FINISH YOUR WRITING PROJECT
With Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya
AWARDS:
Coming Soon!
Apply Now For Priority Consideration!
Finish Your Writing Project
A SUMMER WRITING SANCTUARY
This live, cohort-based intensive offers structure, feedback, and tailored workshops to support academic writers. Participants gain accountability, sharpen key skills, complete a draft, and receive continued lifetime writing support beyond the course. Ideal for faculty, graduate students, creative writers, administrators, and scholar-practitioners.
Apply Now For Priority Consideration!Why This Program and Why Now? (Please read below for changes)
Dr. Bhattacharya recorded this video in 2023. The structure of the program has changed to 8 weekly synchronous meetings over a period of 2 months. Everything else denotes her reason for creating such a program.
Apply Now For Priority Consideration!Does This Sound Like You?
For many, writing feels isolating—full of second-guessing, self-silencing, and academic bullshit that disconnects you from your own brilliance. Maybe you’ve felt this:
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You start writing... then stall out. Again.
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You’ve procrastinated so long it now feels like a crisis.
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The semester wrecked your capacity and left no time to create.
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Life hit hard, and your writing momentum disappeared.
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You’re tired of hiding parts of yourself just to get published or approved.
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You crave freedom from academic norms that don’t reflect your lived reality.
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You’re burnt out from constantly navigating belonging and imposter syndrome.
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You feel stuck—numb, heavy, writing from survival, not power.
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You’re questioning whether your voice even matters in your field.
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You’re overwhelmed by qualitative options and paralyzed by decision fatigue.
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You want to experiment in your writing but fear losing credibility.
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Some days the anxiety and depression are so loud you can’t write a single word.
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You’re tired of people saying “you have an agenda,” just because you challenge systems they benefit from.
✨ What’s Possible For You (This Summer and Beyond)
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You finish your writing project feeling clear, aligned, and powerful
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Your writing flows from your full self—voice, body, spirit, not just intellect
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You write without apology, without compression, without code-switching
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You feel resourced, not rushed—plugged into sustainable systems of support
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You access real-time feedback and tools that actually match your process
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You write with confidence, ease, and presence—not performance
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You feel seen, held, and sharpened in a space that respects your complexity
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You unlock vocabulary that matches your voice, not mutes it
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You create your own rhythm, your own ritual, your own writing blueprint
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You are in community—but never crowded
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You stop playing small with your words
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You rewrite how writing feels in your body—for good
What you can expect each week
This isn’t a drop-in writing group. It’s an intentional, high-touch container designed to support your project and your process. You’ll meet weekly for 2.5 hours on Zoom with a small cohort (6–8 people), alternating between:
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Focused Feedback Sessions (Weeks 3, 5, 7)
→ You’ll submit your writing and receive direct, actionable, compassionate feedback from me. You’ll also learn through witnessing others receive feedback. -
Customized Writing Workshops (Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8)
→ Based on real-time needs, workshop themes may include clarity rituals, academic voice, theory integration, writing flow, publishing strategies, and internal resistance.
🎯 Goal Setting and Personal Alignment
Before the course begins, you’ll meet with Dr. Bhattacharya for a 30-minute 1:1 goal-setting session.
In this session, you will:
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Set a clear writing goal for what you want to complete during the 8 weeks
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Identify a professional skill you want to strengthen (e.g., clarity, voice, publication, theory integration)
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Choose a focus project (manuscript, dissertation chapter, grant, etc.)
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Establish an accountability structure that supports your capacity
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Share the skill you want more support around—this will inform your customized workshop experience
This ensures your time in the program is tailored, strategic, and designed around your actual needs—not someone else’s agenda.
🔄 Weekly Flow: Writing, Feedback & Community
Our 8-week container is intentionally structured for clarity, momentum, and deep support.
