Creative People Need a Different Approach
"You should get a real job."
"You must have a lot of time on your hands."
"Art won't pay the bills."
Have you ever heard these phrases? Maybe they left you feeling frustrated, confused, or misunderstood. Sometimes these comments hurt even more when they come from the people who are closest to us.
Whether the statements above are true or not doesn't matter. What does matter is your relationship with yourself and your creativity. Creative people — writers, artists, singers, actors, musicians — often don't fit into mainstream society. They also tend to dislike the traditional boxes the therapy world might try to put them in. It can feel scary to want to reach out for help, yet wonder if your creative spirit will be crushed in the process.
I have some good news for you. It won't.
You can heal your life without harming your art. Put another way, your creativity doesn't come from your painful past. It comes from your sensitivity. (For more on this topic, click here.) Your sensitivity is what helps make you an artist; it's your ability to see, hear, and feel things in ways other people don't. And accepting and appreciating your sensitivity can actually improve your life. As author Julia Cameron says: "Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong."
As a musician, singer, and former journalist (my bachelor's degree is in Creative Writing), I understand what it's like to be a creative person. My clients don't have to explain to me why it feels better to play a real piano instead of an electric one, or how devastating writer's block can be, or the kind of courage it takes to step onto a stage or put paint to canvas. I get it. And I also know art and creativity can make life worth living.
If you're ready to reach out, I invite you to contact me to see how I can best help you. You also may be interested in my Artist's Way Workshop.
The world needs to hear your voice, and you deserve to live a happy and fulfilling life.
-Rachel Moore, LMFT
"You must have a lot of time on your hands."
"Art won't pay the bills."
Have you ever heard these phrases? Maybe they left you feeling frustrated, confused, or misunderstood. Sometimes these comments hurt even more when they come from the people who are closest to us.
Whether the statements above are true or not doesn't matter. What does matter is your relationship with yourself and your creativity. Creative people — writers, artists, singers, actors, musicians — often don't fit into mainstream society. They also tend to dislike the traditional boxes the therapy world might try to put them in. It can feel scary to want to reach out for help, yet wonder if your creative spirit will be crushed in the process.
I have some good news for you. It won't.
You can heal your life without harming your art. Put another way, your creativity doesn't come from your painful past. It comes from your sensitivity. (For more on this topic, click here.) Your sensitivity is what helps make you an artist; it's your ability to see, hear, and feel things in ways other people don't. And accepting and appreciating your sensitivity can actually improve your life. As author Julia Cameron says: "Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong."
As a musician, singer, and former journalist (my bachelor's degree is in Creative Writing), I understand what it's like to be a creative person. My clients don't have to explain to me why it feels better to play a real piano instead of an electric one, or how devastating writer's block can be, or the kind of courage it takes to step onto a stage or put paint to canvas. I get it. And I also know art and creativity can make life worth living.
If you're ready to reach out, I invite you to contact me to see how I can best help you. You also may be interested in my Artist's Way Workshop.
The world needs to hear your voice, and you deserve to live a happy and fulfilling life.
-Rachel Moore, LMFT
