Creative Genius

Discovering Creativity: An Intimate Conversation with Scott EricksonWhat does it mean to live a creative life? Is creativity a talent, or is it an innate intelligence that we all possess? In this week’s episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the remarkable artist and storyteller, Scott Erickson, to explore these questions and so much more. Scott’s journey as an artist has been deeply influenced by his unique experience with aphantasia—a condition where one cannot visualize images in their mind’s eye—and he opens up about how this has shaped his creative expression.Together, we delve into the haunting nature of creativity, the role of pain in transforming life into art, and the importance of emotional intelligence in understanding the human experience. Scott’s reflections on gratitude, surrender, and navigating the inner voice will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with self-doubt or felt overwhelmed by the weight of their creative aspirations.But more than that, this conversation serves as a gentle reminder that creativity is not a linear journey. It's messy, it's beautiful, and it’s deeply human. Scott’s raw honesty will inspire you to listen more closely to your inner voice and trust that, even in the chaos, there’s a path to something beautiful.

In this episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, host Kate Shepherd sits down with Cory Allen—author of Brave New You, mindfulness expert, and prolific musician—to explore the journey of breaking free from self-limiting beliefs and reconnecting with the authentic self. Cory shares his own story of overcoming a traumatic childhood, turning inward through Eastern and Western philosophies, and discovering the power of mindfulness as a tool for deep self-awareness.Together, they discuss:How to identify and reframe the negative stories we tell ourselves.The difference between the voice of creativity and the voice of fear or conditioning.Practical techniques to navigate the inner world and access deeper creativity.Why mindfulness is key to unlocking your true potential and breaking free from self-doubt.This conversation offers profound insights into how we can learn to trust our intuition, listen to our inner voice, and stop allowing old stories to block our creative power. Cory’s wisdom will inspire listeners to start seeing the world as full of possibilities rather than obstacles, and his actionable strategies will help anyone on the path to self-discovery and creative expression

What if you could use your dreams to accelerate personal growth, heal past traumas, and unlock your full creative potential? In this episode, lucid dreaming expert Andrew Holecek reveals how meditating in the dream state is seven to nine times more powerful than in the waking state. Tune in to discover how you can start practicing lucid dreaming tonight, and prepare to have your mind blown by the cutting-edge neuroscience behind subconscious programming that may be holding you back!Episode Summary:In this mind-expanding episode of the Creative Genius Podcast, Kate Shepherd sits down with Andrew Holecek, renowned author and expert in lucid dreaming, meditation, and the intersection of neuroscience and spirituality. Together, they dive deep into how lucid dreaming can be a transformative practice, how ancient tantric teachings claim dream-state meditation is seven to nine times more effective than waking-state meditation, and the surprising ways our subconscious mind is programmed during childhood.Andrew shares fascinating insights on the hidden power of our dreams, the science of personality development, and how we can break free from societal conditioning to cultivate more creativity and presence. Plus, Andrew offers listeners a simple yet powerful practice to start lucid dreaming tonight. Whether you're new to lucid dreaming or looking to deepen your spiritual practice, this episode is packed with actionable tools and wisdom to transform your waking life. Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Andrew Holecek’s Books: I'm Mindful, Now What? & The Lucid Dreaming Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Your Dream Life – A comprehensive guide with exercises and tools to start your lucid dreaming journey.Lucid Dreaming Mantra: "Tonight, I'm going to have many dreams. Tonight, I'm going to remember my dreams. Tonight, I'm going to wake up in my dreams."Key Concepts from Tibetan Buddhism: Dream yoga, non-duality, and the transformative power of meditating in altered states of consciousness.Neuroscience Insights: The brainwaves we experience in early childhood and how they hypnotize us into adopting cultural norms and behaviors.

