"Autism informs everything that I do - it's you know my processing unit so it's how the information goes in and out. So it's always informed me. Since being diagnosed, it's helped me understand that I'm not a rubbish person - I just think about things differently." Hannah Gadsby"Autism doesn't define me." Kayla Cromer"In the 60s doctors recommended to my mom to put me on some medications and institutionalize me, and I'm so thankful that she didn't." Daryl Hannah"I was groomed from such a young age, to hide all of the strange peculiarities of even my autism." Sue Ann Pien"Diagnostic criteria are developed using white boys and men, failing to serve many neurodivergent girls and women." Zhara Astra"Past diagnostic criteria were inaccurate, particularly when it came to recognizing Autism in women, and estimates suggest that up to 80% of Autistic women may be undiagnosed..." Julie Bjelland, LMFTSee her page: Resources for Autistic HSPs - includes Autism Education, Support Group for Autistic Women, Autism Quiz, Research on HSP & Autism Similarities & Differences, and more.See longer podcast post with videos, plus links to resources: Autistic Women: Perspectives by Hannah Gadsby, Kayla Crome, Daryl Hannah, Sue Ann Pien, Zhara Astra, Julie Bjelland.~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"To get out of our heads and into our bodies a little more...I think gifted humans, neurodivergent humans and humans impacted by trauma...really have a hard time doing that."Christine Fonseca is "a licensed educational psychologist, critically acclaimed author, and a nationally recognized speaker on topics related to educational psychology, mental health, giftedness, and using storytelling to heal past wounds."This audio is from a much longer Embracing Intensity interview hosted by Aurora Remember. See post with details, transcript and more:Getting out of our heads, working with emotional intensity, and more with Christine Fonseca.~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"Growing up in the 1990s, I was different from other girls, but I certainly never considered I had autism."Zhara Astra continues, "Sure, I operated on a different wavelength: I gravitated towards philosophy and books that dissected the meaning of life. I was extremely literal, and had a fascination with math and numbers, as is common in autism.But, less commonly, I didn’t like to be touched, I laughed at inappropriate times, ate the same foods every day, and was frequently overstimulated by smells, textures and sounds.We are starting to discover that these traits are more likely to occur in women and girls with autism."From her Scientific American article: “We Need Better Diagnostic Tests for Autism in Women” - Diagnostic criteria are developed using white boys and men, failing to serve many neurodivergent girls and women.Zhara Astra is a screenwriter and producer, and also a professor at Arizona State University where she teaches a course she developed on “Understanding Neurodivergent Women” with an emphasis on autism in women and girls.This audio is an excerpt from the podcast interview: “The Vital Importance of Diagnosis of Autism in Girls and Women: A Discussion with Zhara Astra” - an episode of Uniquely Human: The Podcast with Barry M. Prizant, PhD, and Dave Finch.Barry M. Prizant book: Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism~~~Julie Bjelland, LMFT is a "proud Autistic, HSP, Licensed Psychotherapist specializing in highly sensitive people and adult-diagnosed Autism in females. I founded Sensitive Empowerment to raise awareness about the extraordinary value inherent in Sensitivity and Autism." (From her site.)Articles in the Blog section of her site include:* Unmasking Autistic Traits in Women: Could You Be Autistic?* Neurodivergent Women: HSPs and Autism* Autistic Women: A Support Group Empowering the Adult-Diagnosed or Self-Diagnosed* Navigating the Challenges of Autism Diagnosis as an Adult Woman - "…can be a daunting journey. This exploration aims to illuminate the inherent challenges and propose actionable solutions to make this path less difficult.The Diagnostic Obstacles for WomenMasking and Compensation: Many autistic women master the art of camouflaging their autism traits through coping mechanisms and masking strategies, rendering their symptoms less noticeable to others.Evolving Diagnostic Criteria: As our understanding of the autism spectrum widens, the diagnostic criteria evolve accordingly. Unfortunately, this evolution often fails to capture the unique manifestations of autism in women.Limited Professional Awareness: A significant barrier to diagnosis is the lack of training and awareness among healthcare providers regarding autism in adult women, leading to a high rate of underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis. ..."See the full articles in the HSP Blog section of The Sensitive Empowerment site of Julie Bjelland - follow link to also find her podcast, books, free webinars, courses, Sensitive Empowerment Community and other resources.