Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska SFHEA, EMCC
PhD in Psychoanalysis and Ethics in Film, Award-Winning Filmmaker, Academic, and Certified Life Coach3
Sample Podcast Questions for Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska SFHEA, EMCC
- 1
You’ve worked with international PhD students for years—what are the most common but least talked about reasons they drop out of their programs?
- 2
In your view, how can creativity become a tool for healing—not just expression—for people who are dealing with unresolved trauma?
- 3
You’ve criticised the way “abundance mindset” is often marketed through fear. What’s the danger in that, and what’s a better way forward?
- 4
In documentary filmmaking, where do you draw the ethical line between telling a powerful story and protecting the dignity of your subject?
- 5
You've worked in film, academia, and coaching—three very different worlds. How do those parts of your life inform each other today?
- 6
What made you shift from being a full-time professor to launching The Scholars’ Mentor? Was there a moment that clarified that decision for you?
- 7
Many successful women reach a point where achievement no longer feels fulfilling. Why do you think that is, and what have you learned from working with them?
- 8
You've talked about trauma as a resource, not just a wound. Can you explain what you mean by that—and how that idea shows up in your work?
- 9
Your documentary Married to the Eiffel Tower became globally recognised. What did you learn about human connection and survival while making it?
- 10
If we want to live an ethical life in today’s world—without falling into cynicism or burnout—where should we begin?
Latest episodes
Episode 342 - What Success Doesn’t Heal with Dr. Agnieszka Piotrowska
The Jōrni Podcast
Beyond Achievement and Algorithms: Finding Authenticity in a Digital Age
Empower Global "Be an Encourager podcast"
Mental Health, Motivation, and Meaning in the PhD Journey – With Dr. Agnieszka Piotrowska
Beyond the Thesis With Papa PhD
Key topics
Beyond the Abundance Myth: The Problem with Selling Mindset Through Fear
Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska can speak to a growing discomfort with the “manifestation mindset” trend-where abundance is marketed through scarcity tactics, and success is promised with little more than a vision board and a smile. Agnieszka brings a rare mix of academic rigour and spiritual curiosity to this space. As a certified life coach with a PhD in psychoanalysis, she offers a more grounded approach-one that values intuition _and_ intellect, and refuses to pretend that mindset alone can dismantle systemic inequalities. Her critique is not cynical; it’s deeply hopeful, proposing a version of growth that’s rooted in truth rather than performance.
Why PhD Students Are Dropping Out-and What No One’s Talking About
Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska can discuss the quiet crisis happening in higher education, where as many as 75% of PhD students never finish their degrees-despite being some of the most motivated individuals in the system. Drawing on her experience supervising PhDs across the UK, Poland, and Africa, Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska offers a behind-the-scenes view of what really pushes students to the brink. She explores the emotional weight of academic isolation, the hidden traumas that resurface during research, and why mindset work is often dismissed in institutions that pride themselves on intellect. Her work with international students through The Scholars’ Mentor shows how a well-timed intervention-grounded in both scholarship and compassion-can change the trajectory of a researcher’s entire life.
The Algorithm Knows You’re Anxious: AI, Selfhood, and Surveillance
Dr. Agnieszka Piotrowska explores how AI is shaping not just behaviour, but identity-especially for those living with anxiety, trauma, or emotional overwhelm. With a background in psychoanalysis, ethics, and documentary storytelling, she unpacks how algorithmic systems don’t just track our choices, but influence our sense of self. In a world where machine learning mimics our thoughts and vulnerabilities, Agnieszka asks: how do we retain agency, privacy, and authenticity?
View all topics →
Latest episodes
Episode 342 - What Success Doesn’t Heal with Dr. Agnieszka Piotrowska
The Jōrni Podcast
Beyond Achievement and Algorithms: Finding Authenticity in a Digital Age
Empower Global "Be an Encourager podcast"
Mental Health, Motivation, and Meaning in the PhD Journey – With Dr. Agnieszka Piotrowska
Beyond the Thesis With Papa PhD
Key topics
Beyond the Abundance Myth: The Problem with Selling Mindset Through Fear
Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska can speak to a growing discomfort with the “manifestation mindset” trend-where abundance is marketed through scarcity tactics, and success is promised with little more than a vision board and a smile. Agnieszka brings a rare mix of academic rigour and spiritual curiosity to this space. As a certified life coach with a PhD in psychoanalysis, she offers a more grounded approach-one that values intuition _and_ intellect, and refuses to pretend that mindset alone can dismantle systemic inequalities. Her critique is not cynical; it’s deeply hopeful, proposing a version of growth that’s rooted in truth rather than performance.
Why PhD Students Are Dropping Out-and What No One’s Talking About
Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska can discuss the quiet crisis happening in higher education, where as many as 75% of PhD students never finish their degrees-despite being some of the most motivated individuals in the system. Drawing on her experience supervising PhDs across the UK, Poland, and Africa, Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska offers a behind-the-scenes view of what really pushes students to the brink. She explores the emotional weight of academic isolation, the hidden traumas that resurface during research, and why mindset work is often dismissed in institutions that pride themselves on intellect. Her work with international students through The Scholars’ Mentor shows how a well-timed intervention-grounded in both scholarship and compassion-can change the trajectory of a researcher’s entire life.
The Algorithm Knows You’re Anxious: AI, Selfhood, and Surveillance
Dr. Agnieszka Piotrowska explores how AI is shaping not just behaviour, but identity-especially for those living with anxiety, trauma, or emotional overwhelm. With a background in psychoanalysis, ethics, and documentary storytelling, she unpacks how algorithmic systems don’t just track our choices, but influence our sense of self. In a world where machine learning mimics our thoughts and vulnerabilities, Agnieszka asks: how do we retain agency, privacy, and authenticity?
View all topics →