Therapy for Creatives, Performing Artists, & Athletes
Jessica Healy, LMHC, LCPC
Therapy in NY, MA, ME, FL
- Designers
- Visual Artists
- Writers
- Creative Directors
- Advertising Professionals
- Photographers
- Filmmakers & Crew Members
Therapy for
Creatives and Artists
Creatives and Artists are passionate about their work; however, it can come with a very specific set of challenges, both internal and external. These include inconsistent work opportunities, nontraditional hours/lifestyles, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism. Burnout from overwork – since often the work can be an unpaid labor of love – is very common. Dry spells and writer’s block can convince you that the well has dried up on all your good ideas, even when another part of you knows you have so much to offer.
Fun fact: the psychological literature on creativity calls some of these types of artists (composers, visual artists, writers) generative, as they generate new work the world has never seen.
Therapy for
Performing Artists
Performing Artists live their lives on stage, in front of the camera, and in the recording studio. Their bodies are their instruments (even for instrumentalists!), so in addition to facing the challenges that other creatives face, they also come up against their physical limitations. Injury and vocal stamina can feel like existential threats. Because they depend on their bodies more, their careers can be shorter, which can lead to fear around loss of identity and vocational transitions.
Fun fact: the psychological literature on creativity calls these types of artists interpretive as their creativity lies in transforming and bringing to life another creative work.
- Actors
- Musicians
- Dancers
- Singers
Therapy for
Athletes
Athletes love what they do, though it is almost inevitable that they will be injured at some point. This can be extremely stressful, with worries about how long they will have to rest and sit on the sidelines, as well as fears about how it will be to return and compete again once their bodies have healed. Once healed, there can be avoidance around doing the moves that caused them injury, for fear they will reinjure themselves. Performance anxiety and perfectionism, along with competing against their peers, can also impact athletes’ mental health. It’s as important for athletes to prepare themselves psychologically for competition as it is physically; some might say it’s more important, since under pressure, mental grit is often what clinches a win.
Performance Anxiety Therapy
Those whose vocations involve striving for peak performance on the regular may find that frequent performance doesn’t always make nervousness go away. It may even get worse over time as the stakes get higher and you get closer to your goals. Stage fright affects even seasoned actors and musicians. The moment before the big game, the big audition, the big meeting, you may feel like your heart is beating through your chest and you’ve forgotten how to breathe.
Together we can practice ways to cope with this, and develop strategies for keeping a nervous mind focused during performance. There’s nothing wrong with you that you get nervous; it is about building confidence that you can deliver your best even with those nerves.
A Somatic IFS-Informed Approach
The “parts work” of IFS is useful for creatives and athletes to articulate the inner conflicts that keep us stuck. Together we’ll work “bottom-up” using mindful body awareness to tap into the subconscious, as well as “top-down,” using your knowledge and intellect to reshape your story.
A few “parts” that are particularly significant to creatives and athletes are the inner critic, the perfectionist and the performer. These parts are often trying to help – and in certain situations, they do! By building better relationships with them, you can gain greater agency over when you allow them to lead rather than them automatically taking the wheel in every situation.
By tuning into your body in therapy using Hakomi mindfulness techniques, you get to know your particular physiological signals of nervousness and stress. In this way you become better able to allow the nerves to just be there, feeling confident you can perform through them, rather than getting nervous about being nervous.
Online Therapy for Creatives and Athletes
in New York, Massachusetts, Florida and Maine
I work mainly as an online IFS therapist, offering virtual psychotherapy to clients in:
- New York
(Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) - Massachusetts
(Boston area, North Shore, Western Mass.) - Maine
(Portland, Falmouth) - Florida
(Miami, Ft. Lauderdale)I am available to work with coaching clients anywhere in the world.
In-person sessions are available in Portland, ME, as well as twice per year in Brooklyn, NY.
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Creatives and Athletes
What does a therapist for creatives do?
A therapist for creatives specializes in the issues facing creative people, including designers, writers, musicians, actors, visual artists, filmmakers & crew, photographers, and other professionals in creative industries, such as advertising.
In addition to the usual challenges of existing as a human in the modern world, creatives have particular challenges around identity, performance anxiety, perfectionism, creative blocks, as well as issues arising from nontraditional hours and lifestyles due to creative work.
I bring to our sessions firsthand experience as a professional actor and musician prior to becoming a therapist, and have helped many creative folks work through these types of issues.
What is a therapist for athletes called?
Athletes can see the same therapists as non-athletes, usually licensed psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, clinical professional counselors, or marriage and family therapists. These types of therapists have clinical training that focuses on mental health.
Athletes may also choose to see Certified Mental Performance Consultants, who have training specifically in mental performance skills, designed to prepare folks to perform well under pressure. These CMPCs may or may not have a clinical mental health background.
Other athletes prefer to see sports psychologists, as they are qualified to do performance coaching as well as clinical counseling, and have training in kinesiology and other subjects specific to sports.
At the end of the day, the best therapist for you is the one you feel most comfortable with. Someone can be highly skilled without an advanced degree, and someone can have five PhDs and still have poor skills working with clients.
In addition to being a licensed mental health counselor, I bring to the table lived experience as a professional performer who has put into practice mental performance skills. I have also spend a great deal of time doing post-graduate clinical training in cutting edge experiential and somatic techniques like IFS. These clinical frameworks give me extra pathways to access what’s at the core of what’s going on.
Many athletes know what they need to do to up their mental game, and might have several books on the subject. However, implementing these seemingly simple strategies can be hard on your own, even when your mental health is great. By exploring your system together in therapy, and getting to know the parts of you that are getting in the way of progress, we can build your confidence and mental performance skills and strengthen your emotional well-being.
Do I have to be a professional artist or athlete?
No! Many of my clients are serious hobbyists. This does not make you any less of an athlete or creative.
Even many professional athletes and creatives have other jobs, and struggle with feeling that their identities are legitimate until they reach a certain level or salary.
Non-professionals face the same challenges and deserve the same attention to the psychological aspects of their vocations, especially since the stakes and pressure will only get higher the better you do! Also, learning mental skills is valuable no matter what the future holds.
Can therapy help with performance anxiety?
Yes, therapy can help with performance anxiety.
Somatic therapy is particularly useful for this in getting to know your particular physiological responses to stress. “Parts work” can come in when we examine how you emotionally react to your physiological stress signals, as well as to dips in performance. In this way, you can build confidence and learn to live, and even thrive, with the inevitable nerves that come with competing and performing.
Do you offer therapy online?
Yes! Most of my clients opt for online therapy out of convenience. My online therapy clients meet me via Zoom, which is secure and HIPAA compliant.
I offer online therapy for clients in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, and Florida, and coaching for folks anywhere in the world.
I offer in-person sessions in Portland, ME, as well as twice per year in Brooklyn, NY.
What happens in a free consultation?
In our initial meeting, I will ask what’s bringing you to therapy, what you are looking for in a therapist, and what you hope to get out of therapy. This can be what’s going on in your life now, or things from the past that feel important – whatever is easiest for you to talk about as we get to know each other. It may feel awkward at first revealing intimate personal details to someone who is essentially a stranger, so we can go at whatever pace feels best to you.
Read more about consultations on the Contact page.
What do creatives and athletes have in common as far as therapy is concerned?
Athletes and creatives both deal with very competitive environments, have to perform well under pressure, often have a strong identity associated with what they do, and usually pursue it out of love and passion, with fortune and fame coming to only the very few at the top. If they decide to pursue a professional career, it often comes with sacrifices, and can be short and/or inconsistent, leading to challenging transitions.
