by Tina Whelski
Suffering from a creative block? Your problem may be nothing more than the fact that you think there's something wrong with you.
People whose originality and creativity are a significant part of their lives tend to be more sensitive to their environments, says psychotherapist Eric Riss, who works with artists, writers, performers, and other creative people. When artists mistake this sensitivity as a sign that they are out of tune with what's going on around them, he suggests, they can kill their own creativity. Everyday problems like depression, anxiety, and lack of confidence tend to be magnified by this heightened awareness. Combined with society's expectations for conformity, these feelings of inadequacy can cause creative people to become frustrated by their own uniqueness.
Therapy that recognizes there's nothing wrong with the artist can be life-changing. Creative people don't need to be medicated or calmed down, says Riss; they need encouragement to find a sense of confidence. When artists identify the voices that stifle their unique way of expressing things, they can learn to ignore them.
Contact: Eric Riss, Ph.D., 988-4700
Originally published in The Village Voice 1/26/99.
Suffering from a creative block? Your problem may be nothing more than the fact that you think there's something wrong with you.
People whose originality and creativity are a significant part of their lives tend to be more sensitive to their environments, says psychotherapist Eric Riss, who works with artists, writers, performers, and other creative people. When artists mistake this sensitivity as a sign that they are out of tune with what's going on around them, he suggests, they can kill their own creativity. Everyday problems like depression, anxiety, and lack of confidence tend to be magnified by this heightened awareness. Combined with society's expectations for conformity, these feelings of inadequacy can cause creative people to become frustrated by their own uniqueness.
Therapy that recognizes there's nothing wrong with the artist can be life-changing. Creative people don't need to be medicated or calmed down, says Riss; they need encouragement to find a sense of confidence. When artists identify the voices that stifle their unique way of expressing things, they can learn to ignore them.
Contact: Eric Riss, Ph.D., 988-4700
Originally published in The Village Voice 1/26/99.
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