Helping busy thinkers finish their projects without burning out.

Together, we’ll set up a structure that supports your real life, with compassionate accountability and realistic planning that adapts with your capacity (not where you think you “should” be).

Big projects have hard parts. I’ll help you move through them.

 

Right now, one (or more) of these thoughts may feel true:

  • I’m juggling research, meetings, writing, and life. Every time I try to prioritize, something else becomes urgent.
  • Some days I can focus, and other days I can barely get through email.
  • My colleagues or advisors seem to be producing, publishing, or moving forward, while I’m stuck in the same spot.
  • My own creative and personal projects keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list and I hate how long they’ve been sitting there.

What if you don’t need to hustle harder or “just push through?”

Something I hear over and over from intelligent, talented people is that they wish they had more discipline.

But most people aren’t usually short on willpower, they’re short on systems that make sense for their energy, health, and time.

So here’s what I want you to know: productivity isn’t moral. You’re not a better person because you’re efficient, organized, or disciplined. And you’re not a worse person if you’re not.

You can care about your work and your rest in the same breath, and my goal as your coach is to support you in finishing your projects and hitting your milestones.

So you’ll finish what matters and still have the energy to celebrate it.

“The single most important thing I have done.”

Working with Dr. Kate Henry has been the single most important thing I have done during my first year on the tenure track. I had followed Kate for years and utilized her free resources throughout my PhD. Yet, the new responsibilities of faculty life challenged me both personally and professionally, and Kate has been there every step of the way. Not only has she helped keep me organized, but she has also helped me to take a step back and consider all that is on my plate — including life outside of work — and find areas to trim back. She has encouraged me to make time for movement, hobbies, friendship and care-taking alongside the many competing priorities I am juggling as a new faculty member. And the weekly email prompts are one of the ways that I plan and structure my efforts. She has helped me learn to give myself grace as I transitioned to a new institution, community, and role; as well as helping me recover from post-PhD burnout. I truly cannot recommend Kate’s coaching highly enough.
Meaghan McSorley

Assistant Professor, Florida State University

“Finishing my PhD feels achievable in a way it didn’t 6 months ago.”

I came to Kate as an exhausted PhD student, feeling a lot of shame around my slow research progress and lack of motivation. Kate’s approach to coaching was so refreshing: she showed so much empathy towards my exhaustion and encouraged me to treat myself with kindness. She’s helped me set up new habits that work with my specific strengths and motivators, while also helping me find ways to get around or through the things I find most tiring. After a few months of working with Kate, I finally had my first PhD progress check-in presentation where I felt genuinely proud of the amount of work I had accomplished. And I feel happier and more confident in my general work-life balance! Finishing my PhD feels achievable in a way it didn’t 6 months ago.

K.

PhD Candidate

“I finished the manuscript!”

It’s been months since I worked with Kate to 1) finish my manuscript and 2) gain control of my workload, and I still rely on her advice daily. After over 20 years of schooling, including a PhD, I’ve finally learned how to break an overwhelming project into manageable tasks! More importantly, Kate’s compassionate response to my anxiety over work taught me to be more compassionate with myself. I recommend her to anyone looking to finish a big project (I finished the manuscript!) or just make sense of the big project that is life itself; she’s wonderful.

Dr. Sara Watson

Professor & Poet

Success & Accountability Coaching

A six-month partnership to help you finish your most important projects

Stack of books with glasses resting on top

Here’s what you’ll get:

  • Twice-monthly calls to help you plan, prioritize, and stay on track so you’re not stuck staring at a project that feels too big to begin
  • Detailed session notes with to-do lists and deadlines shared within 48 hours of our call so you’re not wasting half your writing time trying to remember what we decided.
  • Personalized Monday check-ins to help you jumpstart your week with gentle accountability.
  • Email support between sessions so that when deadlines move, you have a list of edits to get through, or your plans get derailed, you have someone in your corner.
  • A signed copy of my book so that you can dive deeper into the work with exercises and frameworks you can return to again and again
  • Twice-monthly co-working sessions with fellow Success & Accountability Coaching clients so you can harness the power of body doubling and chip away at your tasks in camaraderie.

Success & Accountability Coaching is $530 per month.

Not ready for six months? That’s cool! I’m here to help you discover your next best step

Productivity & Strategy Calls

On our 1-hour call, we’ll move from brainstorming to developing a clear, realistic plan for your project. 

Afterward, I’ll send you a personalized follow up with clear next steps so you don’t have to remember every detail. And if you’re curious about long-term support, this is a great way to get to know my coaching approach.

Productivity and Strategy calls are $220 per session

“Helped me emerge from the chaos of my work life.”

My very first meeting with Kate was a magically, transformative experience. What felt a bit like a therapy session—me unburdening myself of all of the things that were weighing down my work practices by just talking at Kate—turned into this incredible document that Kate created, which ended up being a guide that helped me emerge from the chaos of my work life. When I received Kate’s notes I couldn’t believe she had somehow organized my brain onto the page in a clear way complete with bulleted lists, reminders, a to-do list, and general notes. It’s a document I can return to each time I need to clear my head and figure out what I should be focusing on. If you’re looking to get organized and stay on task, then Kate offers a warm, supportive and helpful hand in doing so.

Dr. Jennifer Marlow

“I navigated multiple deadlines.”

Working with Kate over the past few months has been a truly transformative experience. I had been considering whether to apply to grad school for several years but had reached a stalemate trying to make that decision on my own. Kate helped me weigh all my options and supported me through the application process as I navigated multiple deadlines and managed other day to day tasks. Kate’s Slowductivity approach is this amazing balance of facilitating goal setting and completion while also acknowledging the capitalist origins within hyper productivity culture. I couldn’t recommend working with her more!

V. Hoy

“Learned to trust my inner voice.”

I started working with Dr. Kate as my dissertation prospectus deadline approached, and I came away with so much more than just reaching that milestone. Through our work together, Kate always made me feel seen, heard, and understood, which in itself was helpful motivation to work towards the goals we set together, on top of the already effective strategies, reminders, and tools we discussed. Kate’s approach is kind, effective, and empowering, and was invaluable in the completion of my prospectus, writing two successful grant applications, setting goals for myself, understanding my own work habits, and learning to trust my own inner voice.

Alex P.

Cornell University

Here’s how we’ll get you to that finish line.

  • We identify your priorities and create a realistic plan.
  • I support you in developing a more accessible approach to checking off your to-do list between sessions.
  • If you’re doing this package, we meet regularly to refine our approach and stay on track.
  • You make real progress on your project with clarity and confidence.

Could this be the support you need right now?

This is for you if

  • You’re working on a big writing project and can’t find momentum on your own
  • You want accountability that feels supportive and human, not rigid or high-pressure
  • You value structure that honors your capacity, health, and real-life responsibilities.

This is probably not for you if

  • You’re looking for a quick-fix productivity trick or one-time “hack”
  • You’re not ready to explore new ways of approaching your work
  • You’re committed to the belief that you should be able to do this entirely on your own.

“Reached my professional goals while centering my whole person.”

I worked with Dr. Kate Henry during both my final years of graduate school and as a new tenure-line professor. During both periods, Dr. Kate was instrumental in helping me make plans to get the things I need to get done to reach my professional goals while centering my ability to show up in my personal life and be a whole person. During our coaching sessions, we worked through a set of different challenges including navigating the difference between what needs to get done and what just feels urgent and who and what might help to get through barriers that arise. Throughout our time working together, I have always felt that Dr. Kate was genuinely interested in what would be most supportive to me and it’s so wonderful to have her support on my side. Dr. Kate is absolutely rockstar and I can’t recommend working with her highly enough!

Dr. Alyx Burns

Assistant Professor of Computer Science

“A life and career I can be proud of!”

