Enhancing Creativity
Spontaneous creation comes from our deepest being and is immaculately and originally ourselves. What we have to express is already with us, is us, so the work of creativity is not a matter of making the material come, but of unblocking the obstacles to its natural flow.
– Stephen Nachmanovitch
Creativity for artists
Are you experiencing blocks or constraints to your creative self-expression? I specialize in helping creative people – professional and amateur musicians, writers, artists, actors, dancers – express their full creative potential.
- Are you unhappy with your creative process?
- Are you having difficulty beginning or completing an artistic endeavor?
- Are you struggling with writer’s block or another impediment to creativity?
- Do you find it difficult to take yourself seriously as an artist or to value your work?
- Are you harshly critical of your work?
- Do you have challenges collaborating with other artists on joint projects?
- Do you struggle with performance anxiety or stage fright?
- Do you sense that you would like to explore a new art form, such as learning a musical instrument or painting, and find it difficult to take the first step?
If some of these ring true for you, psychotherapy can be helpful to address your concerns.
How I help
Whether you are a professional, amateur, or aspiring artist, I work with you to see what is holding you back from expressing yourself creatively so that you can release these constraints and connect fluidly with your creative essence. Often, the problems lie in past experiences in early or adult life that have caused you to shut down, or concerns about the implications of actually allowing your creativity to flow forth. You may also have challenges collaborating in an artistic endeavor, with other actors, directors, musicians, or producers. Together, we deepen our understanding of what is at the root of your block to free creative expression and use this awareness to evolve new options for you going forward. Additionally, many creative people are gifted individuals. I also specialize in working with gifted adults, and would encourage you to see whether the experiences I describe, which are typical for gifted people, resonate for you.
My personal and professional background allow me to be particularly effective in working with artists. I completed a specialization in Creative Expression as part of my doctoral studies in Clinical Psychology. I may employ expressive arts modalities in therapy to assist clients in accessing their creativity. I have published research on the creative process of songwriting. As a musician and songwriter myself, I have personal appreciation for challenges in accessing creative self-expression.
If you would like to discuss how we might work together to address blocks to your artistic and creative expression, I invite you to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation.
Increasing freedom and creativity in crafting the life you desire
We are unique beings finding our own path through life and expressing our unique qualities through the connections we make with others, in our romantic relationships, as parents, through our professional choices and contributions, our spirituality, and our personal passions and volunteer commitments. Though you may not have thought of it this way, daily living is a creative process! When we are able to be and remain in connection with our authentic self and be fully present to each moment, we experience a sense of vitality and enhanced creativity in approaching our life. We can be playful, spontaneous, and imaginative in seeing options and possibilities. Healthy children remind us of this state of creative vitality in their playful, experimental, and imaginative engagement with the world and people around them.
When the authentic connection to self is lost or blocked for any number of reasons – including fear of judgment or failure, anger, the effects of trauma or difficulties in our past, substance use, or physical or emotional pain – we are unable to fully offer our unique gifts and qualities to the world. Our creative life force is stunted. In therapy, I work with you to uncover and overcome whatever is making it difficult to connect with your authentic self, freeing you to live creatively and with passion.
I invite you to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation to discuss how we might work together to help you live fully and with vitality.