What is it like to do a PhD while living in rural Australia? Still learning, Still growing: Why it’s possible, AND worth challenging yourself in midlife

Send us Fan MailWhat possesses someone with a full life — a thriving psychology practice, three teenage daughters, and a farm far from any university — to take on a PhD at 48? In this episode, I share an honest, grounded account of what it’s really like to undertake a doctorate while living remotely, juggling family and work, and learning to persist without daily academic contact. Guided by the Japanese idea of wabi-sabi — moving forward without waiting for perfection — this conversation demystifies the PhD experience, explores the emotional and cognitive stretch involved, and reflects on why choosing the hard, meaningful path can reshape confidence, identity, and purpose. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s “too late,” “too much,” or simply too hard — this one’s for you. (Thank you to the Cotton Research Development Corporation (CRDC) and CQUniversity for making a PhD possible).@further_a_field for more information on my life and work in organisational psychology.