~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"I was also aware that I was not really allowed to be so gifted, that I threatened their self concepts. Which is to say that I wasn’t really encouraged or allowed to be my full self, but I was rather being asked to act as a kind of instrument or one dimensional trophy for other people. "And I found that it’s really hard to live inside such suffocating and dehumanizing expectations."But in adulthood, I have come to understand that I don’t actually need to be beholden to such expectations." - Kaitlin SmithThis is a short clip from a longer excerpt from an Embracing Intensity Podcast episode: host Aurora Remember interviews Kaitlin Smith, a scholar, facilitator, and founder of Our Wild Minds.The longer (17 minute) excerpt is available to subscribers of The Creative Mind Newsletter - learn more on the podcast post https://thecreativemind.substack.com/p/thriving-more-as-gifted-or-bipocTopics in the full interview, as listed on the Embracing Intensity page, include*Kaitlin’s journey as a scholar, facilitator, and founder of Our Wild Minds.*The intersections between the history of mind sciences and African American studies in Kaitlin’s research.*The challenges Kaitlin faced growing up in a predominantly white suburb and the conflicting expectations placed upon her as a gifted Black individual.*The impact of cultural dynamics on expression and the pressure to conform to societal expectations.Listen to the full podcast episode 266-Navigating Intensity Through a Cultural Lens with Kaitlin Smith, MSW, and learn about the Embracing Intensity Free Resource Library - includes links to blog posts, podcasts, videos, Course Membership, and more. https://thecreativemind.info/EI-free-resourcesThe photo of Kaitlin Smith and the drawing are from her site https://www.ourwildminds.comSupport the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"Have you ever frozen up in the face of what should otherwise be a nonthreatening situation?"That is one way to define the trauma response of freeze.In the first section of this podcast episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD comments "when we bring in the right kinds of support, the right kinds of energy, I have seen the time needed for the freeze response to become less."And yet every person, every body, every nervous system, seems to have its own rough time schedule for the freeze response..."This is an excerpt from her video "What To Do When You Are In The Freeze" on her YouTube channel.Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is an author, speaker and founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated. Learn about Dr Apigian's program the Foundational Journey “for addressing stored trauma in the body.”She is a speaker at the ongoing Trauma Super Conference - featuring 60+ experts on the "impacts trauma can have and how to gain optimal health."~~~In the second section, Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and expert in the treatment of trauma, talks about freeze as one of five defensive states in response to trauma.This is an excerpt from his video 3 on freeze from a Sounds True free series. The description on the registration page asks:"Have you ever frozen up in the face of what should otherwise be a nonthreatening situation? It can be confusing to say the least.“Video #3 addresses what we can do to begin the path to self-regulation."Register free for "Take Back Your Nervous System with Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein" - A 5-Video Series with "Practical ways to calm yourself and others throughout each of our five defensive states."Also on that page you can learn more about his new Healing Trauma Program, with 12 other trauma experts.~~~See video version of this episode, plus transcript, in the Podcast Section on my Newsletter site.Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Probably all of us don't like certain kinds or levels of emotion, and want to get away from them, sometimes in self-destructive ways.In this episode, several psychologists and others talk about what emotions are."As an actor I have a tendency to skitter along the top of emotional things. I'm Lutheran, I don't like being emotional." William H. MacyPsychologist Cheryl Arutt: "Creative people do tend to be highly sensitive and an exquisite sensitivity is an asset when it comes to creating art...but that same sensitivity can often make the painful experiences that they have even more so."Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett says "You might believe that your brain is prewired with emotion circuits, that you're born with emotion circuits, but you're not."Emotions researcher Karla McLaren thinks "It's important for our joints to have a complete range of motion, but it's also important for us to have a complete range of emotion." ~~~~~Related Creative Mind Videos playlists:Emotional Health Trauma Healing ~~~~~~~~Sources for this podcast episode:Image is from article Artificial Intelligence: Why it Can't Detect the Correlation Between Human Emotion and Facial Expression, Ron Jefferson, The Science Times Aug 24, 2021.William H. Macy quote from videoPsychologist Cheryl Arutt from my video Artists are highly sensitive and need skills to use their emotions safelyLisa Feldman Barrett from TED Talk video in my post Are emotions hardwired and just triggered? No - our brains build them.Karla McLaren from her video Do You Have a Full Range of Emotions? in my post How To Gain Better Emotional Health By Working With Feelings.Dr. John Demartini from his video "How to Manage Emotions" - see it in my post How to upgrade your financial health and life success – NeuroGym programsPema Chödrön from video The Noble Journey From Fear to FearlessnessNote: the narration is a clone of my voice, text-to-speech, via elevenlabs.io.See more Show Notes pages with active links: Main episode page https://creativemindaudio.buzzsprout.com/1898067/14287151Newsletter page