I had been following Kate throughout her time as a PhD student, and got so much inspiration from her work as I went through my own journey as a PhD student. When I got my postdoc, I knew one of the first things I wanted to do was use my research funds to invest in her coaching. Grad school left me jaded, exhausted, broken and frustrated. I knew there had to be a different way, and I wanted to take the time to explore this possibility with Kate’s business. I did 6 sessions with Kate, and they were so important for my career. I am a mom and at the time, was pregnant with my third child. I was extremely nervous about this new transition, and wanted to really explore what a work/life balance could look like for me. I also wanted to learn different ways to work in a more effective manner to prevent more burnout from occurring. Not only did Kate help me work through questions I had about project management, but she also helped me think through my relationship to work and success. For the longest, I knew that the way I was working, was not working. But so much of the way that I worked was passed down to me by so many academics who just repeated the cycle that had been passed down to them. I didn’t want to do that. I feel confident that I’ll be able to take the tools I learned from her, both professionally and personally, to shape my life and career into something that I can be proud of!

Dr. Briana Barner

President’s Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Maryland

“Organizing tasks into manageable pieces.”

I hired Kate to help me process all the demands of a first year professor. We met monthly to discuss that months’ plan of attack, which mostly looked like me rattling off the millions of things on my plate, and Kate listening calmly and then beautifully organizing tasks into manageable pieces. She was very insightful, often hearing and drawing attention to my own values and needs even when I wasn’t sure what they were. I HIGHLY recommend her services to anyone who is feeling overwhelm, or who wants to move forward with intention.

Dr. Keitlyn Alcántara

Professor

The system may be broken, but you still have deadlines. I’m here to help you navigate them with more ease.

    We can agree that many mainstream approaches to productivity are flawed, inaccessible, and demanding… and still find a way to meet your deadlines with more ease. 

    With over a decade of experience balancing teaching, writing, and chronic illness while earning two masters degrees and a PhD, I know intimately how important it is to have a system that works. I take a sustainable, humane, and accessibility-minded approach to productivity. I’m here to help you move through challenging systems with support, clarity, and structure, so you can finish what matters and still feel like yourself at the end of it.

    “Working with Kate completely changed my relationship to writing.”

    Working with Kate completely changed my relationship to writing. There is no way I would have finished writing the manuscript for The Practice of Attention without her guidance and support. Through techniques like the pomodoro method, breaking things up into sections, pulling quotes out I liked, and so much more – she helped me create systems and break things into chunks so it didn’t feel so overwhelming. Kate also has a way of asking questions that brings out my own inner knowing. I leave our sessions remembering my own intelligence, my own knowledge, and my own skills. While Kate brings her own amazing experience, she is truly a mirror for what we all already have inside of us, gently pulling on the threads of our own inner archives. I can’t recommend working with her enough!
    Cody Cook-Parrott

    Writer and Artist

    “Kate was instrumental”

    Working with Kate has been wonderful! I reached out to her during the winter of my last year of my PhD. Kate was instrumental in helping me identify reasonable sub-goals and organize my time while taking care of myself, which was all key in me finishing a draft of and defending my dissertation this spring. I really appreciate her insightful, positive, organized, and clear approach. From careful notes on our sessions to weekly check ins, I was able to make the most of our monthly meetings and actually implement the tools and practices we discussed. Not only is Kate a phenomenal coach, but also it was really helpful to work with someone who had been through similar chronic illness challenges in graduate school and actually understood the challenges I was dealing with as well as the importance of self-care. I only wish I had reached out to her sooner during my graduate career, and cannot recommend Kate highly enough!

    E. Flynn

    PhD Candidate

    Have questions? I’ve got you.

    How often do we meet?
    • Success & Accountability Coaching clients meet with me two times per month for a 1-hour coaching session (our initial session is 90 minutes). 
    • Productivity & Strategy sessions are standalone 1-hour sessions.
    • I live in the Eastern/New York time zone, and work with clients all around the world.
    What happens between sessions?
    • I develop an individualized set of coaching notes that includes a to-do list and deadlines. We both have shared access to your coaching notes to track your progress and provide structure for your work sessions.
    • I also provide email support for my Success & Accountability Coaching clients between sessions, including personalized Monday morning check in emails for accountability and support throughout the week if any questions arise.
    Is this right for ADHD / chronic illness / neurodivergence?

    My coaching approach is designed to adapt to your energy, capacity, and real-life circumstances.  I am not a trained ADHD coach, though I have been researching productivity through a lens of accessibility and coaching individuals with a wide range of lived experiences since 2018.

