‘Creativity Counseling’
Why Creativity Counseling?
In this era of rapid transition, stress and flux, success will go to those that can adapt and innovate. Creative people are imaginative, disciplined, highly perceptive, fluid thinkers who see both the big picture and subtleties of detail. It is these creative individuals who will thrive, breaking out of habitual perceptions and “doing business as usual” to discover new possibilities. Creativity is not just the domain of gifted artists. Rather, it is a learnable skill accessible to everyone. It is a pathway to discovering meaning and living to one’s fullest potential both professionally and personally.
Erin Stack offers a unique approach to enhancing creativity called Integral Creativity Consulting (ICC). A holistic approach, ICC considers the dynamics of mind, body and spirit in the creative process. For example, stress and anxiety are addressed as blocks to flexibility and experimentation. Tailored to the specific needs of the individual or group, Erin teaches how to recognize and develop innate gifts through self-analysis, education, skill building, and contemplative practice.
Erin is uniquely qualified with over 25 years experience as an artist, 20 years as an arts educator (mostly college level and above), 14 years of meditation and spiritual training and 5 years training and practice as a psychotherapist. Erin offers a challenging perspective that is grounded in ethics, compassion, humor, and a deep respect for individuals’ unique creative process.
Erin helps clients recognize and dismantle:
• unconscious assumptions and negative expectations
• fears of criticism and change
• habitual thinking and perceiving
• scattered thought processes
• habitual and ridged thinking
Consulting tends to follow the following pattern:
First, Erin diagnoses inhibitions in the creative process.
Second, she works with the client to determine the constricting cognition and missing skill sets causing the inhibitions.
Third, Erin suggests and teaches psychological, spiritual, body, and creative exercises to develop creativity skills and to transform negative emotions and rigid thought patterns into a more positive and creative life approach.
Finally,creative practices are used to:
• Question mindless assumptions
• Expand perception and broaden perspective
• Increase problem finding and problem solving skills
• Develop innovative thinking styles
• Inspire play and innovation
• Commit to a project
• Sustain creative process
• Nurture a healthy critical/discerning relationship to the work
• See a project all the way through to successful completion
While most people feel a difference from an initial session, Erin does more than offer immediate solutions. Creativity counseling offers strategies and exercises that, if practiced, will incrementally and positively enrich the quality of life.
Erin has successfully helped people with:
• performance anxiety
• mindless assumptions
• sustaining creative effort
• fear of failure
• developing concentration and attention skills
• loss of inspiration and meaning
• organizing time and working space to facilitate creative process
• reconnecting to the joy of creation
Who can benefit from Creativity Consulting?
Creativity Consulting is for anyone who wants richer life experience and increased success in professional and personal life. In these times of uncertainty and rapid transition, creative people will have the competitive edge; they can be flexible while remaining focused.
Erin has had success working with people from diverse backgrounds, including:
• artists, creative-professionals
• people in career transitions
• business people
• salespeople
• therapists
• educators
• retirees
Creativity Consulting is complementary to many health and enrichment practices, including psychotherapy and career counseling.
Erin works with people face-to-face and via telephone and/or e-mail. Erin is available for one-hour sessions on as-needed basis. A unique, customized 12 week creativity program offers 5 one-hour sessions with weekly check-ins for support and feedback via e-mail. On site business consulting and workshops are also available.
“Erin has a calming way about her. She has an intuitive sense of reading people without it feeling invasive. Through our sessions I’ve acknowledged my fear of success has contributed to my creative block. Our time together has been one of looking inward for the answers I seek. Meeting with Erin has definitely been a step in the right direction for the manifestation of my creative endeavors.”
Jennifer H, North Shore, musician