James offers practical prompts for generating flow states and presents a genius solution for utilizing cherished but out-of-place creative gems. The conversation delves into the importance of discipline and flow in a healthy creative practice, the value of human creativity, and the concept of ownership over creative works. This conversation prompted Kate to create the 21 days of Rituals for Creativity which you can access by signing up for a Creative Genius Patreon MembershipJames also shares a poetic vision for society's relationship with creativity, leaving listeners inspired and motivated to tap into their own creative potential.What we talk aboutJames Miller's journey as a writer and the genesis of A Small FictionThe commitment to daily writing for nearly eight years and its transformative effectsHarnessing creativity as a tool for processing emotions and overcoming anxiety and depressionPractical prompts for accessing flow states in creative endeavoursIngenious solution for utilizing beloved but misfit creative piecesThe relationship between discipline and flow in a healthy creative practiceExploring the value of human creativity and ownership of creative worksJames's poetic vision for society's embrace of creativityOne of the most powerful moments in this episode was when Kate and James talked about James's commitment to daily writing for nearly eight years. The transformative power of a consistent creative practice is hard to ignore. Through his journey, James experienced significant shifts, gained a substantial readership, and secured a publishing deal. The conversation emphasizes the therapeutic nature of creativity, particularly in dealing with anxiety and depression. Listeners are encouraged to tap into their own creative potential and explore the ways in which creative expression can facilitate personal development and emotional well-being.Thank you for joining us on this marvellous conversation with James Miller.

 Episode NotesHave you ever wondered any of these: What the science is behind creativity? What causes creativity in the brain? What part of the brain is used in creativity? Or maybe even how to activate creativity in the brain? In this episode Kate speaks with Dr. Cheryl Arutt a clinical and forensic psychologist based in Los Angeles, California working with actors, writers, directors and showrunners supporting their psychological well-being. A specialist in trauma recovery, creativity and post-traumatic growth, Dr. Cheryl is currently Access Hollywood’s go-to psychologist for trauma issues, a frequent psychological expert on many networks including CNN, HLN and DiscoveryID, and has been interviewed by the BBC and 20/20 Australia.  For more information about Dr. Cheryl please visit askdrcheryl.com, and for info about her online courses for creative artists please visit www.thecreativeresilience.comDr. Cheryl explains how creativity works and what it even is from a Brain Science Perspective. We talk about the link between education and creativity. I ask her if we are doing enough to foster creativity & creating thinking in the school system? And she gives us some actionable things we can do at home for ourselves and our children to rev our own creative engines. One of my favourite moments though, comes towards the end  when I ask her about the possibility of the opposite of inheriting generational trauma existing. We know we can inherit trauma but can we inherit magical wonderful things too? We shared a really tender moment - one where I felt like she was talking to ALL of us. It’s beautiful, uplifting and inspiring.  I think you’ll be really moved by it. What Dr. Cheryl Arutt & I talk about-What creativity IS from a brain science perspective. -What is really going on inside our psychology when people say “I’m not creative”-Why processing trauma including intergenerational trauma, and converting it to post traumatic growth is so important (and is absolutely possible)-The link between education and creativity. Are we fostering creativity and creating thinking enough in the school system? And if we are seeing that our children are not getting as much focus on creativity in school what can we do at home? -What is the one question you can ask yourself (or your kids) to kick start your creativity (what is another way to do that/look at that/solve that)-How the “we only use 10% of our brains” thing is a myth-How to use creativity to safely access our traumas -What is EMDR (eye movement and desensitization and reprocessing therapy how it was discovered and how creative people can use it to heal trauma and access even more of their innate creativity-Post traumatic growth - learning to integrate and recognize all the ways you grew as a person as a result of living through your trauma-What she thinks creativity is trying to do - from a brain science perspectiveAbout Dr. Cheryl AruttDr. Cheryl Arutt is an accomplished clinical and forensic psychologist based in Beverly Hills, CA whose amalgamation of rigorous training and experience allows her to engage with people from a place of deep insight and empathy. Through compassion, skill and sometimes even humor, she helps her patients uncover what is in the way of living a full-access life, empowering them to move forward.Following over 20 years as a working actor, Dr. Cheryl’s interest in human behavior shifted to psychology after volunteering on a crisis line. With scholarships from both SAG and AFTRA to study at University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Cheryl graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her Doctor of Psychology degree from California School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles, where she received the Outstanding Doctoral Project Award for her Clinical Dissertation: Healing Together: A program for couples coping with the aftermath of rape.Her postdoctoral fellowship at WILA culminated in a certificate of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and she received further advanced training in Interpersonal Neurobiology with Dr. Daniel Siegel, with whom she gave a TEDx talk. A lifelong student of power dynamics and an ally for social justice, Dr. Cheryl taught courses to PhD and PsyD students at Allliant International University/CSPP, including: Intercultural Processes and Human Diversity, Sex Roles and Gender, Ethics and Clinical Interviewing.Dr. Cheryl Arutt - Clinical PsychologistAs a trauma specialist, Dr. Cheryl helps her patients understand how adaptations to the source of distress often outlive their usefulness and provides guidance and inspiration to navigate life from a place of wholeness. In continual pursuit of deepening her knowledge of trauma recovery and post-traumatic growth, Dr. Cheryl is devoted to continuing education in effective and evidence-based therapies, including EMDR therapy. A certified Rape and Domestic Violence counselor for decades, Dr. Cheryl also serves on the Board of the national victim’s organization, PAVE, dedicated to shattering the silence of sexual violence.  Dr. Cheryl understands and supports the unique needs and challenges of creative artists and performers. In collaboration with Dr. Cheryl, actors, writers, showrunners, musicians and other creative professionals learn to thrive and clear obstacles to their success and happiness, both personally and professionally. She is a firm believer that the best way to protect the art is to protect the artist.In addition to working with people in private practice, Dr. Cheryl enjoys speaking to professional organizations, institutions of higher learning, at events and on television about creative resilience, post-traumatic growth, recovery from trauma and why people do what they do.  Dr. Cheryl Arutt: website | facebook | instagram | twitterKate Shepherd: art | website | instagram | twitterMorning Moon Nature Jewelry | website |  instagramCreative Genius Podcast | website | instagram Resources discussed in this episode:-Dan Siegel, MD-Dan Siegel’s “Window of Tolerance”-EMDR Institute-Access Hollywood video about EMDR-Bessel van der Kolk, MD book: The Body Keeps the Score 