https://thecreativemind.substack.com/p/how-to-understand-and-work-with-emotions~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Self-acceptance, self-compassion, self-regard, healthy self-esteem... how do these impact us, including being creative? In this episode, a number of artists and psychologists talk about their perspectives and some of the research.The thumbnail image is actor Michelle Rodriguez, who said, “I don’t think it’s narcissistic at all to love yourself and believe in yourself. I think some people are really scared to do that. I have to. If I don’t, I would not succeed in what I do.”In an interview for The Self-Acceptance Summit, Sounds True founder Tami Simon asked author Elizabeth Gilbert why self-acceptance is important to her personally.Gilbert replied: "Well, I mean I’ve kind of been a student of it my whole life because I’ve had to be, because its moments of absence in my life have brought me the darkest pain I’ve ever been in."Actor and playwright Tracy Letts finds “It’s hard to give yourself a break, isn’t it? You can’t just decide to do it. It’s not an act of will. It takes actual work..."See more details including transcript and much longer episode as a subscriber, in post How self-acceptance is a foundation for a healthy and creative life.~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"There are actually four, I think, predispositions of our brain that get us into trouble vis-a-vis trauma. The first one is very, very basic. It's something that we share with all other animals... the tendency to recoil from that which might be dangerous or painful."Dr. Siegel adds, "All animals have an instinctual aversion to pain. "Humans have particularly sophisticated ways of trying to avoid it, especially when that pain is emotional or psychological. We employ a wide variety of strategies to distract ourselves or actively push out of awareness painful thoughts, feelings, images, instinctual urges, and memories. "But these efforts are usually only partially effective: When we bury feelings, we bury them alive."Disavowed mental contents are easily reawakened, and when they get closeto our awareness, we feel fear."From article Mindfulness in the Treatment of Trauma-Related Chronic Pain by Ronald D. Siegel.This is a brief excerpt from video presentation "Overcoming evolution in trauma healing" by Dr Ronald Siegel, PsyD at the ongoing Trauma Super Conference - featuring 60+ experts on the "impacts trauma can have and how to gain optimal health." Topics include:How human evolution predisposes us to traumaHow mindfulness practices help our healing and happinessWhy our relationships with ourselves and others are so criticalFrom Trauma Super Conference profile: "Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Psychology and mindfulness teacher Dr Ronald Siegel explains why humans did not evolve for happiness and what we can do about it...He is a long-time student of mindfulness meditation, an author of many books."Programs by Dr Siegel include:Healing Through Mindfulness: Effective Practices for Chronic Health Conditions Audible Audiobook  Or Audio CD from Sounds True.The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-Based Path to Well-Being (DVD) The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems (Audible Audiobook).~~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Britt Frank notes "the definition of trauma that I use comes from Dr Peter Levine, who founded Somatic Experiencing, and trauma is anything that's too much, too fast, too soon. "And my little addition to that is: or not enough. Trauma is anything you got that you didn't need or anything that you didn't get that you did need.”She adds that "trauma is an internal process. It's a brain indigestion process. A trauma response is when our brain either throws up or goes into freeze. So you can eat bad food and not necessarily get sick. "Same thing with trauma. You can experience a traumatic event and not necessarily have a trauma response. “But the things that we call panic, anxiety, things like that, are often trauma responses, which is the symptom or the behavior or the manifestation of the trauma that we experienced or witnessed."Britt Frank, LSCSW, SEP is a licensed neuropsychotherapist and author of book The Science of Stuck.This audio is from her video interview for the ongoing free Trauma Super Conference - featuring 60+ experts "on the impacts trauma can have and how to gain optimal health on every level."~~~~Related:Dr Peter Levine is a presenter at the ongoing Reset Conference: "Self-regulating for trauma healing"*Why co-regulation and self-regulation are both important*Practical exercises for self-regulation*Why trusting the wisdom of our body is so importantRegister free for Reset Super Conferene. Dr. Levine is author of The Healing Trauma Online Course, and a speaker at The Healing Trauma Summit - Learn more and find links in article: Resources on How To Understand And Recover From Trauma.~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

