WRITING AND DISSERTATION COACH
Hi, I'm Natalya. Writing is my passion. I'm on a mission to help frustrated writers find momentum, clarity, and joy. If you feel ready to trade self-doubt for confidence and build a joyful writing practice, it would be my honour to help you make your writing dreams a reality.
WHY USE A WRITING COACH?
A COACH CAN HELP YOU
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Make sense of your writing process
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Set up an accountability system
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Find a clear direction when you feel stuck
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Set effective writing goals and achieve them
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Organize your writing process
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Set up an individual or a group writing retreat
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Get feedback on your writing and your approach
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Develop a realistic writing schedule
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Protect your writing time
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Learn ways to monitor your progress
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Learn effective writing and research strategies
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Synthesize your ideas
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Find a better structure
TESTIMONIALS
Consider yourself extremely fortunate if you have had the good fortune to have crossed paths with Natalya. I had this good fortune at a very low moment in my doctoral journey. I had hit a wall and was struggling with the writing process while working a full time job and raising a child. Out of desperation I starting researching writing coaches and came across Natalya.
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One phone call with her filled me with hope.
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Natalya is deeply knowledgeable about the process of writing (in my case, academic writing), and her exercises and tips allowed me to make break through after break through.
I went from seriously considering quitting my PhD to successfully defending my dissertation a year later.
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While Natalya never actually looked at my writing, our meetings provided the inspiration and confirmation that I had what it took. Natalya is much more than your writing cheerleader (although she is amazing at that!). She brings a deep compassion and insight that helped me to understand how to write in a way that is deeply connected to my authentic self.
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If you've struggled with writing blocks, do yourself a favour and contact this phenomenal writing coach -- and human! I'm forever grateful to her for showing me that I could do it.
Thank you, Natalya!
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Erin, PhD, Educational Studies
I have known Natalya for many years. We initially met when I enrolled in one of her reflective writing circles, at the start of my Master’s degree. As a new graduate student, I marvelled at her abilities to cultivate a safe space, inspire deep curiosity, and help students connect to their innate wisdom through reflective writing. I remember leaving each session feeling surprised by the depth of insights found through reflective writing, with her gentle support.
I reconnected with Natalya earlier this year – this time, as a late-stage PhD student, exhausted from juggling various professional and personal responsibilities, while struggling through dissertation writing. After an introductory phone call, I immediately decided to work with Natalya and started her 5-week program. As a graduate student, I had considered working with a writing coach many times over the past few years and had not moved forward with these plans. The decision to work with Natalya was simple because I trusted her.
She has undeniable expertise in her field (demonstrated through her publications, testimonials, etc.), but it is her compassion and sensitivity that make her truly effective. During our first meeting, she skillfully diagnosed the underlying issues that were holding me back from meeting my writing goals. We developed a detailed writing plan, with personalized strategies, to help me produce a full draft of my dissertation and reconnect with the joy of writing.
After just three weeks, I had met my goal of finishing my dissertation and found the spark of joy that I had for writing many years ago. Natalya’s frequent check-ins improved my motivation because I knew she was invested in my success – ready to support or encourage me, as needed. I choose to continue working with Natalya because her curious and kind questions help me to continue learning about my writing and myself. Natalya is a true gem and working with her has been the smartest decision that I made during the PhD journey.
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A.I., PhD candidate, Health Services Research
Natalya is someone who truly cares about the people she works with and the projects she works on. Her deep thoughtfulness and genuine kindness shine through every interaction, pairing with her wisdom and experience to provide a positive experience with every encounter. I feel extremely fortunate to know and have the opportunity to work with Natalya.
Melanie Steele, MS, Writing Coach and Founder of For the Writer's Soul
I turned to Natalya, when I lost touch with my work. I no longer knew what my next step should be and how to manage the sense of internal paralysis I got every time I thought of it. Natalya got me from that to defending my dissertation eight months later.
Alya, PhD, Communication and Culture
I am indebted to Natalya. I had a long history of challenges and delays with my dissertation, complemented by a lack of success in setting, implementing, and achieving big writing deadlines in graduate school. I switched PhD programs at the beginning of my fourth year and started a new dissertation proposal; in year six, I was still struggling to write about my topic and was required to apply for a special extension in my graduate program.
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I needed help with writing and was connected to Natalya through my university learning strategist. Working with her was transformative. Her joy for writing is infectiously stimulating; it taught me how to recognize my own value and passion for writing.
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Practically, Natalya coached me to conceptualize, organize, and complete dissertation writing tasks that worked for me by facilitating my own exploration of writing styles and strategies. Moreover, she is very approachable and supportive, and was fully present at each step of my dissertation writing process. From the first submission of chapter drafts to scheduling my defence, I completed my dissertation within one year. I now see writing not only as a practice I do, but a place I genuinely look forward to going. I look forward to my future work with her!
