. While you will likely have to skip portions of it (e.g., for non-Americans the financial information is not useful), even the subset of relevant information is compassionate, practical, and clear. Great resource for grad students and likely a good perspective aid for supervisors as well.

[Ryan QuickReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very skim-friendly and well-written book on pre and during grad school (I only read the during for full disclosure)