Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Abstract

Degree Name

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Jolene Erlacher

Second Advisor

Dr. Debra Dean

Abstract

Title of Project: The Discovery Map Retreat

Defense Date: 3-1-2026

Candidate Name: Kimberly Kay Bland

Personal Email Address: kimkay070@gmail.com

First Advisor: Dr. Jolene Erlacher

Second Advisor: Dr. Debra Dean

DSL Final Project Abstract

 

Project Type: 2-Day Retreat

Project Overview: The capstone project focused on designing, developing, and facilitating a 2-day retreat for high-achieving women aged 38-55 experiencing burnout, exhaustion, or a sense of being stuck. The retreat is structured around reflection, the power of questions, and self-awareness, supporting authentic self-discovery in talents, passions, and values.  Through coaching, reflective exercises, group dialogue, and experiential learning, participants will engage in a process of renewal and self-discovery.  The ultimate goal is to help women rediscover their identity, refocus their priorities, and rejuvenate their energy so they can return to their families, careers, and communities with renewed clarity and vitality.

Midlife, ages 38-55, is a period characterized by shifting roles, including children leaving home, caring for aging parents, career transitions, divorce or remarriage, and psychological changes such as perimenopause and menopause.  These transitions can increase stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.  This capstone examines self-discovery through a two-day retreat, translating findings from identity theory, narrative identity, and positive psychology into practice. Through creative coaching and experiential exercises, the retreat aims to support identity reconstruction, restore positive affect, and promote sustainable wellbeing among high-achieving women experiencing burnout.

Project Themes: Identity Disruption & Restoration, Self-Awareness & Reflective Inquiry, Coaching as Developmental Intervention, Psychological Safety, Experiential Learning, and Proactive Identity Development.

Contributions to the Field of Leadership: Leadership identity awareness and development, a replicable structured framework, integration of psychological safety into identity-based coaching, expanding the use of coaching as a tool for identity restoration in doctoral leadership research, and offering a proactive identity framework that supports reflection and alignment before crisis rather than after.

Real-world Implications: The findings from this project suggest that structured coaching frameworks centered on reflective inquiry and identity development may provide a meaningful approach for individuals navigating vocational and life transitions. As many high-achieving professionals experience identity disruption during periods of change, coaching models such as The Discovery Map offer a structured process to increase self-awareness, clarify personal values, and align internal identity with external behaviors.

This framework may be applied within leadership development programs, coaching practices, and educational settings that seek to support emerging adults and professionals in making intentional life and career decisions. By emphasizing questions, reflection, and action, the framework provides a practical alternative to purely informational or motivational development models and encourages participants to actively construct meaning and direction in their personal and professional lives.

Keywords: Coaching framework, leadership identity, identity development, reflective questioning, self-awareness, experiential learning.

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