James C. Kaufman, PhD is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut, and teaches classes on creativity.Topics in our interview include * the use of mood-altering substances, esp. marijuana and alcohol, by writers and other artists* the genius myth stereotype* how the idea of a creative muse impacts creative self-direction* how positive and negative moods relate to creative thinking His website summarizes he is a Creativity expert (writer/scholar/speaker/teacher), has published more than 400 papers, and is the author/editor of more than 50 books.Those books include:The Psychology of Creative Writing by Scott Barry Kaufman, James C. Kaufman (Editors) The Nature of Human Creativity by Robert J. Sternberg, James C. Kaufman (Editors) Creativity 101 (Psych 101 Series) by James C. Kaufman PhD One of my related articles: Madness and creativity: do we need to be crazy?In the article, Dr. Judith Schlesinger (mentioned by Kaufman in our interview) comments on "the heart of the ‘mad genius’ myth that has been integral to Western culture for centuries."Related bookHow to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery"Tech innovator and entrepreneur Kevin Ashton rejects the popular notion that there are geniuses among us who do great things the rest of us can never hope to achieve.""This divisive classification scheme of genius at the top is the kind of thing you need to call bullshit on,” he says. Quotes above are from article Debunking the Genius Myth - "We too often attribute great advances to individual brilliance rather than hard work, suggests a new book." By Sara Shay, MIT Technology Review.(Photo pf Kaufman is from his Facebook page – caption: “…with my friend the Sloth.”)See related article with links and full interview (for subscribers): Drugs, genius myth, muse and being creative - James Kaufman on the research~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Writer, actor and producer Issa Rae commented to Terry Gross, host of the NPR show Fresh Air, that she was socially uncomfortable and introverted growing up, and one day wrote the phrase "I'm awkward. And black." in her journal. Rae says it was a revelation."I knew I was black, obviously, but the 'awkward' part really just defined me in a sense," Rae noted. "That felt like an identity that I had not seen reflected in television or film before, or at least in a very long time."Terry Gross: "So what made you think that the parts of your life that made you feel awkward and insecure you could claim as an identity and then use that to your advantage and create a character who would be kind of like funny and relatable and everything."And that so you could turn what you perceived as like your weakness into a strength."Issa Rae: "Well, for me, it came from watching shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and even 30 Rock, and just identifying with the very specific sense of humor that those shows had, but also being like, wow, there are no people of color in these shows that have the same sense of humor, you know?"Wondering like why is there this segregated humor? There seems to be like black humor and there seems to be white humor and you know a lot of my friends...we like both, but we don't get to see ourselves reflected on the quote-unquote white humor side."And so I wanted to take these traits in the same way that, you know, a lot of my favorite comedians have done it, and Ellen included. Ellen takes so many relatable, embarrassing moments and amplifies them and makes it like, Oh my god, I've been through that too, and that's so funny."And have a black character go through those things and make it very racially specific but universal at the same time."~~~Show notes for the Fresh Air podcast interview summarizes: "Her Web comedy series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl [based on her memoir] ran for two seasons, and Rae continued to explore themes of race, identity and belonging as the creator and star of the HBO series Insecure."This audio in an excerpt from the interview: Fresh Air episode with Terry Gross (on NPR): 'Awkward' And 'Insecure' Get To The Root Of Writer Issa Rae's Humor. Learn about MasterClass Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside the Lines. Related Substack/Creative Mind posts/podcast episodes: Our Inner Stuff is the Raw Material of Our Creative WorkRedeeming Our Inner Demons - an Interview with Psychologist Stephen DiamondCreating to channel emotional intensity - an interview with psychologist Cheryl Arutt~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

“Creating art has always been a way to channel emotional intensity…” Psychologist Cheryl AruttDr. Arutt thinks that actors and other artists who are willing, in their creative work, to delve into the really “messy” feelings of being human (shame, devastations, disappointments, betrayals, traumas and more), probably have a relationship with those feelings.But, as she notes on her site, “You don’t have to be in pain to do great work as an artist.”Dr. Arutt is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist in private practice specializing in trauma recovery and creative artist issues.See Creative Mind Newsletter post with video of a broadcast TV program with some of her perspectives on mental health, plus link to much longer audio interview:Creating to channel emotional intensity - an interview with psychologist Cheryl Arutt~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"A lot of times when we're working on our mental health, being that so much of it is cognitive, we think we have to speak things through and that's the only way... "But creativity is the conduit for another way of communication."This is a brief excerpt from The Mental Wellness Practice Podcast ep. [027] How Your Creativity Affects Your Mental Health with Dr. LA Stretch.In this episode, Dr. Shainna Ali talks with Dr. LoriAnn 'LA' Stretch [photo], about the link between creativity and mental wellness.Dr. Stretch is the President and conference co-chair for the Association for Creativity in Counseling.Dr. Ali is a mental health counselor, educator, and host of the Mental Wellness Practice Podcast. She is a speaker at the Healing Toxic Relationships Super Conference Nov. 2023 on the topic "How to Repair Your Self Image and Self Love."See more details and links on The Creative Mind page How Our Mental Wellness and Mental Health Are Affected by Creativity.