In this episode of our Creative Spark series, to celebrate our 100th episode, Charlotte interviews Melinda about her own creative process of experience of envisioning, creating, hosting, and producing the podcast over the past two years. We reflect on lessons learned, how the show has evolved, insightful guests and conversations, and where we’ll go from here, including moving back to a bi-weekly release schedule. This episode, like the mini-episodes that preceded it, also includes insights from our book, Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Teams, and Communities.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to get out there and start a project you’ve been contemplating or dreaming about, but haven’t started yet. Take a risk, take a leap, follow your passion, and see where it takes you.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 1: Audio Storytelling with Podcaster and Environmentalist Michael Osborne, PhD, Episode 5: Creative Global Citizenship with Filmmaker and Screenwriter Shuja Uddin, and Episode 89: The Joy of Awakening with Drupon Lama Dorje & Carolina Putnam.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Book

Charlotte Gullick’s Website

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

How do we work with self-doubt and mental health in our creative process? Dreux Carpenter is a multi creative and communications professional; he's a graphic designer, writer, and offers proofreading and editing services. He holds both Masters and MFA degrees in Writing and Consciousness, one from the New College of California and the other from the California Institute of Integral Studies. He served on the board of the Writers’ League of Texas for several years, and he’s married to Syncreate Co-Founder, co-author, and podcast co-host Charlotte Gullick. In this episode, Dreux opens up about his own experiences of self doubt in his creative journey, as strategies he uses to work with it and around it.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, if you’re feeling stuck with a creative project or struggling with self-doubt, try experimenting with a completely new medium or way of doing things. This can short-circuit the inner critic, allow you to be a beginner, and maybe offer new insights into your original project.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process in a variety of contexts, you might also like our conversations in Episode 83: Proprioception with C. Prudence Arceneaux, Episode 93: Creativity and Collaboration in Internal Family Systems (IFS) Work with Alisa Carr, and Episode 97: The Art of Jewelry Design with Geoffrey Good.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

Dreux Carpenter on LinkedIn

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

.In this episode of our Creative Spark series, we discuss the connections between humor, creativity, and health, specifically how we can use our creativity to find humor in difficult situations, including end-of-life medical situations. Melinda and Charlotte share their own experiences of medical challenges and sitting with dying parents who maintained their sense of humor to the end. This episode, like the mini-episodes that preceded it, also includes insights from our book, Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Teams, and Communities.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to to think about a difficult situation and see if you can find any humor in it. This is a great practice for seeing challenges through a different, and perhaps more creative lens.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 49: Creativity in Challenging Times, Episode 82: Healing the Creative Wound, and Episode 84: From Surviving to Thriving.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Book

Charlotte Gullick’s Website

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

Geoffrey Good is a renowned fine jewelry designer based in Hudson, New York, internationally recognized for his elegant, minimalist designs. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, he has established himself as a master craftsman and artist, known for his attention to detail and exceptional skill in creating exquisite pieces of jewelry. Geoffrey discovered his passion for jewelry in college after designing a pair of earrings for his girlfriend out of glass-scrap. After earning a degree in jewelry design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Geoffrey apprenticed with master jeweler Klaus Wisskirchen, assisting in jewelry-works for prestigious firms, including Cartier© and Christie’s© before starting his own atelier. His work has been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, and dozens of other renowned publications.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to continually explore your craft by drawing, writing, experimenting, and recording your inspirations on a regular basis

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 52: Texas Poet Laureate Amanda Johnston, Episode 56: Asking the Questions with Broadway Stereophonic Cast Member Chris Stack, and Episode 68: Wonders of Creation with Dr. Ladan Akbarnia.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

geoffreygood.com

Geoffrey Good on Instagram

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

In this episode of our Creative Spark series, Melinda shares insights and reflections from her recent experience attending and presenting at the Creativity Conference at Southern Oregon University, connecting and collaborating with friends and colleagues, and getting energized from being around others studying creativity. This episode, like the mini-episodes that preceded it, also includes insights from our book, Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Teams, and Communities.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to find and attend an event where you can connect with others around creativity, collaboration, and community in a way that’s meaningful and relevant to you.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 9: Music and Psychology: "The Pocket" Experience with Dr. Jeff Mims, Episode 16: Creativity, Innovation & Leadership with Robert Cleve, PhD, Episode 48: Can You Learn Creativity? with Creative Director Chris McKenna, and Episode 91: Envisioning the Possible with Vlad Glăveanu, PhD.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Book

