MarineBluePsy

Of course. I regret mine every day I am in it. Its going to depend on your field whether switching programs is even an option. It that's not an option you get creative about filling in whatever the shortcomings are for you.

I do not know the answer to your specific question, but you may want to check with your department about health insurance options. Some departments cover the cost of the student health plan offered at the University for students on dissertation fellowships.

I think it is wonderful that you are doing whatever you need to do because no one will prioritize YOU if you won't. As a person of color (geez anyone else despise that phrase?!) I will say that you can tell all of those well meaning white people to buzz off. Instead of figuring things out on their own and giving you space to do what you need to do they're overloading you with help requests. They have access to the same resources and just as much intellectual ability to figure things out. They are not helpless. You are under no obligation to help any of them if you do not want to and/or that is not what is best for you.

I'm currently in my doc program and yes I have been instructed to use specific assessments with therapy clients to track progress (these are usually depression, anxiety, or how would you rate the session type measures). As I learned more I was able to add my own to the standard battery the department requires as long as I could justify its use. I personally prefer to have my clinical impression, the client's self-report, and the assessment to get a sense of what is going on because I have learned that some clients are more forthcoming in one of those rather than equally forthcoming in all of them. Also since I need to accrue hours for internship combining assessments with treatment generates hours in both categories. Assessment data can also be easily used in research and students in my department have frequently done that.

I doubt you are alone in your experience and it may be helpful to find a community of others having similar experiences to reduce the sense of isolation. Perhaps there are professional organizations for your field that have student groups for you to check out. Perhaps there are interdisciplinary student groups at your University that would be a good fit. You can also talk to a therapist about your experiences.

I think its really going to depend on what is being applied for that will determine what ends up being included on a CV or even a resume (the OP didn't specify which they were drafting). If a person lists that they earned a degree in say 2010 and then there's no work activity for six years, that would definitely have to be explained. If they weren't in the work force due to returning to school then that could be explained in a cover letter and/or by listing the current degree in progress. If a person has earned two Master's degree's in unrelated subjects and is applying to positions in only one of those subjects, it may not be helpful to mention the other Master's. There are endless scenarios that might make it best to tailor ones CV or resume to a specific industry or position.

So these were outright rejections, not revise and resubmit? The former must sting and I wish I had some advice. If its the latter, then that is actually good because it means they see potential.

Self-care is your largest priority in first year. Eating well balanced meals, exercising, sleeping, finding healthy ways to relax, and establishing a support system that relates to whatever your circumstances are (e.g., grad student, marginalized, away from home) are all things to get in order. Yes everything else is important, but you can't grow in any of those areas if you're falling apart. In terms of your school priorities I would say organization and time management should be things that you establish better habits for now. Then when considering TAing, courses, or research I would say that is going to depend on your career goals and your own strengths/weaknesses. If you're taking courses on content that takes longer for you to grasp and that content is foundational then that is where more of your energy will need to go. If courses are easier and your research skills are weaker then it might be better to put more time in on research.

Just because you have that many degrees doesn't mean you have to disclose all of them. Depending on the type of job you're seeking it may not be relevant to mention all of your degrees.

I think this needs to be carefully weighed against your programs expectations and what type of career you want to prepare for. In my observations the PhD students who handle work better are the ones who opt for flexible side gigs like babysitting, tutoring, editing, etc. Sometimes summer and/or winter break can be used to make extra money. I haven't heard any horror stories.

Are you able to collaborate with faculty in another department? I would never suggest anyone stick with an advisor that is inactive in research. Mine decided to quit doing research right after I arrived, so I established opportunities in other departments and quit wasting my time on pointless lab meetings.

All tenured or tenure track professors. And then they're surprised when the alums aren't generous.

Glad professional associations are on top of this and we still get proper credit for our hard work.

Faculty behaving badly......lets see constant microaggressions and sometimes direct aggressions aimed at students in class, sleeping with undergrads and grads, showing up to class in last nights smeared makeup and whatever club/concert stamp, repeatedly not showing up to class, and constantly telling students it isn't their job to teach or offer training opportunities.

Congratulations! I am so happy to hear that you are still progressing after the saga with your thesis. I am post-comps, but my program doesn't do a traditional exam. Instead either multiple publications are counted in lieu or we create a publication ready systematic or integrative review paper. If yours is similar then I would say this is not the time to experiment with new tools or methods for organization. If you aren't someone who outlines and it is not a required part of the process then don't waste time making one if that doesn't help you get your work done. If you are the type to print articles and annotate by hand then stick with that if it has always worked. Trying new things is great when you're working on more low pressure things like class assignments. If your department allows you to view samples from past students then review as many as you can. More generally I would say pace yourself, talk with students who have passed (especially if they didn't pass the first time), and create small rewards as you complete each step. When you are done take a week off, even if you don't feel exhausted. You will need to conserve your energy for dissertation so the rest will be important.