~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Probably all of us experience challenges in our personal, family, business and other relationships.This is a short clip from a longer excerpt - hear the full excerpt and see transcript in post: Why Relationships Can Be Challenging, Especially as a Highly Sensitive Person. Psychologist Matt Zakreski points out "No one is good in ALL social situations, or in all aspects of a particular social situation."Being a highly sensitive person can add more challenges, as therapist and author Julie Bjelland, LMFT explains:"Highly sensitive people (HSPs) may encounter specific challenges when making friends due to their unique traits and sensitivities. Learn some reasons why HSPs might find it more challenging to make friends."HSPs can make friends by leveraging their unique traits and sensitivities. Learn some specific tips to help build meaningful friendships."Remember that making friends is not about changing who you are but finding individuals who appreciate you for your authentic self. "It's perfectly okay to be selective about the people you allow into your life, as quality friendships can significantly impact your well-being as an HSP."Listen to the full Episode 176: 10 Reasons Highly Sensitive People Feel Challenged Making Friends by Julie Bjelland, LMFT in the HSP Podcast section of her site, where you will also find her books, free webinars, courses, Sensitive Empowerment Community and other resources. (The image for this episode is from article How do trauma and attachment wounds affect our relationships?) ~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

This excerpt is from a much longer interview podcast for Meditation Studio, about perspectives in his book Creativity, Spirituality, and Making a Buck.The description for the full episode notes David Nichtern is "a senior Buddhist teacher who has been practicing and teaching meditation for over 40 years. "He is also a highly regarded, award winning composer, producer and guitarist, as well as the founder of two record companies. David has recorded and played with Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Paul Simon and many others..."David’s grasp of spirituality, mindfulness, music and entrepreneurship make him a unique animal, so to speak. The underlying principle of his book is that it’s possible to move toward balance, prosperity, happiness, and basic sanity in our lives as human beings." Also, find interview and articles with Nichtern on sites including wisdomexperience.org, dharmamoon.com and davidnichtern.com.Hear full podcast episodes, including this interview, with a free 30-day registration for Meditation Studio by Muse."Hosts Patricia Karpas and Ariel Garten interview authors, experts and thought-leaders in areas related to mindfulness, brain health practices, leadership, life and so much more! You’ll hear from psychologists, neuroscientists, nutritionists, storytellers, buddhists, MDs, Sleep experts etc. "It’s a wide collection of interviews with thoughtful, provocative, inspirational and sometimes funny guests who share their true and heartfelt experiences."~~~Learn more about Muse in my Creative Mind article How Muse EEG tech enhances meditation to support focus, productivity, emotional health. ~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Imi Lo is a consultant, psychotherapist, author on mental health, an art therapist, and trainer to therapists and coaches. This is an excerpt from her interview with Nicole A. Tetreault, PhD, a neuroscientist, psychologist and researcher specializing in the fields of neurodiversity, giftedness, and the brain differences associated with these conditions.See the full podcast interview on Imi Lo's site Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: Neurodivergent traits, giftedness, sensory sensitivities, sharing our personal experiences - Dr. Nicole A. Tetreault and Imi Lo.Note - the transcript excerpt below, and the image (AI-generated in DALL-E) is from that page.Books: Insight Into a Bright Mind: A Neuroscientist's Personal Stories of Unique Thinking by Nicole A. Tetreault.Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: How to Manage Intense Emotions as a Highly Sensitive Person by Imi Lo. The Gift of Intensity: How to Win at Life and Love as a Highly Sensitive and Emotionally Intense Person by Imi Lo. Understanding Twice-Exceptional Learners: Connecting Research to Practice by C. Matthew Fugate, Wendy Behrens, Cecelia Boswell.Website: nicoletetreault.com. Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

