Grad Empowerment Coaching Circle
Group Coaching
A values-aligned and intimate group coaching space for first-generation grad students and professionals
Next start date: May 2026
May cohort deadline: April 13, 2026
About the GECC
For years, I've supported grad students and professionals one-on-one as they navigated academics, career transitions, and personal growth. Again and again, I've heard a similar desire, "I wish there was a community where I could grow alongside others who get it." That's why I created the GECC, a group coaching experience grounded in shared learning, reflection, and accountability. It's a space to reconnect with your values and make sustainable progress toward your goals without sacrificing your wellbeing.
Traditional academic and professional development programs, while valuable, often overlook a critical component, which is the lived experience of those navigating complex, often harmful, spaces as first-generation scholars and professionals. These systems don't always acknowledge the unique hurdles we face, from navigating unwritten rules and the imposter phenomenon to managing intersectional identities, that can make sustained growth feel isolating or impossible. The desire I heard wasn't just for guidance but for a stronger sense of belonging and solidarity.
This is precisely where group coaching shines! Unlike the individualized focus of one-on-one sessions, the GECC embraces the power of shared experiences, lateral and multimodal learning, resource sharing, and group accountability. It's a space where your identities and values are viewed as sources of strength and wisdom. Within this circle, we create a brave container for both personal and professional growth, empowering you to cultivate sustainable, values-aligned path through academia and beyond, helping you to define and reach your personalized definition of success.
Who This Is For
This circle is designed for:
First-gen grad students, postdocs, or professionals who crave community while navigating high-pressure environments
Those who want to approach productivity and success in ways that honor their capacity and lived experience
Anyone ready to slow down, reflect, and design systems that feel sustainable
Each small group or cohort includes about 5 participants. You'll move through the program together, learning from one another while receiving coaching and tools to support your growth.
What You'll Experience
Two 90-120 minute community coaching sessions each month. Each session offers space to:
Check in and be supported: celebrate what’s working, name what feels challenging, and receive feedback on areas of growth
Learn and apply sustainable strategies through a proven framework, topic facilitation, and a guided exercise
Participate in live coaching “hot seats”: each session includes 1–2 participants who receive extended time to get coaching on a specific challenge
Reflect, ask questions, and connect with others navigating similar academic and/or professional paths
Additional benefits include:
Optional peer-led coworking sessions: each cohort has a designated coworking leader who coordinates optional coworking time
One virtual 2-day retreat included with enrollment, offering facilitated time for reflection, planning, and focused work
Curated tools and resources shared after each session to help you revisit or adapt what we cover to your own circumstances
Shared session notes, slides, and/or recordings based on group consent and comfort level
A shared Slack space to stay connected, check-in weekly, and support one another between sessions
Pre-, mid-, and final reflection surveys to help you notice patterns, track growth, and celebrate progress over time
Messages for Future GECC Participants
Participants have shared reflections not just about what they gained, but also about what made this space meaningful. These are messages they wanted future participants to hear before joining.
"If you are working through shame of not being good enough, or productive enough, you are not alone and there are many of us struggling with this very thing. There is power in community and sharing your story, and gaining the tools and resources to break through this shame cycle and move toward an empowered, kind, and grounded approach to reaching your goals and finishing the PhD! You got this!"
"In my experience, the doctoral process was most tolerable when I saw my cohort in person for class or writing sessions. As we progressed on different timelines in our research, that community dwindled and I missed it. I missed checking in with others in an honest way; my advisor was not a mentor and I wanted to feel connected to a group or a person who I trusted and who could help me work through the doubt. This space was exactly that for me."
What Participants Are Saying
“The tools, resources, and reflection exercises are so great, but I actually think the main takeaways for me were intangible. In this process I healed the relationship with myself by showing up and recommitting to finishing this degree. I appreciated the community, the honesty and vulnerability everyone brought, the affirmation, and the accountability.”
“GECC has changed my perspective. Rest is necessary and should be part of the process, productivity is not linear, wellbeing is not based on your work. By changing context and being more energy-aware, honest about the conditions I'm living in, establish and keep boundaries and systems, I feel better and can enjoy this journey a little bit more.”