    Can I start with one session first?

    Of course! Check out my Productivity & Strategy Coaching call, a 1-hour coaching session that includes detailed session notes.

    What if I miss a deadline / fall behind?

    I’m a firm believer in trending in the direction we want to go as a way to make real progress on our goals, which means I do not expect my clients or myself to be perfect! When you hit an obstacle, it’s a great opportunity for us to learn more about what works and doesn’t work so we can adjust your approach moving forward and set you up for success.

    Do you offer payment plans?

    If you book a 6-month package, you will be invoiced in monthly payments, not one lump sum. For one-off coaching calls, payments will be made in advance.

    Do you help with writing itself or just planning?

    With three graduate degrees in English and a decade of teaching writing under my belt, I’m skilled at helping my clients develop their writing during coaching sessions, including generating to-do lists for “revise and resubmits,” brainstorming structure and outlining, and asking helpful questions to prompt you to think through obstacles to your writing projects. One of the magical things about working with a client for a 6-month time period is that I get to know their projects well and can often serve as a thought partner during coaching sessions. You’re still the one deciding what “finished” looks like, but I help you get there with clarity and doable steps.

    How does confidentiality work?

    Everything you share in our work together stays with me. I don’t discuss client projects or personal information outside our sessions. I don’t record our calls or use an AI notetaker to ensure your work remains private and thoughtfully held. 

    How often do we meet?
    • Success & Accountability Coaching clients meet with me two times per month for a 1-hour coaching session (our initial session is 90 minutes). 
    • Productivity & Strategy sessions are standalone 1-hour sessions.
    • I live in the Eastern/New York time zone, and work with clients all around the world.

    When we have a structure that fits our unique lived experience, we’re more likely to make progress. My goal as your coach is to help you experience clarity, completion, and set you up for sustainable progress long after our time together.

      Ready to get started?

      With over a decade of experience balancing teaching, writing, and chronic illness while earning two masters degrees and a PhD, I know intimately how important it is to have a system that works. I take a sustainable, humane, and accessibility-minded approach to productivity. I’m here to help you move through challenging systems with support, clarity, and structure, so you can finish what matters and still feel like yourself at the end of it.

      “Dr. Kate Henry is the best thing to happen to academia.”

      My biggest peeve about Dr. Kate… I wish I had found her earlier! Since becoming a parent I have struggled with getting all my writing, teaching prep, service work, exercise, and me-time done in the 6-7 hours that I have available while my child is at daycare. So, when it came to finishing my book manuscript I needed a lot of support to get it done in time. So glad I [gave Kate’s coaching a try] because as of today, I completed and submitted my book manuscript over the summer months of 2024 and I am hopeful that I will get to a place where I can be at peace with my personal and work life all because of Dr. Kate Henry’s wonderful guidance. My favorite things about our coaching sessions so far: Kate’s detailed notes summarizing our conversations in the form of a Google docs checklist where I got to mark off things when done, finding clarity by speaking out loud on a topic I might be struggling with and being able to copy-paste Kate’s notes into my chapter, and the way Kate remained patient when I procrastinated and helped me come up with micro strategies to manage the hard moments of keep to task. In sum, Dr. Kate Henry is the best thing to happen to academia. She is honest, kind, and genuine; meets you where you are at as far as life and work responsibilities go, emotionally, and culturally; and is coach, mentor, and academic therapist all in one. I am grateful to the world for bringing her coaching and blog posts into my life. Thank you, Kate!
      Sreyoshi Sarkar (Ph.D.)

      Assistant Professor of English, Ball State University

      “I am so grateful to have connected with her and I could not recommend her more.”

      No matter where I’m at when we have our coaching sessions, Kate holds space for me to be a human in such a kind, thoughtful, and compassionate way. She tailors strategies and suggestions to who I am and how I’m feeling at the time, gently shifting plans and strategies when that changes. Coaching with Kate is an incredibly safe, supportive and encouraging space. I started working with Kate to make progress on my dissertation, but she has ended up changing my life in so many positive ways. I am so grateful to have connected with her and I could not recommend her more. (L)
      L.

      PhD Student

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