Meaning-Making with Eric Maisel, PhD
On Creativity, Coaching, Depression, and Existentialism
Eric Maisel, PhD, is the author of more than fifty books in the areas of creativity, the creative life, coaching, life purpose and meaning, writing, and critical psychology and critical psychiatry. His books include The Coach's Way, Fearless Creating, Coaching the Artist Within, The Power of Daily Practice, Why Smart People Hurt, and Redesign Your Mind. Dr. Maisel, widely regarded as America's foremost creativity coach, is a retired psychotherapist, active creativity coach, and critical psychology advocate. Visit him at EricMaisel.com.
The Coach's Way
Coaching Begins with You
Before talking about techniques, tactics, principles, and philosophies, remember: Coaching begins with you.
The Art of the Drop-In
A coach is like an inventor in that you must improvise when working with clients.
Musing and Wondering
Each coaching check-in is an opportunity to muse and wonder with your client.
Eric Maisel on Art of the Song Creativity Corner
Eric Maisel is a frequent contributor to Art of the Song. These essays are reprinted with permission from his on-air segment and are excerpted from his books: Creativity For Life; A Writer's Paris; A Writer's San Francisco; and others.
Taking a Creative Escape: 6 Ideas to Get You Started
A creative escape is a little time-out-of-time that you carve from your schedule to devote to running away to art.
Cultural Permission to Create
You feel at home in Paris because you are encouraged to sit and write and people watch, to adjourn to a neighboring cafe and write and people watch some more, and pass an entire day this way.
The Opinions of Others
Isn't this a lesson that we have to learn again and again, that every "objective opinion" is an assertion of idiosyncratic personality and not anything like the truth?
Crafting a Starting Ritual
One of the best ways to help yourself create every day is to craft a starting ritual that you begin to use regularly and routinely. These eight ritual ideas will help get you started.
Taking the Bad with the Good
In order to create, we must take the bad with the good. You are bound to write many bad paragraphs along with the good ones.
Eric Maisel on Creativity and Meaning-Making
Making Your Creative Mark: 97 Creativity Tips
Nine Keys to Achieving Your Artistic Goals. A Refresher Course of Ninety-Seven Creativity Tips.
Mastering Creative Anxiety
If you intend to create, get ready for anxiety. You can handle it beautifully if you use these simple tools. Series features 15 Anxiety Management Techniques and a discussion of the anxiety of Identity, Choosing, Possibility, and Performing.
Rethinking Depression
How to Shed Mental Health Labels and Create Personal Meaning. Series covers the existential ideal and reality, what depression treatments really do, and what psychotherapy proves.
The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through Depression
Learn insights from The Van Gogh Blues through this enlightening interview with Eric Maisel on creativity, depression, life purpose statements, and meaning-making. Includes excerpt Meaningful Life, Meaningful Work, Meaningful Days.
The Logic of Brainstorms
Gain deeper insight into productive obsessions in this piece and Q & A with Eric and Ann Maisel about the book Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions.