Table of Contents
Welcome to Create Me Free, where I explore the complex relationship between art and mental health. While I celebrate art as therapy and the benefits of creativity, I also examine when creativity exacerbates mental health symptoms. Most importantly, I dig deep into how our mental health impacts our creative process, content, productivity, medium choice, and more.
Your health and art already intersect. Let me help you understand how.
🌟 START HERE
New to Create Me Free? Begin with these essential pieces:
START HERE: where art meets psychology and creativity can thrive - Introduction to what I’m all about.
What Does It Mean to Consider The Ways in Which Health Impacts Art? - Core framework; overview of my unique six-part framework for understanding the art meets health relationship. I developed this over years of lived experience, interviews and research.
How Mental Health Impacts Artistic Creativity: A Framework for Self-Awareness - Another way of looking at my six-part framework demonstrating more specific practical applications.
WORK WITH ME
I offer unique personalized written assessments and 1:1 calls to help you understand the relationship between your health and creativity, working towards an approach that serves you better.
Personalized Creative Assessments for Artists, Writers, and Makers: This unique service involves an in-depth analysis of a creative's existing written work (from blogs, Substack, etc.) to identify patterns between their health experiences and artistic expression using the author's six-part framework. Clients receive a detailed written assessment with specific quotes and insights, with optional follow-up calls for deeper integration and discussion. Learn more:
1:1 Creative Wellness Conversations for Artists, Writers, and Makers: This service offers personalized hour-long coaching sessions (via Zoom or alternative formats) designed to help creatives navigate the intersection of health and artistic practice. Sessions focus on breaking through creative blocks, defining holistic success, and developing practical strategies to work with rather than against personal challenges.
Resources & Tools for Creative Wellness
Practical PDFs, workbooks, and exercises you can use immediately to explore your art+health intersection. Go here for all resources.
Essays and Insights
Creative Psychology Essays
Deep dives into creative blocks, burnout, motivation, and the psychological aspects of creativity. These essays explore the six core areas where health impacts creativity: process, productivity, medium choice, content, identity, and business, plus supportive pieces on art as healing and compassionate letters for common creative struggles.
Explore All Creative Psychology Essays
Dear Artist Love Letters
These aren't academic essays but intimate letters written to the part of you that struggles, doubts, and needs gentle encouragement. Each addresses a specific but common creative challenge with empathy and practical wisdom.
Peruse the Dear Artist Love Letters
Personal Essays & Lived Experience
Stories from my journey as an artist-writer navigating creativity, depression, grief, and the creative life.
Art History, Literature and Music Meets Mental Health
Cultural, historical, and artistic perspectives on creativity and psychology
Mental Health in Art History
Historical explorations of how mental health and creativity intersected in the lives and work of past artists.
Music and Mental Health
The unique relationship between music, sound, mental health, and healing - from musician interviews to cultural analysis.
Explore All Music & Mental Health Writing
Books & Reading Related to Mental Health and Creativity
Book reviews, reading experiences, and literary explorations through the lens of art and psychology.
Read All Writing About Books & Reading
Specialized Topics
Neurodivergence & Creativity
Exploring how ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent experiences shape creative practice. View Writing on Neurodivergence
Chronic Illness & Disability in Creative Life
Creating with and through health challenges, accessibility, and redefining creative success.
collection in development, come back soon
Craft as Therapy
I've spent over a decade developing expertise in crochet as therapy, extending to all fiber arts and crafts as healing modalities. View All Craft as Therapy Content
Conversations with Artists, Writers and Creatives
Written Interviews
In-depth conversations with artists, writers, and creatives about their mental health journeys and creative processes.
Explore all written interviews organized into my unique 6-part framework.
All Written Interviews organized a different way here, because all of us have brains that work differently!
Visual Interviews
Responses to art+psychology questions through images, videos, and visual art - honoring non-verbal ways of expression.View All Visual Interviews
Guest Posts
collection in development, come back soon
My Own Visual Art
Sometimes words aren't sufficient. Here you'll find my collage, crochet art, found poetry, and photography. View All Visual Art
💝 Please support this work
This is a one-person operation that works because you support it. Our expenses reflect our values, and writers should be paid for their work. You can:
I try to keep things customizable so you receive only the content you want. Learn how to customize your email preferences here.