Danielle Lemer, MBACP
THE COUNSELLING STUDIO
S p a c e f o r y o u r v o i c e
Counselling for Creatives
For singers, performers, actors, writers, musicians, artists and creative professionals.
"Counselling for creative people, not because creativity is the problem, but because the emotional cost of creative work can be very particular."
Creative work can bring joy, meaning, connection and a deep sense of aliveness. It can also bring pressure, rejection, comparison, uncertainty and self-doubt. When the work matters deeply, it can be hard to separate what you create from who you are.
There is the work itself, and then there is how you feel about the work.
For many creative people, self-worth can become tangled with recognition or feedback. You may know, logically, that your value is not defined by an audition, a review, a role or a publication, but emotionally it may not feel that simple.
Therapy can offer a space to explore those pressures without needing to perform, impress, explain the industry, or pretend you are fine.
This page speaks most directly to performers and creative professionals, but if what's written here resonates with you regardless of your work, you're just as welcome to get in touch.
The inner and outer pressures of creative life
Creative people often live with both internal and external pressures.
The inner pressure might sound like:
“Am I good enough?”
“What if I’ve missed my chance?”
“Why can’t I just be happy with what I’ve achieved?”
“What if I’m not as good as people think?”
“What if I’m never recognised in the way I hoped I would be?”
The outer pressure might come from rejection, comparison or financial uncertainty, social media, criticism, auditions, deadlines or the need to keep putting yourself forward.
Over time, these pressures can affect the ability to enjoy the work itself.