Coming from an artistic family, it was inevitable that I would enter the arts. I worked in film, TV and theatre for many years and so have an understanding of the creative processes and challenges faced by those working within artistic industries.
Many professional artists, whatever their artistic sphere, face the difficult, dual balancing act of fulfilling artistic endeavours whilst maintaining their business objectives. As many creative people are using themselves as their primary resource, it can make the challenges and the harsher aspects of the business feel very hostile and personal at times.
Artistic people tend towards a certain emotional openness. This is necessary as they need to access and channel their emotional world into their work. However, they are also simultaneously required to be single-minded and thick-skinned in order to withstand the, all too often, de-moralising realities of trying to operate in the business world.
Exploring ‘creative’ ways to bridge the gap between creativity and business can be achieved by building up core capacities, self-esteem and positive resources so as we can be adaptive and resilient whilst maintaining our creative integrity.
Working in the arts can be exhilarating, rewarding and fulfilling in so many ways but artists often face the ‘feast or famine’ way of life – having to adjust to ever-changing circumstances which can, at times, be very exhausting, testing and de-stabilising.
I can offer a safe space to explore the more challenging aspects of working in the arts and, in addition to my theoretical training, I can bring something of my own understanding and personal experience of the issues being faced by professional artists.
Amanda Royle - Counselling & Psychotherapy 