When someone decides that they are ready to go to therapy, how do you even begin the process? Psychologist and professor Terri S. Watson joins us on the podcast to discuss her recent book The Client’s Guide to Therapy: How to Get the Most out of Your Counseling Experience. Terri talks about the sacredness of therapy as a tool to promote human flourishing, and we hear her practical suggestions for getting started yourself or helping a loved one. We talk about the unique psychological stresses on academics today, and Terri shares a few strategies to ground yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed. In addition, InterVarsity Press is offering a discount on The Client’s Guide to Therapy for listeners of this podcast. Just use the code IVPWSAP25 for 25% off and free shipping when you purchase the book at ivpress.com. And if you’re interested in reading the interview (rather than listening), click here for our imperfect transcript of our conversation with Terri.

“One of the practices I use a lot in clinical supervision with burned out and stressed therapist or academics is asking people to remember why we got into this work in the first place, remembering back about the original hope and intention for my life with this work. What was God’s call on my life?”

The academic life brings a unique set of stresses, some of which have been amplified in today’s landscape. What can I do to further my career? Should I search for a new job? How can I support my students in their struggles? Will the funding remain steady in the coming months? How do I need to adjust my own work-life balance? The first step toward untangling these knots often comes through a posture of gentleness toward oneself, interrupting the anxious litany to bring God’s kindness into the picture. We’re reminded of Anna Seiple’s writing on self-compassion and its rootedness in Scripture and in God’s character. Many of us have succeeded in life through discipline and stern self-talk, but let us invite you to explore holy rhythms of tenderness in the presence of God.

“We can trace the source of our compassion to God by grounding our understanding of being human in who God is, the One whose image we bear. This anchors our understanding of self-compassion as coming from God’s very likeness in which he created us.”

You’re Invited!

Would you (or someone you know) enjoy working with Women Scholars and Professionals? We’re looking for people with skills in marketing & communications and editing & content. Check out our job listings!

Pray with us! You can join our online, 30-minute guided prayer meetings on Fridays at 8 am, 9 am, and 12 pm (Eastern). Can’t come? Send your prayer requests anyway by emailing us at wsap@intervarsity.org. Ready to pray? Join the Zoom meeting here for those Friday meetings.

A Lenten Prayer Experience. How are you observing Lent this year? There is still time to join us for a gentle rhythm of prayer based on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius. Click through for sign-up information and more details!

Summer Book Club. Mark your calendars and join Women Scholars and Professionals this summer for a discussion of Steven Garber's The Seamless Life: A Tapestry of Love and Learning, Worship and Work, beginning on May 20. Click through for details!

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT INTERVARSITY PRESS

Transform Your Writing: A Workshop (June 23-27, 2025) Do you feel called to write but wish you had more time to focus on it? Would you like to improve your craft or learn to write more effectively? Do you need encouragement or consultation to discern next steps on your writing? If so, the Transform Your Writing workshop might be for you. Space is limited, so apply now!

• IVP Faculty exam copies. Professors can request a free exam or desk copy. Register for a professional account to access this benefit!

• Are you an InterVarsity alum? Use promo code IVCFALUMNI to get a 25% discount at ivpress.com.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Ages & Stages: How Women Work & Lead Across Seasons of Life. This spring the DePree Center at Fuller Seminary joins Women, Work, & Calling at The Denver Institute for Faith and Work to host a four-part webinar series explores the challenges and opportunities unique to distinct seasons of life through the experiences of women who have lived and led through them. Click through to learn more.

The Faculty Theological Collaborative (August 4-6, 2025) supports Christian professors at secular universities in faith-informed research and teaching. Cosponsored by Regent College, the Center for Christianity and Scholarship, and the Consortium of Christian Study Centers, this three-day workshop at Duke University provides advanced theological training, living examples of the unity of faith and scholarship, and rich fellowship with Christian faculty across institutions and disciplines. Click through to learn more.

Four More Things We Loved This Week

1. Lore Wilbert writes on “finding meaning as not-a-mother.”

2. The antidote to fight or flight: lament.

3. When It’s Okay to Be Blunt at Work.

4. The Oxford English Dictionary has added a new word with Filipino roots that means “overwhelming cuteness.”