Completing a PhD is a huge undertaking and not one that students should take on lightly. At the age of 45 I started my nine-year journey to gain the world’s first PhD in reflexology and pain management as a non-academic in a Science Faculty that did not have a dedicated department of Complementary Medicine.
There was extraordinarily little prior research in reflexology from which to draw evidence and I was faced with pulling out all the stops, mentally, emotionally, and physically to secure a science-based qualification at the highest level.
Don’t be fooled by the title this isn’t just a story of human achievement, but about the challenges of gaining a PhD as a non-academic against the backdrop of life in real terms, in a faculty that neither particularly wanted nor needed me – no holds barred.
This is an inspirational memoir written in a conversational style that includes texts about research, the science behind it and provides a biographical insight into my life at the time, whilst fighting battles of inadequacy, self-confidence, self-expression, trauma, devastation, and life-changing health issues.
It provides an insight that will help guide you and make clear how involved research in complementary and alternative medical practices can be.
As a PhD student you can expect to be overwhelmed but the process involved in this academic journey doesn’t prepare you for what you can expect in the longer term, nor how you can manage life alongside the path to one of the highest academic achievements available today.