Ashley, PhD, Psychology
Natalya's passion for writing is infectious! The encouragement and guidance she offered during the dissertation writing process helped me stay motivated, confident, and focused.
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Natalya - Thanks again for such an incredible retreat!! Ryerson students are so lucky to have you. Your dissertation support programs are really making a huge difference when it comes to my progress.
Erin, PhD, Communication and Culture
I feel great about the progress I made on the retreat! I was really struggling with the initial introductory chapters for my dissertation and the way in which they weren't "fitting" very well with my analyses and discussion. I was also trying to merge feedback from two committee members with very different ideal about the "identity" of these chapters.
I was able to break through being "stuck" by dismantling the chapter and starting over with a clear sense of what I want to say and what plan works best for my project. While a painful process initially, I now feel excited and engaged with my project again as I am writing from a focused and entered place. This means that I am more clear now on what to include vs. exclude. This was great progress for me and I noticed that I felt lighter and more energized as time went on.
Natalya, you are a special person. You shared so many nuggets of wisdom this week that touched me. I feel so grateful to have been at the retreat and inspired by your philosophy on life.
Amy, PhD, Clinical Psychology
I can't thank you enough. Every session with you helps me immensely and propels me forward and gives me energy. Thank you so much for your kindness and support 💜
Erin, PhD Candidate, Education
Natalya is a very experienced writing coach who listens deeply and intently to her client. She has helped me achieve all of my goals which I set out when we started to work together. I was stuck half-way through with the book manuscript and needed help to get going.
More than that, I wanted to transform and heal a fraught relationship with my inner writer. In just a few weeks, I was flying with my writing as we were able to remove all the blocks from my path. Although my writing was impacted by events that sidetracked me, I managed to bounce back into the manuscript with Natalya’s help. Day after day, my inner writer and I found peace with one another. And I am tempted to add here – and we lived happily ever after thanks to my fairy writing godmother Natalya! If you’re looking for a writing coach to help you heal a relationship with your inner writer, I cannot recommend Natalya strongly enough. You won’t find a more caring, passionate and experienced writing coach!
I.B., PhD, Bestselling Author
I was returning to my dissertation after an absence of several years. Natalya provided me with tools and strategies to make significant new progress towards completion. Just as valuable was her personal encouragement and engagement, helping me rediscover my love of writing and belief that I could finish.
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Ryan K., PhD candidate, Theology
I am writing this testimonial with deep gratitude for the amazing support and guidance I received from Natalya. Starting the challenging journey of writing a dissertation is never easy, but with Natalya’s patient and empathetic approach, I not only learned how to write effectively but also confronted personal obstacles that emerged during this demanding process.
From our first meeting, it was clear that Natalya was not only a knowledgeable mentor but also a compassionate guide. She took the time to understand not just the subject of my research, but also the intricacies of my personal struggles and perspective. Her ability to merge academic direction with emotional support led to an extraordinary and invaluable coaching experience.
Natalya's coaching had a significant impact as she tailored her methods to meet my unique needs as someone with ADHD. She recognized the emotional challenges of working on a dissertation, especially for those facing specific obstacles, and provided a safe space for me to openly confront my fears and doubts. Through insightful discussions, she helped me overcome personal barriers that were holding back my progress.
Natalya not only taught me the intricacies of writing, but also instilled in me the confidence to trust my own voice and journey. She provided invaluable skills tailored toward an Adhder brain, such as time management, while also teaching life lessons like advocating for myself. Her talent for recognizing potential where I saw none helped me discover previously untapped abilities within myself. Natalya's constructive feedback was always coupled with encouragement, fostering an environment where learning and growth flourished. She is more than a dissertation coach; she is a mentor who supported me through one of the most challenging stages in any academic journey—the dissertation writing process.
Thanks to this life-changing coaching experience, I have taken decisive strides towards finishing my dissertation and emerged with greater resilience, both in academic pursuits and personally. Before the coaching sessions, writing felt like a struggle and publishing seemed unattainable. However, during our six months of coaching, I successfully published articles and am currently preparing three journal submissions. The guidance provided me with the understanding that writing can be fulfilling rather than burdensome and equipped me with the skills and determination to approach future obstacles confidently.
Without reservation, I endorse Natalya for anyone seeking not just a writing coach but also empathetic support to navigate the emotional challenges of dissertation writing.
Thank you from the depths of my heart for being an integral part of my academic and personal journey.
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Ida N., PhD candidate, Sociology
