Natosha Monroe

I’m sure you are familiar with the words, “thesis” and “dissertation.” Prior to my PhD program I thought I was too—but then, mid-way through my PhD program, I quickly figured out how much I DIDN’T know. Why? Because that’s when the infamous dissertation suddenly became a very large, very ominous part of my life. Until you have successfully endured and survived The Experience, there lies a plethora of questions surrounding the innocent little projects. For starters, what is the difference between the two? What kind of research must take place? What are the components of the work? Are there differences between the requirements in the social sciences and in another field such as literature or physics? And just what does it take to successfully write and defend a Thesis or Dissertation?

I’m putting my ego aside in hopes that this blog will help others who may find themselves feeling the same way I was feeling years ago. For lack of a better word, I was scared. Back in 2000 I was an undergraduate student longing to be a Psychologist. Human behavior and the brain fascinated me and I wanted to learn more and ultimately help empower others in understanding themselves more fully and taking control of their lives. I spent almost a decade delaying my interests and professional dreams due to being intimidated by research and the idea of undertaking this dreaded “Thesis” and “Dissertation” I had heard so much about. Besides, I was from rural Blooming Grove, Texas: Population 823. I’d never personally known anyone with a PhD (except for my undergraduate professors). Was I delusional or narcissistic in thinking I could actually be called “Dr.” one day? 11 years later, I know the answer to that question is “no”.

While my blogs typically focus on military-related topics, ACA has invited me to write on another area of relevance to many ACA members: research and dissertation development. So while I will continue to write on military-related topics, my blogs will also include a peek into the life of a doctoral student’s final year and a half. In particular, I will share different aspects of my dissertation journey: Initial development, literature review, methodology, specific development of the qualitative study of 15 individuals (design, data collection, data analysis, etc.), and the actual writing of the dissertation. I hope the contents of my blogs will be helpful to members of ACA who may be pursuing graduate studies or who are beginning to develop ideas for research that will further enrich the body of literature in our field and ultimately benefit humanity through better understandings of one another.

Let’s play a quick game. Choose the two terms that do not belong in this list: Military Behavioral Health Officer. Psychiatric Nurse. Licensed Professional Counselor. Psychiatrist. Licensed Masters-level Social Worker. Clinical Psychologist. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. If you guessed, “Licensed Professional Counselor” and “Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist” you are correct. Why? Fact is, the two professions are excluded from the military. A year ago today I wrote the blog, “Why Aren’t Professional Counselors Allowed a Place in the Military?” Sadly, this situation has not progressed over the past year.

A potentially difficult and complex part of being a Reservist or National Guardsmen in the military is transitioning between the “military culture” and the “civilian culture.” For this group of Service Members, transitioning can be confusing and even frustrating as they move from the “military life” back to the “civilian life” and then back again. To complicate things, there are fewer clear pathways to assistance and accurate answers to questions about things such as medical or educational benefits. Some of us navigate these waters better than others, thanks to previous experience and the good fortune of having adequate, knowledgeable support personnel to turn to for assistance.