Oral Quals & Severe Tics - How to Prepare?

[smallcleanrat]

Hello, everybody.

Thank you so much for your responses; I'm feeling a lot more confident about being able to explain my tics to minimize their impact.

Turns out I had to postpone the exam after all due to other health issues flaring up. Fortunately, my program and my PI have been supportive in this.

AJ_Katz, you are right; I am probably fixating too much on being judged for the tics. I have mostly put those worries aside to focus more on preparing for my presentation.

Puget, thank you for your comment. I agree that the distinction between a "mental" issue and a neurological one is not at all clear, given that it all comes down to brain function. I really appreciate your words of encouragement for standing up to stigma.

Mamselle, thank you so much for your kind words! I have appreciated your insights on the fora as well; I was a long-time lurker before I joined. I think I may look more into Alexander technique; I recently started voice lessons for the first time in my life and this is something my teacher has mentioned in passing a few times. Studying voice has helped me a lot in becoming more aware of my body, especially when it comes to recognizing and releasing muscle tension. Music is also a good outlet for stress and sadness.

Caracal, thanks so much for sharing your perspectives on this thread. They have helped me a lot while processing my thoughts on this issue.

[mamselle]

All good thoughts as you move forward.

Bon courage--

M.

[Parasaurolophus]

Excellent news! Keep us updated, and best of luck!