In this conversation, Lisa Marchiano, a renowned Jungian analyst and author, shares her expertise in understanding the unconscious. She emphasizes the transformative power of dreams and symbols in achieving self-awareness. Marchiano discusses how women can reclaim their vital spark by embracing outlaw energies and setting healthy boundaries. The dialogue also touches on balancing kindness with authenticity and the role of playfulness in personal growth, encouraging listeners to engage deeply with their inner selves.

In this inspiring episode, we dive deep into the journey of overcoming self-doubt and building self-esteem with author and meditation teacher Giovanni Dienstmann. Giovanni shares his transformative journey from a chaotic upbringing to finding peace and purpose through meditation. We explore various themes such as the benefits of meditation, shifting identity, and creating your ideal self. Giovanni also offers insights on differentiating between fear and intuition and staying aligned with your true purpose.Highlights:Overcoming Self-Doubt and Building Self-EsteemJourney to Becoming a Meditation TeacherFinding Direction and PurposeDifferent Styles of MeditationBenefits of MeditationWise ConfidenceShifting Identity and BlueprintFinding What You WantCreating Your Ideal SelfStaying Awake in the ProcessDaily Alignment PracticePitfalls and ChallengesVisualizing Your Future SelfDifferentiating Between Fear and IntuitionThe Evolution of ConsciousnessGetting Started with Mantra MeditationSpecial Mentions:David Foley's books: "The Primal Sound" and "The Wisdom of the Tantric Goddesses"Favorite Question:How do we differentiate between what's just old ego and conditioning and what's a truer, more trustworthy thing? Giovanni's answer is a must-listen!Billboard Question:Stay tuned to hear Giovanni's response to our signature Billboard Question!Where to Find Giovanni's Work:Giovanni's WebsiteGiovanni's InstagramGiovanni's Books on Amazon 