We meet live each week for 2.5 hours on Zoom (Tuesdays, 1:00–3:30 PM ET). Our sessions alternate between two key experiences:
- Focused Feedback Sessions (Weeks 3, 5, 7)
→ You’ll submit writing in advance and receive direct, compassionate, and strategic feedback
→ You’ll also learn by observing others’ feedback and how different voices shape their projects - Customized Writing Workshops (Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8)
→ Workshop topics are co-designed around participant goals, ensuring every session addresses a skill that matters to you
→ Past topics include: voice clarity, theory integration, academic flow, imposter syndrome, publication strategies, and creative structure
Throughout the course:
- You’ll be in a small, high-touch cohort (6–8 people)
- You’ll be supported, not rushed
- You’ll experience community without performative pressure
- You’ll receive mentorship that adapts to your process
This isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It’s a writing environment built for real people with real lives who want real progress.
📚 Pedagogy & The Program
This program is built on a trauma-informed, culturally-responsive, anti-oppressive pedagogy that honors your whole self as a writer, scholar, and human being.
Here’s what that actually means inside the container:
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You are never asked to fragment your identity to be “professional”
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Your voice is not softened or sanitized for acceptability
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Your nervous system is considered—this space is designed to reduce writing trauma, not replicate it
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Your embodied knowledge is seen as valid, rigorous, and powerful
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Rigor is never separated from care
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We do not glorify burnout as a badge of belonging
And here’s how the program works:
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8-week live cohort experience
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Weekly sessions alternate between feedback and co-created workshops
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30-minute 1:1 goal-setting session before we begin
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1-hour 1:1 integration session after the 8 weeks
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Personalized writing blueprint to reuse across projects
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Three writing cohorts across the experience to stay connected to flow
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Lifetime access to group mentoring calls every second Thursday, 4–5 PM ET
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All course materials (and future updates) included
🌿 Perks, Continuity & Ongoing Support
This container doesn’t end after 8 weeks. You’ll leave with more than a finished project—you’ll leave with the structure, tools, and support to keep going.
Here’s what stays with you:
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🧭 Personalized Writing Blueprint
→ A reusable guide tailored to your project, writing style, and needs -
💬 1:1 Post-Program Mentoring Session
→ A 60-minute check-in to integrate your growth and clarify your next writing steps -
✍🏽 Three Writing Cohorts
→ Stay supported and accountable across the container and beyond -
🔁 Lifetime Group Mentoring Access
→ Join monthly mentoring calls every second Thursday from 4–5 PM ET -
📚 Ongoing Resources & Future Course Updates
→ You’ll receive lifetime access to all course materials, including new tools and modules as they’re added -
💖 A Writing Ecosystem Rooted in Care
→ Whether you’re revising, reinventing, or resting—you will be held here. Always.
This isn’t just about finishing a draft.
It’s about building the kind of writing life you don’t have to recover from.
🗓️ Weekly Schedule & What to Expect
We meet live each week for 8 weeks.
Before the course begins, you’ll have a 1:1 goal-setting session to identify your writing project, choose a skill you’d like to deepen, and co-design your accountability plan.
Here’s how we’ll move through the program together:
Week 1
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Program introduction and cohort orientation
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Customized workshop based on participant goals
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Deliverable Reminder: Begin preparing writing for Week 3 feedback
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Community connection and writing rhythm support
Week 2
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Customized workshop based on identified themes (e.g., clarity, structure, voice)
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Deliverable Reminder: Finalize draft section for Week 3 submission
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Skill development and peer discussion
Week 3: Focused Feedback Session 1
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Deliverable due (submitted before session)
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Personalized feedback from Dr. Bhattacharya
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Clarity, structure, and argument refinement
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Peer learning through shared feedback process
Week 4
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Customized workshop based on emerging participant needs
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Writing strategy and project development support
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Deliverable Reminder: Begin drafting next section for Week 5
Week 5: Focused Feedback Session 2
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Deliverable due
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Strategic, individualized feedback
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Refining structure, scholarly voice, and flow
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Group insights and practical tools
Week 6
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Customized workshop based on cohort skill focus (e.g., theory integration, publication planning)
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Deliverable Reminder: Prepare final writing section for Week 7
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Applied strategies and writing practice
Week 7: Focused Feedback Session 3
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Final deliverable due
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Comprehensive feedback to support project completion
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Writing refinement and next-step planning
Week 8: Wrap-Up & Integration
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Final customized workshop or closing session
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Reflection on growth and writing process
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Review and refinement of your personalized writing blueprint
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Forward-looking discussion: planning next steps for submission, publication, or continued development
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Opportunities to stay connected through writing cohorts and monthly mentoring
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Program closure and celebration of your progress
What’s Included?