Journalist Robert Whitaker (author of books including Mad in America) interviews Sarah Fay about her mental health experiences and her memoir "Pathological..."This is a brief excerpt from the much longer conversation podcast. My title comes from a comment by Sarah Fay: "I have to admit that I was so attached to my diagnosis, I had defined myself by it."Source podcast:The Impact the DSM Has Had On All of Us: An interview with Sarah Fay and Allan Horwitz By Robert Whitaker, Mad in America, April 6, 2022Sarah Fay, PhD is an author of essays and articles published in the New York Times, the Atlantic and numerous other national publications. Her memoir is Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses.In her newsletter, Fay summarized: "Simply put, Pathological is both a memoir and a work of investigative journalism that...explores the ways we pathologize human experiences and emotions."She quotes a review:"Over thirty years, doctors diagnosed Sarah Fay with six different mental illnesses—anorexia, major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder. "Pathological is the gripping story of what it was like to live with those diagnoses, and the crippling impact each had on her life. It is also a rigorous investigation into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—psychiatry’s “bible,” the manual from which all mental illness diagnoses come. "Yet as Fay found out, some of our most prominent psychiatrists have been trying to warn us that the DSM is fiction sold to the public as fact. "In Pathological, former advisory editor at The Paris Review and award-winning writer Fay calls for a new conversation about mental health diagnosis, one based on rigorous transparency. "With exquisite detail and a precise presentation of fact, she digs up her own life at the root to finally ask, Is a diagnosis a lifeline or a self-fulfilling prophecy?"Her site: sarahfay.org Her book Cured: The Memoir "tells the story of Sarah’s full recovery from serious mental illness and how recovery is possible for everyone. It’s the sequel to Pathological." Read the exclusive publication on Substack - see the Creative Mind Newsletter site with this podcast episode, plus additional material: "Attached to my mental health diagnosis" - interview with author Sarah Fay.~~~~ Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"Improv games cultivate openness and playfulness, relaxation and self-care."Julie Skolnick, M.A., J.D. is Founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, with programs including the Let’s Talk 2e! Conference and The Haystack, a community for 2e Adults. 2E or twice exceptional people are gifted as well as experiencing learning differences or neurodivergent qualities such as dyslexia, ADHD, or autism.Gordon Smith is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Coach, and Improv Instructor. His practice focuses on neurodivergent adolescents, adults, and families.His site Gifted and Growing notes Improv can be defined “as the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers.”Learn about Online Improv for Gifted Adults (also online improv classes for 2E+ Teens, and for Families). "The class offers a six-week experience in which we come together (on zoom) with 2e+ peers to explore, experiment, and play. "Through Improv games and exercises we cultivate openness & playfulness, relaxation & self-care, emotional intelligence & empathy, and creative storytelling & expression."~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"When I made that choice to write the book, I wanted it on my terms as opposed to somebody else's."Ulcca Joshi Hansen adds,"That felt like a really important moment for me as an author because it was saying, you know, my gift, my voice, my ideas are important, and I need to trust them enough to put them out in the world in the ways that I think are right."In this excerpt from their much longer podcast episode, Transformational Author mentor Christine Kloser talks with author Ulcca Joshi Hansen - a "mother, educator, researcher and advocate working to change the way we think about and do education. "She believes each young person deserves the chance to discover their unique potential, and to explore what that means for how they contribute to the world. An internationally-recognized expert on educational transformation at the level of instruction, assessment, organizational design and policy systems, Ulcca has a BA in philosophy from Drew University, a PhD from the University of Oxford, and a JD from Harvard Law School."Her book: The Future of Smart: How Our Education System Needs to Change to Help All Young People Thrive by Ulcca Joshi Hansen. Hear the full episode "091: Ulcca Joshi Hansen – How to Succeed on Your Author Journey" in the Podcast section of the Get Your Book Done site by Christine Kloser.~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.

"The differences between the brains of highly effective creative achievers and the brains of the rest of us are far less important than the commonalities."Shelley Carson continues in her book Your Creative Brain:"There are certainly genetic differences that influence creativity, and of course, there will always be people who are more creative than others. However, through the study of highly creative brains, we’ve found that all of us have creative brains. We are all—barring serious brain injury—equipped with basically the same brain structures."Shelley Carson earned her Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University, where she continues to teach and conduct research on creativity, psychopathology, and resilience.Topics in our audio interview related to the creative mind include:the seven brain activation patterns she discusses in her bookthe relation of creativity with ADHDflexibility in thoughtmood states like anxiety and fear.This is a short clip from our much longer conversation for paid subscribers to The Creative Mind Newsletter (follow link to learn more).~~~~Support the showListen to episodes and see transcripts and resources in the Podcast section of The Creative Mind Newsletter and Podcast site.