Testimonials

“Dr. Dutt-Ballerstadt’s workshop on writing as a public intellectual for our first year faculty of color retreat was not just inspiring, but a game changer for me as a scholar. I did not realize how much impact my research on public health can make on the communities I serve. I am so grateful for Reshmi’s experience and enthusiasm to open up this space for us.”

“I cannot wait to have you back for another workshop. Your lecture on institutional racism and courage was simply eye opening in ways in which institutions continue to harm Black and brown bodies and the gaslighting that follows when we speak about it.”

“Thank you for opening up this much needed space to talk about BIPOC labor and well-being. Your words were so cathartic to hear and I cannot thank you enough for providing various strategies for implementing policies to protect the well-being and prevent burnout for our women and faculty of color.”

Thanks Dr. Dutt-Ballerstadt for the opportunity to participate in your webinar on academic trauma. The emphasis on the movement by higher education to become more corporate was an eye opener. It is an indelible message to those of us who work in higher education to think about our role in possibly perpetuating the drive to embrace the business model. That needs to be interrupted. Thanks again. Look forward to attending another of your sessions.”

Dr. Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt’s workshop on surviving academic trauma was extremely helpful to me. She has a way of couching concepts that are concise, insightful, and meaningful. I learned that trauma is “metabolized” and that it can regenerate depending on the severity of the traumatic experience. Reshmi taught me how to confront this workplace negativity. She also helped me re-center it, placing the onus on where it needs to be—not with me but within academe where systemic racism, sexism, and prejudice reign rampant. In short, taking a workshop with Reshmi is like taking a survivalist course where she teaches you not only to survive in academia but to thrive.

Reshmi brilliantly, articulately, and passionately provides uncommon perspectives on common academic issues in refreshingly honest language. You will not see academic institutions in the same way after listening and learning from her, even if it’s just for a few minutes. She is transformational.”

A timely and therapeutic workshop on the many ways faculty and students have suffered or been excluded from corporatizing academic institutions. However, Reshmi and Zack didn’t just focus on the problems. They also offered solutions so that all participants left feeling empowered, with specific ideas for taking constructive action at their colleges and universities. Reshmi and Zack quickly established an atmosphere of camaraderie and caring, where everyone’s voice counted, even in a remote, virtual space.”