Your Writing Support Ecosystem, Now and Beyond
This program is designed to support your writing during and beyond the 8 weeks we spend together. Here's what's included in your tuition:
✅ 8 Weekly Live Sessions
Structured to alternate between focused feedback and customized workshops based on your needs and writing goals
✅ 3 Feedback Rounds
Personalized, strategic writing feedback on submitted work in Weeks 3, 5, and 7
✅ 1:1 Goal-Setting Session (30 min)
Completed before the program begins to clarify your project, focus area, and accountability plan
✅ 1:1 Post-Program Mentoring Session (60 min)
A follow-up call after the program to integrate your growth and plan your next steps
✅ Lifetime Access to Writing-Related Mentorship
Join monthly group mentoring sessions every second Thursday from 4–5 PM ET
✅ Three Writing Cohorts
Connect with peers in rotating writing groups throughout the program for support and flow
✅ Personalized Writing Blueprint
A reusable roadmap tailored to your writing process, goals, and style
✅ Lifetime Access to Course Materials & Updates
Includes all future additions and improvements to the curriculum
✅ Lifetime Access to Dr. Bhattacharya’s Private Online Community
Stay connected, supported, and resourced long after the program ends
What people are saying after working with Dr. Bhattacharya…
Over the years Dr. Bhattacharya has worked with full professors, associate professors, and doctoral students to mentor and support them in their academic professional development. Here are three perspectives of former mentees after working with Dr. Bhattacharya. These aren’t scripted reviews. These are moments of truth—when scholars realized what was possible when their writing, voice, and brilliance were finally supported. All testimonials are from scholars who have worked directly with Dr. Bhattacharya.
Dr. Dina Maramba
Full Professor
Dr. Maramba recently completed an 8-week narrative writing learning experience and she is also a part of my mentoring community. Hear from her some of her epiphanies while working with me.
Dina said: I was always asking—Will this sound smart enough? Kakali helped me stop filtering and start listening to myself. I wrote from my full self—not from fear. I didn’t know that’s what I needed… until I felt what it’s like to be held in a space that doesn’t ask you to perform your brilliance, just to live it. That changed everything.
Dr. Nicole Corley
Associate Professor
Dr. Nicole Corley just finished an 8-week narrative writing course recently. Here she talks about the impact of the experience and what she would like to say to people who are considering entering an 8-week writing learning experience with me.
Nicole said: If you want to be in a space that’s nonjudgmental, incredibly supportive, and beautifully curated—this is it. Kakali and Paul created a real community, where people across every stage of academia could show up vulnerable and be received. That changed how I show up in this work
Dr. Rhemma Payne
I met Rhemma when she was a graduate student. She was one of my first graduate student mentee when I started to mentor people outside my institution. This is her reflection on that mentoring experience and how it influenced her dissertation.
Rhemma said: Before Kakali, I was writing from a place of darkness and disconnection. I didn’t know how to finish—or even if I could. Her mentorship brought me back to joy. Back to my voice. Back to the part of me that could actually do this.
💸 Your Tuition Investment
This program is priced comparably to the tuition and fees of a 3-credit graduate-level course at a private institution—but what you receive here is far more comprehensive, personal, and sustained.
