As an actor or other artist, your creative work is often about making others experience emotions you express through a character or work of art. But how well do you deal with emotions yourself? Creativity coach, author and psychologist Eric Maisel, PhD writes about how the creative life can be an ongoing source of stress […]
mental health and artists
Fiona Apple on Taking a Break
Fiona Apple took six years off from performing before releasing her album “Extraordinary Machine.” She says about taking such a long time away from her creative performances: “I realized that after six years of not doing this kind of stuff, it doesn’t define who I am, and I’ll be just fine without it. It’s not […]
Dealing With Worry and Anxiety To Be More Creative
“Anxiety is the great silencer of the creative person.” Eric Maisel, PhD
One form of anxiety is so-called writer’s block. This photo is Nicolas Cage as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in the movie “Adaptation” by the real screenwriter Ch…
Can Trauma Help Develop Creativity?
In addition to all the destructive consequences that may follow traumatic experience, some people say it also has power to encourage creative expression.
The photo is of the late actor Charles Durning (1923–2012) who reportedly appeared in over 200 …
Creativity and Therapy Can Help Us Deal With Trauma
“I think I’ve spent my adult life dealing with the sense of low self-esteem that sort of implanted in me. Somehow I felt not worthy.” Halle Berry was commenting in an interview about what motivates her to support and work with an organization that helps women who escape violent homes. She recalls being terrified that […]