From the Elsa Kurt Interviews Series
Dr. Joyce Nash’s journey from a young girl who desperately wanted to go to school to becoming a pioneering clinical psychologist with two PhDs is nothing short of inspirational. Her recently published memoir, “Realizing a Dream: Finding Passion in a Career,” chronicles this remarkable path and offers profound insights for anyone seeking to pursue their own dreams despite obstacles.
Dr. Nash’s academic journey began later than most. At 28, she started night classes at the University of Pittsburgh after a decade of waiting for the opportunity to pursue higher education. Her family couldn’t afford to send her to college immediately after high school, but their emotional support proved invaluable.
“Joyce, you can be anything, you can even be a doctor,” her mother would tell her.
This encouragement planted seeds that would eventually grow into a distinguished career spanning psychology, communication, and authorship.
What makes Dr. Nash‘s story particularly compelling is her perseverance in the face of financial constraints. Unable to rely on family financial support, she applied for scholarships and, to her surprise, received two that enabled her to transfer to Southern Illinois University. There, she completed her undergraduate degree at 31 – an age when many might feel it’s “too late” to pursue ambitious educational goals. But for Dr. Nash, this was just the beginning. She would go on to earn her first PhD in Communication at Stanford, followed by a second doctorate in Clinical Psychology a decade later, fulfilling a long-held dream.
Throughout our conversation, Dr. Nash emphasized the importance of positive self-talk and managing the inner critic that so often sabotages our dreams. “When we criticize ourselves, we become our own worst enemy,” she explained. Instead, she advocates focusing on achievements and abilities, using goals as incentives to keep moving forward. This psychological approach to self-motivation reflects her professional expertise and personal experience overcoming obstacles.
For those struggling with trauma – whether complex and ongoing or sudden and acute – Dr. Nash offered valuable insights from her decades of clinical practice. She described trauma recovery as a digestive process:
“It’s sort of like eating something, eating a large dinner and needing to digest it a little bit at a time.”
This gradual approach allows individuals to process traumatic experiences in manageable pieces, eventually incorporating them into their understanding in helpful ways. Dr. Nash highlighted specialized therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) that have revolutionized trauma treatment.
Perhaps the most powerful message from our conversation was Dr. Nash’s advice for those who feel paralyzed by fear or doubt:
“Never give up.”
Whether discussing her childhood fear of singing solo in an operetta at age 10 or the anxiety of switching career paths after her first doctorate, she consistently returned to the theme of pushing through fear.
“For most people, the fear is more imagined than real,”
she noted, encouraging listeners to use positive self-talk as a tool for overcoming limitation.
Dr. Nash’s publishing journey also offers lessons for aspiring authors. Having published her first book in 1976 and recently releasing her eleventh, she has witnessed dramatic changes in the publishing landscape. From traditional publishing to hybrid models, she emphasized the importance of authors understanding their options and being willing to participate in promoting their work. Most importantly, she stressed the discipline required:
“Committing oneself to writing at a particular time most days of the week is really important,”
a practice she maintained by writing from early morning until mid-afternoon when working on her memoir.
As our conversation concluded, Dr. Nash left us with this powerful reminder:
“Don’t talk yourself out of a dream. Have your dreams, follow your dreams… Be willing to sacrifice certain things, like time, to get what you want.”
For anyone at any age who feels it might be too late to pursue their passion, Dr. Joyce Nash stands as living proof that with perseverance, courage, and dedication, dreams can indeed become reality.
Learn more about Joyce HERE