Unlike traditional mentoring programs that charge similar fees for short-term coaching or limited feedback, this is a high-touch, care-based writing container with lifetime support. That includes:
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Weekly live sessions blending direct feedback and customized workshops
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1:1 goal-setting + post-program integration sessions
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Three writing cohorts to sustain connection and rhythm
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A personalized writing blueprint to reuse again and again
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Lifetime access to monthly writing-related mentoring calls
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Private community access and an evolving resource library
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Direct feedback on your writing three times throughout the program
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And mentorship that doesn't disappear once the eight weeks are over
This is a mid-four-figure investment, with flexible payment options available. If we’re a mutual fit, we’ll go over payment structure during your discovery call.
But before we talk about the number, let’s name what’s actually at stake.
What is the real cost of dragging an unfinished project through semester after semester, never quite sure how to finish or where to begin?
What is the price of being so overwhelmed or burnt out that your brilliance never fully gets to land on the page?
What are you paying—emotionally, physically, professionally—to write in isolation, without support, without strategy, and without a container that holds your whole self?
What does it cost to normalize fragmentation, self-silencing, and chronic fatigue just to appear “productive” in spaces that weren’t designed for your voice?
This program is here to end that cycle.
To give you the kind of care, clarity, and support that’s been missing—not just from your writing life, but from your academic one.
If you’ve been carrying the weight of your project alone, it’s time to stop.
You don’t need more willpower.
You need real structure, expert guidance, and support that doesn’t expire.
And that’s what this is.
Apply Now For Priority Consideration!Need Help Securing Institutional Funding?
Make the Case
If you're seeking funding from your department, dean, or institution, I’ve prepared a Funding Request Template Letter to help you make the case
Still Have Questions? Let's Clear Them Up.
You've got questions. We've got answers.
You’re not just deciding to enroll. You’re deciding to be held, supported, and witnessed while you write. If something’s lingering in your head or heart, let’s answer it here first.
I’ve taken other writing programs and they didn’t work. How is this different?
Most writing programs give you surface-level guidance or rigid one-size-fits-all structure. This is different. Here, you’re getting high-touch mentorship, strategic feedback, trauma-informed pedagogy, and ongoing community. Workshops are customized based on your needs. Feedback is personal, direct, and supportive. And the support doesn’t end after 8 weeks—you’ll have lifetime access to monthly mentoring and community space. This isn’t a writing sprint. This is an ecosystem designed for your voice to finally land.
What if I don’t finish my project by the end of the 8 weeks?
That’s okay. This isn’t a punitive space. The goal is progress rooted in integrity—not panic-driven completion. You’ll have structure, accountability, and personalized support to move your project forward—but if you don’t finish, you’ll leave with momentum, clarity, and a writing blueprint you can use again and again. Plus, you’ll still have access to monthly mentoring calls, writing cohorts, and community after the program ends. You won’t be dropped. You’ll still be held.
What if I’m completely stuck or haven’t written anything yet?
You’re in the right place. This space is designed for people who are stuck, circling, burned out, or overwhelmed. You don’t need a polished draft to start. You don’t even need to have written a single word. You just need a project that matters to you and a willingness to show up honestly. We’ll co-create structure, set goals that feel doable, and move at a pace that doesn’t overwhelm your nervous system. You are not behind. You are exactly on time.
Is this only for faculty or advanced scholars?
No. This space is for any scholar, creative, or thinker who’s ready to finish a writing project—regardless of where you are in your academic or professional journey. I’ve mentored graduate students, new faculty, postdocs, tenured professors, and independent scholars. What matters is that you’re serious about your writing and open to receiving support. If you’ve struggled to finish your work in isolation, this is for you.
You already belong.
This is a big investment. How do I know it’s worth it?
I hear you. This is a mid-four-figure investment, and that’s intentional—because this isn’t surface-level support. You’re receiving personalized mentorship, detailed feedback, customized workshops, ongoing community, and lifetime access to writing-related mentoring.
It’s more than most coaching packages, editing services, or short-term writing groups offer—because it’s built for deep transformation, not just temporary momentum.
And if you’ve been stuck for months (or years), you already know the cost of not finishing—emotionally, financially, and professionally. This program is here to break that cycle.