Charlotte Gullick’s Website

Creativity Conference at Southern Oregon University

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

Brian Kirven is a poet, traveler, and teacher living in Point Reyes Station in Northern California. He's the author of Shorelines: A Traveler Comes Home to the Tide Zone. He's served as a California Poet in the Schools, as well as the Poetry Inside Out program, and hosted a radio show on KWMR in Point Reyes for many years. His poetry has been featured in numerous literary journals, including California Quarterly, Inverness Almanac, The Kerf, West Marin Review, and most recently, the Haight Ashbury Literary Journal. His work is rooted in a deep sense of place and connection to nature. Our conversation focuses on his writing process, his sources of inspiration, and his teaching.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to explore the exercise of beautiful mistakes, as Brian shares in the episode, to closely observe the world around you and play with metaphor, even if silly and absurd, as a sense of inspiration.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 6: Gratitude, Gentleness, and Generosity with Mayela Padilla Manasjan, Episode 83: Proprioception with C. Prudence Arceneaux, and Episode 87: Dreams and Creativity with Musician, Poet & Psychotherapist Linus Streckfus.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review!

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

Brian’s Poetry and Podcast Episode with the Haight Ashbury Literary Journal

Brian’s Book: Shorelines: A Traveler Comes Home to the Tide Zone (contact us at info@syncreate.org for direct ordering info)

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Melinda Joy Music Website

In this episode of our Creative Spark series, we explore the benefits of collaboration, including the synergy that arises when two or more people join together in a creative endeavor, which can yield fresh ideas and perspectives, camaraderie and teamwork, as well as joy, fun, and levity. This episode, like the mini-episodes that preceded it, also includes insights from our book, Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Teams, and Communities.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to find a person or group to collaborate with on some kind of community project. This could be within your household or family, or with a group of creative collaborators. Maybe it's a community garden or neighborhood art project - just have fun or perhaps find a way to benefit your local community.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 31: The Power of Collaboration, Episode 51: Curiosity & Exploration, and Episode 84: From Surviving to Thriving

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate, and we’re now on Patreon as well. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Book

Charlotte Gullick’s Website

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

How do we work with the multiple energies, drives, and desires, sometimes conflicting, inside ourselves? Internal Family Sytems (IFS) is a therapeutic modality that focuses on healing the wounded and protective parts that we all carry within us, in service of internal connection and collaboration. Alisa Carr, LCSW, uses IFS in her therapeutic work to help clients find clarity, creativity, spiritual connection, and more satisfying relationships. Our conversation focuses on the IFS process and how it can enhance intra-personal, or inner, creativity and collaboration for a more joyful and vibrant life.

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to pay close attention to your body and mind whenever you feel triggered or overwhelmed, as it likely signals a part of you that’s asking for attention and nurturance. Try dialoguing with it to learn how it’s trying to help you or what it needs from your Self energy.

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 42: Creativity & Depth Psychology with Jennifer Leigh Selig, Episode 85: Living a Spiritual Life with Wisdom Pathways Co-Founders Jenny Fairbank and Steven Ross, and Episode 87: Dreams and Creativity with Musician, Poet & Psychotherapist Linus Streckfus.

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review or drop us a line at info@syncreate.org.

Episode-specific hyperlinks:

Alisa’s Website: Eye of the Heart (eye4heart.com)

5th International Possibility Studies Conference

IFS Institute

Show / permanent hyperlinks:

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

Syncreate Instagram

Syncreate Facebook

Syncreate LinkedIn

Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website