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Episode 152: Therapists & Creatives: Why Creativity Is a Burnout Antidote (+ Life Updates)

If you’ve felt the tug between meaningful work and your own wellbeing, you’re not alone. After a slow summer and a lot of reflection, I’m more grounded and aligned than I’ve ever been—and I want that for you, too. This post shares what shifted: embracing seasons, following creative breadcrumbs, rethinking the limits of 1:1 therapy, and intentionally building community that restores rather than depletes.

Seasons matter (a.k.a. the “goo stage”)

I talk often about the butterfly life cycle: we all move through catalyst → cocoon (a.k.a. the goo stage) → emergence. This summer was goo season for me. I pared back, tended to what needed tending, and trusted that momentum would return—and it did. If you’re in a cocoon right now, you’re not broken. You’re becoming.

What’s lighting me up this fall

• Speaking at the Next Level Summit on building income streams that energize, not drain.
• Developing a talk on Creativity as a Burnout Antidote—how play, humor, and creative practice restore energy and spark innovation.
• Dancing and choreographing (including my first solo!) and letting that embodied confidence spill into my work and leadership.

Following the breadcrumbs (the dance story)

I didn’t plan a solo. Life nudged me, I asked a musician friend for a track, and everything clicked. That “yes” led to one of the most healing experiences of my year and reminded me: creativity isn’t extra—it’s a way back to aliveness and clarity in every other part of life.

Rethinking therapy’s limits (and why community matters)

I’m grateful for therapy—and I’m also honest about its limits inside traditional containers. Some of my deepest healing has come outside the therapy room: through movement, story, laughter, friendship, and small groups that hold me while I build a life that fits. That’s part of why I’m building spaces for therapists and creatives to do this work together.

A frame I love: Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind

Pink argues we’re moving from the Information Age into the Conceptual Age—where six “senses” become indispensable:

1. Design – make things useful and beautiful.
2. Story – weave meaning; don’t just stack facts.
3. Symphony – see patterns and connect the dots.
4. Empathy – understand and be with human experience.
5. Play – use humor and joy to fuel creativity and resilience.
6. Meaning – pursue purpose and connection, not just performance.

If you’re a therapist or helper, you’re already fluent in many of these. The invitation is to bring them to the center of your work—not just the edges.

Contribution + Fulfillment = An Aligned Life

We crave contribution—to help, teach, build, and heal. But contribution alone leads to self-sacrifice and burnout. We also need fulfillment—creative passion, joy, and work that feels like us. Fulfillment alone can veer into emptiness. The sweet spot? Both.

Introducing: the Inspired Innovators Mastermind

I’ve launched a small, co-creative, online community for therapists, helpers, and creative entrepreneurs who want to build work that feels alive, sustainable, and aligned—and do it together.

What’s inside (founding version):

• Weekly Monday grounding & body-doubling (9:00–9:45 AM): arrive, settle, and get the next right thing done.
• Twice-monthly creative-flow sessions (writing, movement, music, embodiment).
• Monthly workshop (I teach every other month; we bring in aligned guest teachers, too).
• Retreat priority: first dibs on our Lake Michigan creative retreat (Oct 2026), limited spots.
• Founding rate: $297/month starting Mon, Nov 11 (limited founding seats).

If you’re craving a small, brave community to explore your Zone of Genius and build energizing income streams without burning out, send me a note at [email protected] or hop on Voxer (linked in my emails) to feel into whether it fits.

P.S. Not ready for a group? Start with the Zone of Genius Guide—it’s free and it’ll get you moving: pages.drshawnhondorp.com/zone
Want updates on meetups, workshops, and retreats? Join the list: drshawnhondorp.com/contact/

Resources Mentioned

• Daniel Pink, A Whole New Mind (the 6 senses: design, story, symphony, empathy, play, meaning).
• Dr. Todd Rose’s work on private opinion data and meaningful lives.
• The article article about how Brene Brown has re branded herself and what it tells us about the field of therapy.

Disclaimer

This blog and podcast are for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute medical or mental health advice and are not a substitute for professional consultation or treatment.

Stay connected

• Download the Zone of Genius Guide: pages.drshawnhondorp.com/zone
• Join the email list for early invites: drshawnhondorp.com/contact/