PGR Wellbeing Programme

These in-person workshops and webinars are held exclusively for PGRs and focus on topics relevant to managing your wellbeing as a PGR. 

The webinars take place on Class Collaborate and the sessions have been designed for you to share your ideas anonymously via the keyboard, if you wish. The webinars are not recorded and participants do not connect with their own video or audio during the sessions.

The in-person workshops take place in our group room at 19 Clarendon Place. There are 14 places available for each workshop and places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Sign-up for PGR webinars and workshops opens two weeks in advance of each session and you can book a place using the links below which will take you to our Student Counselling and Wellbeing Hub where you can find out more about each event.

Please continue reading for descriptions and useful resources for upcoming PGR Wellbeing Webinars and Workshops. 

Developing Your PGR Identity (Workshop & Webinar)

Monday 9 October   12-1.30pm (In-person workshop)       Book a place

Monday 16 October  12-1pm (Webinar)                                   Book a place      

This session explores some of the issues commonly experienced by PGRs as they build their identity as a reseracher. We’ll introduce a useful framework outlining four stages of PGR identity development and consider some of the potential psychologicial challenges involved in navigating each of these sates. There will be opportunities to share ideas and strategies around the theme of setting reasonable expectations and developing systems for acknowledging progress and success.

PGR Myths Debunked  (Wellbeing Thesis)

PGR Identity Development (Wellbeing Thesis) 

Growth Mindset

Working With Uncertainty as a PGR (Workshop & Webinar)

Monday 6 November   12-1.30pm (In-person workshop)       Book a place

Monday 13 November  12-1pm (Webinar)                                   Book a place      

This session explores the topic of uncertainty in relation to the PGR experience and considers the ways in which uncertainty can impact on emotional wellbeing. We will introduce a theoretical model which identifies three different regulation systems in the brain: the threat system, the drive system, and the soothing system. Using this framework, we’ll look at the possible impacts of uncertainty on these regulation systems in terms of motivation, productivity and emotional wellbeing. Whilst recognising that uncertainty is an unavoidable part of the research process, we will explore a number of useful strategies to support your ability to manage uncertainty and work towards your research goals in a balanced and sustainable way.

Developing a compassionate mind video clip 

Working with Uncertainty (Wellbeing Thesis) 

A Balancing Act (Workshop & Webinar) 

Monday 4 December 12-1.30pm (In-person workshop)         Book a place 

Monday 11 December 12-1pm (Webinar)                                     Book a place       

This session will focus on increasing our psychological awareness of stress and stress symptoms and explore effective ways to manage personal wellbeing alongside the academic demands of PGR life. There will be an opportunity to reflect on what gets in the way of prioritising wellbeing actions and we will consider how making small adjustments to our environment, routines and systems can help us to achieve a healthier work-life balance. 

The Wellbeing Thesis  

How to manage stress  

James Clear atomic habits video clip  

Free habits app