"My idea of success isn't so big and unattainable. I still see the main goal at the end, the hood and the degree, but I also see the journey and the small wins along the way. Showing up for GECC; showing up to write; setting a timer for 15 minutes when my energy is low and being ok with that. I wouldn't have considered these wins before, but I see now that they are."
“I have redefined success within the terms of my own physical and mental wellbeing by recognizing how shame works to focus on what I have not done (writing progress) and rather instead to recognize the progress I have been able to accomplish.”
“My main takeaways are: learning approaches and practical steps for accountability toward long-term writing projects. Feeling supported and accompanied by other grad students. Grad school is hard and taxing mentally and physically and I am not alone in experiencing this."
"I have a chronic illness, work full time and am mama of two in addition to working on this PhD...it's a lot. Instead of feeling like a failure for not getting everything done, I take an honest look at my energy and tasks and I prioritize, set a timer, and take small steps."
Themes We Can Explore
Each circle's themes are shaped by the group's shared goals and challenges. Together, we focus on developing sustainable, values-aligned strategies that help you make steady progress while protecting your wellbeing.
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Redefining success on your own terms
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Building confidence and overcoming perfectionism
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Managing energy, focus, and executive functioning
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Reimagining productivity
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Designing systems for balance and follow-through
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Setting and maintaining boundaries
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Sustaining motivation through long-term projects
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Integrating rest, reflection, and recovery
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Networking and community building
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Planning your next chapter beyond the current program or job
Key Outcomes
By the end of the Grad Empowerment Coaching Circle, you'll leave with:
Clearer priorities and direction for completing a dissertation or a major project in ways that honor your capacity and wellbeing
Personalized systems for managing time, energy, focus, and executive functioning that feel realistic and adaptable.
Renewed confidence and self-trust in your ability to make decisions, adjust your pace, and follow through on long-term goals.
Stronger boundaries and communication skills grounded in energy awareness, self-permission, and clarity about what you can realistically take on.
Increased motivation and accountability supported by a small but affirming community that understands your lived experience and challenges.
A greater sense of self-compassion with a more humane definition of success that includes rest, reflection, and fulfillment.
Program Details
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Start Date:
May 2026
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Format:
Virtual via Zoom (live sessions) and Slack (between-session community support)
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Duration:
3 months (6 live sessions total)
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Contribution:
GECC uses tiered monthly pricing to keep the program financially accessible while honoring the time, care, and expertise required to facilitate an affirming group coaching experience. All participants receive the same core program experience and are trusted to select the rate that best aligns with their current financial circumstances.
Tiered Rates (per month):
- $125: The Community-Supported Rate for participants with limited financial flexibility.
- $175: The Standard Rate for most participants.
- $225: The Sustaining Rate for participants with institutional support or the means to help subsidize access for others.
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May Cohort Deadline to Join:
April 13, 2026
Community-Sponsored Spots
Thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors, two one-time community-sponsored spots were awarded to first-generation graduate students in the February 2026 GECC cohort. These sponsored spots fully cover the cost of participation for the three-month program.
Additional sponsored or partially sponsored spots may become available for the May cohort, depending on continued community support. Interest in being considered for a sponsored spot can be indicated in the waitlist form.
Institutional Coaching and Sponsored Access
Institutions, departments, and organizations may partner with me to coach their graduate students or to sponsor one or more students in an existing cohort of the GECC.
Coaching for your students can be offered as custom group or small-cohort coaching tailored to your program's goals. Coaching supports graduate students navigating dissertations, qualifying exams, field work, and other program milestones while building sustainable systems for progress, wellbeing, and follow-through.
Sponsored access to the GECC allows institutions to fund participation for one or more students in an existing three-month coaching cohort. Sponsored students receive facilitated group coaching, practical tools for executive functioning, peer accountability, and a Certificate of Completion recognizing a professional development engagement.
Budget Justification
Coaching and sponsored cohort participation are commonly funded through graduate support, retention, professional development, wellness, or student success budgets. These options offer a cost-effective way to support student progress, persistence, and wellbeing without requiring departments to design or manage an internal program. Invoices and supporting documentation are provided.
