Natalie Lancer, Uni Coach

Struggling with your thesis?

Finding it difficult to study at home?

I run online study retreats, drawing from my own experience of researching and writing my PhD thesis, and my years of experience as a coach specialising in higher education settings.

I know exactly what you need to get through this and to get through it triumphantly, all dancing, all singing, happy with the outcome, proud of yourself and knowing you said everything you wanted to say. You want to finish your PhD in style, not in pain.

In my online Study Hub retreats you:

        • Work in a small, virtual group for support

        • Have an experienced PhD level coach (me!) mentor you

        • Take part in innovative motivation and creativity exercises

        • Participate in structured writing sessions

        • Are held to account for your time by like-minded peers

You NEED the…

Study Hub is an intense, structured, online study experience

I am online all the time with you and a small group of postgraduate students (either Masters or Doctoral) on Zoom. I guide you through setting your goals for the day, creativity exercises, mind mapping the next thing you are working on, so you can:

  • Write your chapter or article

  • Analyse data

  • Work on a presentation

  • Actively read something and make notes on it

  • Transcribe data

  • Anything PhD/Masters related!

Each person gets:

  • 20 minute one-to-one coaching session with me, an accredited coach, experienced writer and academic, in which we will unlock anything holding you back and make a plan for your next steps

  • Supportive writing atmosphere broken up into blocks of 25 minutes

  • Technical expertise in qualitative methods

  • Creativity booster session

  • Structured day in which you do not burn out and are able to stay focussed for six hours!

  • A pre-Study Hub inspirational video full of ‘PhD wisdom’ and guidance for setting specific goals to ensure you get the most from the Study Hub

  • The real-time accountability of a group

  • Encouragement and motivation from a small, focused group

  • Six hours of supervised writing

 

I get how demanding it is to complete a PhD. You have to keep exhaustion, procrastination and imposter syndrome at bay. 

 I have experienced and overcome a sense of paralysis when attempting to write. Part of the secret is to build a support network with your peers, and to write in groups. I distilled what I found worked into Study Hub.

“Study Hub is a great environment to work on my thesis in a positive, productive and supportive atmosphere. I realised there is actual stuff I can do to overcome my writing obstacles and confidence issues.”

An example Study Hub looks like this:

Pre-Study Hub inspirational video: 30 minutes

You will be sent the Pre-Study Hub inspirational video a week before the Study Hub to get you into the ‘zone’. I talk you through everything you need to have on hand for the Study Hub, from Sprint Goals to lunch! I also get you motivated and energised by talking in a refreshing way about the writing process, with a sprinkling of Lancer hacks and tips to get your work done without the pain. 

Study Hub Day: sample six hours

Do you want to try this innovative way of home-working, so you are connecting and accountable to others, and pushing forward in your work?

The next Study Hub is Monday 16th October 2023 9am-3.30pm UK time

Who is this for?

This is aimed at Masters or PhD students although anyone can join who is studying something.

“Natalie is brilliant. The perfect host of such a day. Pragmatic and creative and no nonsense.”

How much is it?

Each regular, one-day Study Hub is £57.

Buy Now

You can ‘bulk buy’ four regular, one-day Study Hubs for £170.

Buy Now

The dates of the sessions to choose from are:

Monday 16th October 2023 9am-3.30pm UK time

Tuesday 7th November 2023 8.30am – 4pm UK time

Monday 4th December 2023 9am-3.30pm UK time

Tuesday 16th January 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

Thursday 22nd February 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

Wednesday 13th March 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

Thursday 18th April 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

Tuesday 21st May 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

Wednesday 19th June 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

Tuesday 2nd July 2024 9am-3.30pm UK time

To book:

  1. Please use the payment link above or email me to make a bank transfer if you prefer. 

  2. Fill in the Registration form so I know a bit about you.

  3. You will receive a confirmation email.

If for any reason a session does not go ahead, due to insufficient numbers, then you will receive a full refund.

 

Testimonials

I am a PhD student at Queen Mary University, and I attended your ‘Psychology of Writing’ course.

I wanted to email you to tell you how much of a positive impact on me this course has had.

In January I had just restarted working on my PhD after a 2 month interruption due to 2 family bereavements, and I was finding things difficult. Even prior to my interruption I had been struggling with my PhD generally. I had been working on my research for 2 years at this point and still felt like I had no idea what I was doing or why.

I have also always struggled with writing. I was diagnosed with dyslexia during my first year of undergraduate studies which gave some reason as to why I struggled so much. That is why your course first caught my eye. I thought it would be interesting to gain a bit more understanding of writing which would hopefully help to make it easier. And I was right. Your course was brilliant and I felt like I learnt a lot form it.

There was one particular moment though which I can pinpoint as my eureka moment. It was towards the end of the second session and you were going through the poster. One element of this was creating a Venn diagram of where our research fit. At first, I did it with 3 rings (like your example) but then you said we can have as many rings as we wanted and suddenly it all made sense. Just adding in a 4th ring made me realise exactly where my research sat. I could see the 4 areas and that there was a gap in the middle where they all overlapped which is exactly where my research sat.

