S2S Mentoring

About S2S

S2S stands for Strength-to-Strength or Struggle-to-Strength based on people’s preferences, contexts, and needs. In this program, we help qualitative researchers craft a purpose-driven blueprint, integrating their strengths and talents, and enact an aligned scholarly project without compromising their passion.

For qualitative researchers, we are the leading academic mentoring service uniquely focused on holistic human development while aligning scholars congruently with their personal and professional goals. 

If you believe that your work should be purpose-driven, dialed in, make space for those who come after you, while you feel fulfilled, energized, with expanded capacity to do justice oriented work, then S2S mentoring could be for you.

The program is divided into 3 parts, Foundation, Retreat and Support. You can sign up for the Foundation part of the program anytime and join the Retreat and Support portion of the program according to the dates listed below. Or you can join the whole program that includes Foundation, Retreat, and Support.
 
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Who do we serve?

Scholars at any stage of their academic or academic-adjacent paths.

A 4-5 month program that is divided into three parts:

  1. Foundation work (join anytime, lifetime access to all upgrades)
  2. Virtual Weekend Retreat (2 days)
  3. Post-retreat support (biweekly 10 weeks)

Currently, enrollment is open for Summer and Fall retreat and biweekly support. To apply for the program, complete the MAP assessment form.
 
Complete Map Assessment Form

Part 1: S2S Foundation

The S2S foundation program is a pre-requisite to the retreat and support portion of the program. As a member of the S2S Foundation program, you will have lifetime access to the program and any future updates.  

The foundation program focuses on understanding your positionality in academia, crafting purpose-driven inquiry, research and writing agenda, responding to critical reviews, avoiding burnout and fatigue, and neutralizing detrimental narratives. 

In this program you will learn how to work from a place of inspiration, joy, balance, and harmony instead of the normalized hustle and grind. 
 
Apply Here

The Curriculum

The curriculum is a six module self-paced program. You will submit homework and will receive feedback. You will also have lifetime access to content and Live Virtual Ask-Me-Anything Coaching meetings. Module contents include (but not limited to):
  • Orientation and anchoring in self-investment
  • Changing internalized detrimental narratives in favor of agentic ones
  • Understanding, neutralizing, and working with issues of stuckness, impostor syndrome, writing blocks, etc. 
  • Building healthy boundaries
  • Deepening the "Why" of your work
  • Tracing critical milestones to understand academic positionality
  • Crafting a customized, wholeness-centered, culturally situated, purpose-driven framework for your research, writing, and professional agenda (M.A.P.)
  • Enhancing your skills in qualitative research and academic writing 
  • Responding to criticism of your work without draining your internal resources
  • Developing justification strategies for your critical, creative, de/colonial qualitative research
 
Your customized blueprint (M.A.P.) will become the guiding force for everything, including the retreat and support portion of the program the rest of the program.  The MAP will be designed in alignment with your strengths, purpose, and cultural identity. 

Feedback

You will receive 1-1 customized feedback from our academic coaches on your work via text-based and Zoom recordings within one week of submission of materials. We want you to feel supported, heard, seen, and nourished. 

Live Meetings

We want you to feel fully supported as you go through this program. You will no longer have to navigate academia alone. Live meetings via Zoom with Dr. Bhattacharya or another academic coach will be held every third Thursday from 2-3pm EST. These will be Ask-Me-Anything meetings and you will have lifetime access to them. The meetings will be recorded and shared as replays. 

Part 2: S2S Retreat and Community Support

Once you have completed the Part 1: S2S Foundation program, you are eligible to join the second part of the program, Retreat and Community Support.
Apply Here

Two-day Virtual Retreat

During the virtual retreat, we sharpen and deepen your MAP and address any detrimental narratives that arise. 

We help you create a 5-year plan that is aligned with your purpose, passion, and strength for your academic and professional work. 

We identify an aligned project that you can start immediate for the next 10 weeks. This project can be book proposal, book chapter, journal article, tenure and promotion narrative or something else. It will be a customized project that meets your need for skill enhancement in an area of your choice.

Biweekly Community Support

Once you complete the virtual retreat, you will be immediately enrolled in the community support portion of the program. You will meet live, every other week, Fridays from 2-4 pm EST. During these 10 weeks you will work on an aligned project to enhance any academic skill(s) of your choice.

You will receive customized deep feedback and held in care as you carve your path ahead.

During the live meetings, we would touch base, learn, and grow together. 

Wellness Coaching

You will also meet with Dr. Bhattacharya's wellness coach 3 times during these 10 weeks. 

The first meeting will be a wholeness-centered wellness assessment. The second and the third 1-1 meeting with the wellness coach will be customized to your needs and preferences.

Wellness coaching is not therapy and you are not mandated to use this service. However, wellness is critical to manage multiple stressors and challenges in academia that have implications on physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Summer and Fall 2022 Dates

Curriculum Access - anytime after May 1st, 2022

Summer Virtual Retreat - June 17th and 18th  10am-5pm EST
Biweekly meeting for 10 weeks starts on June 24th, 2022
Fridays 2-4 pm EST (biweekly)

Fall Virtual Retreat October 7th, 8th 10am-5pm EST
Biweekly meeting for 10 weeks starts on October 14th, 2022
Fridays 2-4 pm EST (biweekly)
 
Apply Here

Full Program at a Glance

Apply Here

Let's Talk Investment

In pricing the S2S program, we’ve managed to keep the financial investment at a respectable number, for five months of deep mentoring. Depending on how you choose to participate in the program the price ranges from mid 4 figures to 5 figures with flexible payment plan options. You can discuss these options with Dr. Bhattacharya if there is a mutual fit.

The price is lower than existing mentoring programs that do not offer the level of high touch and support this program offers. Also, this price is meant to reduce your other costs of living with your academic stressors and misalignments. Thus, the price is far less than the ongoing costs (health issues, stress issues, mental health issues, fatigue and burnout issues) that easily create multiple expensive problems and draining of your financial and other resources that cannot even be priced.
 
  1. What is the price of emotional burden, health consequences, and the toll on your confidence that comes from working all the time for very little return
  2. What you have to consider is what  are you paying to not have the clarity of a fully dialed-in purpose?
  3. What is the cost of self fragmentation and silencing that you have felt forced to normalize?
Apply Here To Be Considered For The Program

S2S Programs

You can participate either in the full program or separately participate in the foundation program first and then the retreat and support program.

S2S Foundation Program

S2S Foundation is a self-paced program, with feedback on homework submitted and one monthly Ask-Me-Anything with Dr. Bhattacharya for life. You will also have lifetime access to any updated content in this program.
Apply Here

S2S Retreat and Support

S2S Retreat and Support requires completion/enrollment in the Foundation program. This contains 2-day virtual retreat and biweekly live Zoom call and support on your work for 10 weeks.
Apply Here

S2S Full Program Bundle

S2S Full Program contains both the Foundation and the Retreat and Support program. You'd be applying for consideration for both experiences.
Apply Here

Frequently asked questions

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.
 
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People Say All Sorts of Things

Check out what S2S alumni say about the program
Watch the Video

Questions? Need to Know More?

 
Contact me, Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya, to apply or if you have more questions. If I have already sent you the application questions, then apply right away because spots go fast and I have a waiting list of over 300 people. Fit is really important to me, and I try to ensure that those I serve will benefit the most from me, so that everyone stays deeply purpose-driven with their work.

If you want to be the first to know when I offer new services, get on the mailing list by clicking the button below. I always mail to my First-to-Know people and my programs fill up quickly from that list, preventing those who are not on the list to join or even learn when enrollment in full.

 
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