Kate reflects on her own journey through the ebbs and flows of friendships as she transitioned through marriage, parenthood, and the isolating impacts of COVID-19. Anna, known as the New York Times friendship correspondent, shares her insights into maintaining and nurturing meaningful friendships in the modern world. They discuss the loneliness epidemic, the evolution of friendships in the digital age, the challenges of cross-gender friendships post-marriage, and the art of gracefully ending friendships.Anna offers practical advice and hopeful strategies for cultivating lasting and nourishing connections, emphasizing that creating beautiful friendships is a profound act of creativity. This conversation is both validating and inspiring, providing listeners with the tools and motivation to actively foster deep, supportive relationships.Host: Kate ShepherdGuest: Anna GoldfarbKey Topics:The challenge of maintaining friendships through major life transitions.Impact of marriage, parenthood, and COVID-19 on social circles.Anna Goldfarb's journey from writing about dating to focusing on friendships.Practical strategies for cultivating and sustaining meaningful friendships.The concept of consent in friendships.Addressing the loneliness epidemic and its antidotes.The grief associated with losing cross-gender friendships post-marriage.Recognizing when to end a friendship and how to do it gracefully.The role of creativity in building and maintaining friendships.Important Quotes:"Creativity is the intelligence that's animating the entire universe.""The ultimate act of creativity is the life that we create.""Turn down the thoughts about what you're not getting from your friendships and turn up the thoughts about how you can be in service to your friendships."Call to Action:Consider becoming a patron to support the Creative Genius Podcast.Share the podcast with friends, family, and on social media to help grow the community.Reflect on how you can actively create and sustain beautiful friendships in your life.Resources:Anna Goldfarb’s book, "Modern Friendship" – available wherever books are sold.More information and show notes available at Kate Shepherd Creative.Support the Show:Visit Kate Shepherd Creative to become a patron.Share the episode with friends or on social media.Engage with the podcast community by sending feedback and stories of inspiration to Kate.Contact:Kate Shepherd Social Media:@kateshepherdcreative @thecreativegeniuspodcastFollow the Creative Genius Podcast on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates and inspiration.Enjoy the episode and get inspired to cultivate deep, meaningful friendships that enrich your life!

Subscribe, Listen, Rate & Review (thank you!)  in Apple Podcasts Subscribe & Listen in SpotifySubscribe on YoutubeOR listen in your favourite podcast appSUPPORT CREATIVE GENIUS ON PATREONTransform Your Life with Tammy Mastroberte's The Higher Help Method on The Creative Genius PodcastHello, wonderful listeners!I am beyond excited to share a truly transformative episode of The Creative Genius Podcast with you. Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the amazing Tammy Mastroberte to discuss her new book, The Higher Help Method. This guidebook offers profound insights into connecting with unseen higher beings like angels and guides, and how they can assist us in our everyday lives.Tammy’s journey into this spiritual realm began after the heartbreaking loss of her mother at the age of 22. This pivotal moment led her to discover and eventually teach The Higher Help Method, a powerful process that has become a cornerstone of her life’s work.In our conversation, Tammy shared how she overcame her own skepticism about communicating with higher beings. She provided practical exercises designed to open your mind and heart to the possibility of a two-way conversation with the universe. These higher helpers often appear in forms that deeply resonate with us, offering guidance and support when we need it most.Some key takeaways from our conversation include:Practical Exercises: Techniques to help you open yourself up to new possibilities and connect with your higher helpers.Faith and Trust: Understanding the crucial role these elements play in the manifestation process.Shifting Energy and Gratitude: Tips for maintaining positive energy and focusing on gratitude.Four Steps of The Higher Help Method: A clear understanding of the method’s steps: clarity and intention, asking the universe for help, shifting energy, and receiving and acting on signs.We also explored the challenge of distinguishing between messages from the ego and those from the universe. Tammy provided guidance on how to tune into what our truest selves want, emphasizing the importance of trusting the universe's timing. Life is an act of creativity, and by consistently shifting our energy and letting go of control, we can harness the creative energy all around us.One of my favorite parts of our conversation was hearing Tammy’s personal story of manifesting her soulmate, involving a crock pot! This story beautifully illustrates the magic of asking for help and trusting the process. We also concluded with a soothing 60-second retreat meditation, perfect for centering yourself and connecting with your higher helpers.I invite you all to listen to this enlightening episode of The Creative Genius Podcast. Whether you’re just beginning your spiritual journey or looking to deepen your connection with the universe, this conversation is filled with practical wisdom and heartwarming stories to guide you.You can listen to the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for joining us on this creative and spiritual journey. Your support and engagement mean the world to us.EPISODE SUMMARYIn this conversation, Tammy Mastroberte discusses her book 'The Higher Help Method' which is a guidebook for connecting with unseen higher beings like angels and guides and how they can assist us in our lives. She shares how the loss of her mother at 22 led her into a spiritual journey of discovering and teaching this method. She is passionate about helping people find their own guides and tap into the guidance of the universe and develop a two-way conversation with their higher helpers.Tammy addresses skepticism (she had lots of her own!) when it comes to beginning this mysterious two way conversation with the unknown, and she offers practical exercises to open ourselves up to new possibilities. She explains that these beings show up in forms that resonate with us and are open to working with us. Tammy also emphasizes the need to incorporate help from higher beings into our daily lives and shares personal experiences of asking for assistance. She discusses the role of faith and trust in the manifestation process and provides practical tips for shifting energy and focusing on gratitude. Tammy then introduces the four steps of the Higher Health Method, which involve clarity and intention, asking the universe for help, shifting energy, and receiving and taking action on signs.It can be challenging to differentiate between messages from the ego and messages from the universe, and Tammy sheds some light on how we can begin to do this, offering guidance on discovering what our truest selves want. And we dive into the sometimes confusing process of figuring out what we even want out of life. Tammy shares her perspective on trusting the universe's timing and living life as an act of creativity and we talk about how to harness the creative energy all around us by learning how to consistently shift our energy and letting go of control.She shares with us her favorite practices of asking for help and her personal story of manifesting a soulmate (it involves a crock pot!)She leaves us with a simple yet powerful 60-second retreat meditation (available as a free download for All Access Patreons) TakeawaysConnecting with higher beings can provide assistance and guidance in our lives.Incorporating help from higher beings into our daily lives can lead to positive outcomes.Having faith and trust in the manifestation process is essential.Shifting energy and focusing on gratitude can create a more positive and open mindset.The four steps of the Higher Health Method involve clarity and intention, asking for help, shifting energy, and taking action on signs.Differentiating between messages from the ego and messages from the universe is important in making aligned choices.Discovering what our truest selves want requires introspection and connecting with our inner desires. Take the time to figure out what you truly want and desire in life.Be honest with yourself about your happiness and what would make you truly happy.Create a jumping off point for your desires and focus on how you want to feel.Trust the timing of the universe and let go of control.

PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THE CREATIVE GENIUS PODCASTFOR AS LITTLE AS $5 A MONTH (THE EQUIVALENT OF BUYING ME A THANK-YOU-FOR-MAKING-ME-THIS-GREAT-PODCAST-COFFEE) YOU CAN HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON MY ABILITY TO KEEP MAKING THIS SHOW FOR YOU.BECOME A PATRON!Show Notes  - The Importance of Radical Rest within the Creative Process with Pamela Bates (Subscribe & Listenhere) “If you don’t believe in yourself, prove yourself wrong”  - Pamela BatesAfter 23 years of her creativity getting lost in client expectations working in PR and doing too much to take care of others and not enough to take care of herself in her personal life, Pamela found herself utterly burned out. That is when her sister took her on a restorative weekend trip to Boston where the two of them visited the Gardiner Museum. Pamela shares the story of how life dramatically grabbed her attention with an electrifying, life changing experience that she says was the beginning of her now flourishing career as a painter. Pamela shares the importance of tuning into and remaining open to the quiet voice deep inside as it has all the information we need to find our own callings. And how crucial rest and quiet are for supporting our ability to tune in. We are trained to be go go go. We need to retrain ourselves to be quiet. She shares her theories about Radical Rest. Humans hold themselves back on this quest for perfection, which is utterly pointless and unattainable. The magic resides in letting go. When we hold something too dear, it tends to get in the way. Listen to her terrifying advice on what we should practice in our art to help us really learn about the magic of letting go. Don't let anything be too precious or it will jam you up. Many artists are bent on “finding their voice” Pamela urges us to stop trying so hard to find it, and instead become curious about what is already there waiting for you to stop being in charge. What you’ll find, she says, is that you already have the special magic thing you are looking for, it is you. The only way to access that deep well of creativity is to paint, paint, paint. A daily practice is more important than anything else you can do: the act of painting will connect you to the thing you are looking for. There is no other way to find that than to just do it. Trust yourself. Focus on the need to create. Stop looking outside for validation. The desire to create is itself, the map. You have to be working for the magic to happen, so get busy.The painting that jolted the painter in Pamela to wake up El Jaleo - by John Singer Sargent 1882 Kate Shepherd: website | instagram | facebookPamela Bates: website| instagram| facebook