For the first time in 2 years I felt like I had a grasp on my research area. Since that moment I have re-found my love for my research. I have been really productive and have been making so much more progress. I recently completed my 2 year review and included my Venn diagram in my slides and my supervisory team were really impressed. It also gave me so much more confidence to talk about my research because I knew where it was coming from.

I just wanted to let you know what impact this had on me, it has honestly been fantastic. My renewed gusto for my research (and the progress I’ve been making) has really improved my mental health and had a positive impact on all aspects of my life.

So thank you, I will forever be grateful for this eureka moment.

PhD Candidate – Queen Mary University of London

“I actually wrote a number of significant pieces of writing. It was completely brilliant. Thank you.”

“I actually wrote a number of significant pieces of writing. It was completely brilliant. Thank you.”

“I really believe you’re just what I need to help me …

I'm pleased you're happy to supervise me- I really believe you're just what I need to help me through these last few months!

“Thank you so much…

Thank you so much for all your help. I could not have done it without your help.

Finished with just over 9 hours to spare.

“I valued the impartial fresh set of eyes…

“I valued the impartial fresh set of eyes on my concerns with clear guidance and suggestions. An excellent space to get energy from others and to wholly focus on my thesis.”

“Study Hub is a great environment to work on my thesis….

“Study Hub is a great environment to work on my thesis in a positive, productive and supportive atmosphere. I realised there is actual stuff I can do to overcome my writing obstacles and confidence issues.”

“ I learnt some good tips and techniques….

“I was stuck in a sea of low motivation surrounded by procrastination land (both looking bleak). Study Hub has given me something tangible to hold on to. I learnt some good tips and techniques I had not come across for getting motivation going, and for getting a plan of action together to keep it going. Thank you.”

“Individual coaching time was very helpful….

“Before Study Hub, I was unconfident and had low self-esteem about my ability to study. Now I’m more confident and motivated. Individual coaching time was very helpful.”

 

“I feel Natalie goes above and beyond…

I approached Natalie for some tutoring in relation to my Level 3 Social Psychology degree. I was having particular difficulties with my proposed qualitative research project. I have to admit I was really struggling and was contemplating pulling out of my studies. Thankfully, I searched for a tutor first and found Natalie through the suggestion of a friend. After supplying Natalie with an overview of the objectives, she demonstrated a clear understanding and picked up on what I was aiming for and having difficulties with.

Our tutorials took place over face time as I live abroad, however, this was not an issue Natalie made me feel at ease and comfortable. Natalie consistently provided fantastic clarity, explaining areas I didn’t understand clearly. For example, literature searches proved difficult for me and Natalie took the time to walk me through the procedure, assisting me in finding some fabulous papers before giving me the next step to take.

She was extremely patient and clear in explaining how to approach my area of study, she quite obviously had a vast knowledge regarding psychology and teaching. As a mature student who had lost their confidence, I felt Natalie’s empathy and support really encouraging - she really gave me the push I needed!

I am genuinely thrilled to bits with her undivided attention and dedication in helping me to both understand my topic thoroughly and attain a mark to be proud of.

As a tutor, I feel Natalie goes above and beyond to help her students succeed and I cannot recommend her highly enough. I will most definitely be calling on her help and indisputable expertise in the near future.

“Your supervision is the best I’ve ever experienced…

Natalie was my supervisor whilst I was writing my second MSc dissertation. Without her depth of knowledge, academic rigour and imagination, I feel my dissertation would not have had the breadth in the subject area, structure and insights it now has. Writing my dissertation became an experience with Natalie, not a process. Her feedback was via Loom (face to face and recorded) and it was prompt and fearless, with her personality and humour in there too.


I never felt she was inhibited about how I was going to hear the feedback. She didn’t waste time on trying to package it. I liked her precision and clear style – it was very motivating. I looked forward to receiving her feedback as I knew as a result of it, my knowledge and research capability was going to increase and my dissertation was going to improve. Natalie’s feedback included structure, order, grammar, subject matter, pairing of ideas, bringing insights to the surface, drawing out my own style, and being braver in my assertions and contribution to the field. Natalie left it up to me as to whether I incorporated her feedback but her feedback was immediate (literally within 4 minutes of sending her something once), instinctive, and grounded in logic and the subject matter so it was difficult not to.


Natalie identified links I hadn’t noticed, and at the same time, was very generous to the work, and appreciated that it was my idea we were trying to craft, and she ensured that that remained the purpose, but took it to a level I hadn’t appreciated. I completed by dissertation whilst working full time and it wouldn’t have worked if I hadn’t experienced her conscientiousness and discipline.


My words to Natalie at the end of my academic journey with Natalie was ‘your supervision is the best I’ve ever experienced, prompt and fearless, exactly what you need to write something worth reading’

“ I needed someone to kick my butt and make me actually sit down….

“Before I went on Study Hub, I didn’t have a single useful thing written for my lit review. Thanks to Study Hub, I have 1000 words written, and even better, I know what I want to write next. I needed someone to kick my butt and make me actually sit down and write.”

“Natalie is brilliant……..

“Natalie is brilliant. The perfect host of such a day. Pragmatic and creative and no nonsense.”
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