What if I miss a live session?
While live attendance is encouraged (and where the magic happens), I understand that life, time zones, and capacity don’t always align perfectly. Each session is recorded, and you’ll have access to the replays. You can still receive feedback and engage with the materials on your own time. You won’t be dropped or punished. You’ll stay part of the container—and still be held.
Can I use institutional funds or grants to pay for this program?
Yes. Many participants secure funding through professional development grants, research funds, or departmental support. To assist you, we provide a customizable funding request letter that you can submit to your institution. If you need guidance on navigating this process, feel free to reach out.
You seem to work with women mainly. Do you have mentees that are gender non-binary or men?
Yes. While many of my mentees identify as women and femmes of color, this program is open to anyone whose values align with the space. I’ve worked with gender non-binary scholars, men, and people across the spectrum of identity. What matters most is your willingness to engage with a writing space that is trauma-informed, care-centered, and anti-oppressive. If you’re here for that, you belong here.
What kind of feedback will I receive on my writing?
You’ll receive feedback in multiple forms throughout the program:
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Written feedback on your three submitted deliverables
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Oral feedback during live sessions to clarify, deepen, and extend what you’re working on
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A personalized, tailor-made writing blueprint—a strategic map you can reuse for future projects
This isn’t cookie-cutter feedback or surface-level comments. It’s deeply considered, trauma-informed, and based on your actual goals, writing rhythm, and growth areas. My goal is not just to help you finish your project—but to help you become more powerful and precise as a writer.
Why should I pay to work with you when there are so many other programs, retreats, and coaches out there?
Because most programs teach you how to adjust to systems that were never built for you.
They teach you how to make your writing palatable, how to survive gatekeeping, how to “sound academic” so you can get through.
I don’t teach that. I don’t teach you how to shrink.
I teach you how to write from your whole self—without fragmentation.
I teach you how to move through hostile systems without surrendering your agency.
Your voice doesn’t have to conform to power. It is power.
In this space, you don’t learn how to be more acceptable to academia.
You learn how to be so expansive, academia has no choice but to make room for you.
This isn’t a writing retreat. This is reclamation.
And if you’re ready to stop contorting yourself just to be legible—then you’re in the right place.
I’m interested but still not sure. Can I talk to you first?
Yes, definitely. If you’re feeling drawn to the program but want to talk before deciding, I’d love to connect.
First, I ask that you complete a short application form. It helps me get a sense of where you are—whether that’s a specific writing project, a desire to reconnect with your voice, or a sense that something in your process needs to shift.
Once you’ve submitted the form, I’ll follow up with some options for a short discovery call.
👉🏽 Click here to complete the application form
No pressure. Just clarity, care, and the beginning of a conversation.
Your Instructor
Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya is a multiple award-winning professor, writer, and mentor known for her trauma-informed, de/colonial, creative, and contemplative approaches to qualitative research.
Over the past two decades, she has supported thousands of writers—faculty, graduate students, and scholar-practitioners—in reconnecting with their voice, finishing their writing projects, and reclaiming their power inside academic structures that were never built for their brilliance.
Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including:
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The 2022 Egon Guba Award for Outstanding Contributions to Qualitative Research from AERA QR-SIG
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AERA’s Mid-Career Scholar of Color Award and Mentoring Award from Division G
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Multiple honors from the University of Georgia and NASPA's Asian Pacific Islander Knowledge Community
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Recognition by Diverse Magazine as one of the Top 25 Women in Higher Education for her social justice impact and commitment to de/colonizing research
She is co-author of the award-winning book Power, Race, and Higher Education and editor of the Routledge series Futures of Data Analysis in Qualitative Research. Her scholarship spans over 100 publications and centers on race, class, gender, and transnational identity—especially for South Asian scholars navigating diasporic locations.
Dr. Bhattacharya is not just a scholar—she is a builder of brave writing spaces, a fierce advocate for writing from wholeness, and a mentor who sees through people’s “I can’t” to help them remember who they’ve always been.