Community-Supported Access
The Grad Empowerment Coaching Circle is intentionally designed to support first-generation graduate students and professionals, many of whom navigate financial constraints alongside demanding academic and professional responsibilities.
Community sponsorships help distribute the cost of access beyond the program itself, making it possible for participants to join the GECC without financial barriers while preserving the integrity and long-term sustainability of the program.
Sponsorships help support:
- First-generation graduate students with demonstrated financial need
- Participants continuing work they've already begun in the GECC
Thanks to the generosity of community members, sponsored spots will be offered periodically and are fully funded for the duration of the program.
About Your Coach
Dra. Yvette Martínez-Vu (she/her) is a first-generation, disabled, and autistic Chicana grad school and productivity certified coach, consultant, speaker, and LinkedIn Learning instructor. She is also the co-author of Is Grad School For Me? (UC Press) and co-editor of the Chicana M(other)work Anthology (UA Press). As the founder of Grad School Femtoring, LLC and host of the award-winning Grad School Femtoring Podcast, she helps first-gen BIPOC students and professionals navigate academia and careers with sustainable productivity strategies. Her work focuses on grad admissions, executive functioning, flexible work systems, burnout prevention, and values-aligned success. Dra. Yvette offers coaching, consulting, and speaking engagements on grad school admissions, career development, productivity, and wellbeing.
Certificate of Completion
Participants who attend at least five of six sessions and complete all the reflection surveys will receive a Certificate of Completion. This certificate recognizes your participation in a professional development and group coaching program focused on sustainable productivity, executive functioning, and leadership skills that support academic and professional success. You may submit this certificate as evidence of professional development engagement to your program, fellowship, or department, depending on their approval policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big are the cohorts and how are they formed?
Each GECC cohort includes about 5 participants to support intimacy and meaningful discussion. You can join with your own group or sign up for the waitlist to be matched with others who share similar values, goals, or lived experiences. Cohorts are finalized once availability and group fit are confirmed.
What if I'm not available during the suggested meeting times?
After your interest is confirmed, you'll receive scheduling options. Cohorts are formed based on shared availability, ensuring meeting times align with everyone's time zones. The goal is to create a frequency and rhythm that feels supportive for all participants.
Do I need to attend every session?
Consistent participation will help you get the most out of the program, but we understand life happens. Depending on the group's comfort level, shared notes or recordings will be provided. If you want the optional Certificate of Completion, you'll need to attend at least 5 of the 6 sessions and complete all reflection surveys.
Can I join if I'm not currently in grad school?
Yes. Many participants are grad students and professionals navigating transitions, academic pressures, or identity-related challenges. If you're seeking a space that honors your lived experience and supports sustainable growth, you're welcome to join.
What do we cover in the sessions?
Session themes are shaped by your surveys and shared goals. Common topics include redefining success, time and energy management, boundary-setting, setting up systems, and long-term project planning. Sessions include both practical tools and reflective practices.
Will I receive resources outside of the sessions?
Yes. After each session, you'll receive resources, such as slides, handouts, and exercises to help you apply what we covered in ways that work for your life. You'll also have access to a shared Slack space for support, gentle accountability, and community connection between sessions.
Is there an option for 1:1 coaching in addition to group coaching?
Yes, you can add a monthly 1:1 call or enroll in my 3-month signature coaching program alongside the GECC. Group coaching offers collective learning, peer reflection, and shared accountability, while 1:1 coaching provides a personalized space to pursue your goals and tailor strategies to your circumstances.
How do I know if this program is right for me?
GECC is a great fit if you're navigating demanding academic or professional environments, balancing multiple responsibilities, or needing a supportive community. If you're seeking compassionate accountability and a sustainable path toward your goals, this circle was designed with you in mind.
Next Steps
If you're ready to join the Grad Empowerment Coaching Circle, here's what to expect next:
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Fill out my waitlist form by April 13, 2026 to express your interest in joining the next cohort
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I'll reach out to confirm your participation with an agreement and invoice outlining the program details
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I'll follow up with group meeting time options so we can finalize a schedule that works for your cohort
From there, you'll complete a brief pre-program reflection form to help me learn more about your goals and ensure this coaching experience is tailored to your needs. I'm excited to have you join us!