In honor of Mother's Day, Doctoral Mom would like to introduce you to the amazing women that make up the Doctoral Mom group. Join us as we listen to their advice and stories. Our Countdown to Mother’s Day continues and today we would like to introduce Shoshannah Guerrero a mother of two from the Mount Mercy University. Shoshannah’s area of study is marriage and family therapy.
Motherhood What advice would you give to new mothers? "Boys need more support emotionally during the first 12 years of their lives than girls. They fuss more, need more support with emotional recognition and expression, and sleep less. Boys are typically expected to excel with less support academically, or in sports, or in leadership, and some boys do. When this doesn’t happen, and boys need more support including speech and language, emotion management, and sensory integration, it is confusing for parents. Especially if they are expecting their boys to excel, and instead they are struggling. My focus is on Graduating Boys into vocations and healthy relationships."
Doctoral Program What tips do you have that might make it easier for mothers who are thinking about pursuing their doctorate? "My mom told me “Your kids need to see you do difficult things.” So that has become my mantra during this PhD process. I have not done it perfectly, but I am setting the example of accomplishing difficult tasks. My first research paper I co-authors had been accepted for publication as well." Career What were your biggest struggles and how was Doctoral Mom Incorporated helpful to you? "Based on the research study we completed, the biggest struggle was the expectation from school and classmates that the “PhD is the Priority.” As any mom knows, we have many priorities that we are juggling so we add the PhD to the list of priorities." Is there anything else you want us to know? "I have an LMFT and am a CCATP(Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional)."