Creativity is often how we speak to connect not only with our own spirit, but also how we communicate soul – revealing the inner workings of our imaginative spirit, and our deep desire to share something meaningful. Through this, we expose pieces of ourselves in hopes that someone will see it, feel it, and connect with it.
After all, as humans we’re natural meaning-makers…and isn’t meaning a part of what makes us thrive?
But when all this sense of meaning becomes disconnected from us, it really can feel as if we’ve lost a part of ourselves – an empty and yet simultaneously distressing feeling.
For creative-identified people I’ve worked with, especially BIPOC creatives, the issues that often come up include:
Feeling pressured or being watched, if not boxed into certain creative lens that only deal with identity when the intent goes beyond what you’re being boxed into (for example, people expecting “Black art” “Latinx art” or “Asian art” to only speak about and focus on trauma, race and resiliency, and rarely allowing consideration for fantasies, joy, or mundane topics that come with experiences of being Black, Latinx or Asian). Others often seem to refuse to see you as multi-dimensional, leaving you to feel pigeonholed.
Experiencing your ideas, aesthetics, or innovations be co-opted without credit, which leads to discouragement and demotivation.
General pressures and worries of how putting your work – something that is a deep part of you – out there, and the vulnerability and uncertainties that comes with that exposure – often leading to fears to move forward and keep things held in.
Struggles that come with pursing your passions, especially when feeling a pressured pull of choosing stability over passion when you have bills to pay – and conversely, if your creative endeavors end up “successful”, feeling guilt and shame for those who have not has the chance to make it.
Often-discouraging lack of access to wealth, investors or industry connections leading to uncertainties or knowledge on how to even go about pursuing passions if you lack the funding
Creative burnout that comes from constant self-criticism, comparison, performing, producing, pitching, and everything else that comes with creating. You spend so much time constantly just trying to prove that your chosen output of connection is worth getting out there that you leave less room for rest and self-care. Soon enough, you may find yourself further away from remembering the core of your spirited passions as you spiral into this tiresome misery loop.
Feeling lonely in the midst of the disconnect and creative burnout, often with a great sense of needing other people to “get it”.
Having genuine mood slumps that’s hard to explain or pinpoint as to why you’re having them, which impair your own ability to connect with yourself and your soul again – the feeling of having a “clenched soul” with no clue as to how to alleviate this sadness, yet it seems to hook you away from that connection that gave you so much love and meaning. It’s difficult to feel as if you’ve lost so much of your sense of self.
If you resonate with the above, I completely empathize with you. Feeling disconnected with your sense of self can be a debilitating and dark experience, and the light of joy fades away within that darkness, preventing us from seeing hope fully.
After therapy, your life may look like:
Understanding your triggers towards burnout and discouragement
Gaining confidence in your sense of self, worth, dignity and respect again that’s not centered on whether or not your creative passions are “accepted” or “rejected”
Having a healthier relationship with your emotions so that if you’re not feeling well emotionally or mentally, you know exactly what it is you need to do to take care of yourself
An improved and fair, balanced outlook on the source of your sufferings and meaning making of experiences past and present, how that’s impacted you, and what that tells you about your best course of action
Your relationships with others improving – especially in ways of boundaries, communication, and being present with the people you love and value
Improved confidence on how to live your valued life and act accordingly, that once against isn’t define by creative output
Motivation to move forward with pursuits fueled once again by your own love, self-compassion, and self-acceptance, rather than “making it”
Improved abilities for flexible thinking
Feeling reconnected to your spirit again, as well as the way you make sense of your meaning-fueled by passions rather than pressure
If any of the above ways on which I can help you sounds like it can really benefit you, let’s take the next step! Contact me to schedule a free consultation to confirm if I’m the right fit, and we can start up on your journey to a more hopeful future!