Shows
The Modern Creative Woman135. The Neuropsychological Change Process and the Art ResponseAsk me a question or let me know what you think!In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman, Dr. Amy Backos continues the conversation on creating more chill holidays by exploring the neuropsychology of choice, habit, and tradition. She weaves personal reflection with brain science to offer listeners both compassion and practical insight into why the holidays can feel so overwhelming—and how meaningful change is actually possible.Dr. Backos begins by normalizing the gap between intention and reality during the holidays. Drawing from her own experience of scaling back perfectionism, she re...
2025-12-1020 minThe Modern Creative Woman134. Stop Doing Too Much: Create Your Chill HolidayAsk me a question or let me know what you think!The Process Is the Way: How to Actually Enjoy Your Holiday SeasonIn this episode, Amy shares the surprising truth about the exact right moment to pause, relax, and return to yourself: when you feel way too busy to do it.If you’ve ever sprinted through December—overspending, overcommitting, overperforming, and quietly drowning in guilt, stress, or “holiday hustle”—this conversation is your invitation to stop treating the holidays like a finish line and start...
2025-12-0330 minThe Modern Creative Woman133. That Quiet Drift Away From Ourselves...and How to ReturnAsk me a question or let me know what you think!In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos takes you inside a moment every creative woman knows too well—the quiet drift away from our creativity and, in many ways, from ourselves. What begins as a blank page or stalled idea can quickly snowball into self-doubt, overwhelm, or a nervous system stuck in self-protection. But this isn’t a personal failure—it’s biology, psychology, and lived experience converging.For 20 grounding minutes, Amy unpacks why we stop creating and how to gently navigate our way back. You’ll l...
2025-11-2620 minThe Modern Creative Woman132. Taking Control of Your BrainAsk me a question or let me know what you think!In this week’s episode, Dr. Amy Backos invites listeners into a grounding and honest conversation about the power of values—especially as we head into a season filled with expectations, pressure, and anticipatory anxiety. Using the Buddha’s teaching on the “drunken monkeys” mind as a starting point, Amy explores how our restless, swirling thoughts can pull us away from what truly matters… unless we intentionally return to presence.Amy breaks down the heart of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): identifying what is most importa...
2025-11-1927 minThe Modern Creative Woman130. The Product Matters Less Than You ThinkAsk me a question or let me know what you think! “You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right.” - Aung San Suu KyiIn this episode, Dr. Amy Backos invites you to rethink your relationship with creativity, success, and even everyday life. Amy explores how our attachment to outcomes—whether in art, parenting, or personal growth—can limit our sense of fulfillment and agency.Through stories from her own art practice, her time as a student in art critiques, and her love of knitting, she illustrat...
2025-11-0524 minThe Modern Creative Woman128. Curating Your Psychological Environment: The Art of Inner and Outer HarmonyAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“The environment is where we all meet. Where all of us have a mutual interest. It is the one thing all of us share.” - Lady Bird Johnson In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos, psychologist and art therapist, explores the powerful relationship between your environment and your psychological well-being. Drawing from behavioral science, art therapy, and design psychology, Amy unpacks how your physical, social, media, and internal environments influence your emotions, focus, and creativity. You’ll learn six practical ways to shape your sur...
2025-10-2237 minThe Modern Creative Woman127. Your Body Knows: The Science of Embodied CognitionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!The body remembers the bones. Remember the joints. Remember even the little finger remembers. Memory is lodged in pictures and feelings in cells themselves." -Clarissa Pinkola, EstesEpisode Summary:In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores embodied cognition — the scientific and soulful understanding that our bodies think, remember, and know in ways beyond words. From the comforting scent of freshly baked bread to the gestures we make when we talk, Amy reveals how our physical experiences shape emotion, memory, creativity, and healin...
2025-10-1531 minThe Modern Creative Woman124. Tea, Community, and the Psychology of AweAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day." – Henri NouwenThis week on The Modern Creative Woman Podcast, Dr. Amy shares reflections from hosting a benefit tea party for I Support the Girls and how small, simple acts of service can ripple out into meaningful change.Then we dive deep into the psychology of wonder and awe — what they are, how they shape our perception of the...
2025-09-2414 minThe Modern Creative Woman123. From Hopeless to Hopeful: Simple Creative ShiftsAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“I would sooner live in a cottage and wonder at everything. Then live in a castle and wonder at nothing.” Joan Windmill Brown Hope is not just a feeling — it’s a practice, a mindset, and a vital ingredient for healing and growth. In today’s episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores the psychology of hope and how we can intentionally cultivate it in our lives.You’ll learn:✨ Why hope is the first and most important step toward feeling better✨ How soluti...
2025-09-1720 minThe Modern Creative Woman122. The $100 Experiment That Changed My Self ImageAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“It is only a thought and thoughts can be changed.” - Louise Hay In this powerful episode of The Modern Creative Woman Podcast, Dr. Amy Backos dives into one of the most liberating concepts from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): defusion – the skill of seeing your thoughts as just thoughts, not facts.Using a personal story about flying first class for the first time, Dr. Amy illustrates how fused thoughts (like “that’s for other women, not me”) can shape our lives –...
2025-09-1023 minThe Modern Creative Woman90. How to Radically Transform the WorldAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world, and you have to do it all the time." - Angela DavisI have four ideas of things that would make the most sense for all of us to stop doing. And four things that would make sense for all of us to add. And here's what's really special about these is that we can heal and move in these directions. As a community, as women working to...
2025-02-0527 minThe Modern Creative Woman89. Mandalas, Art for Self Care & Protest ArtAsk me a question or let me know what you think!I've been looking around for inspiration, in my own artwork and writing, and then looking to others to lend some hope and inspiration right now. And then I remembered that I could be giving some of that that I'm looking for and we can work to inspire each other. I imagine that many of you are looking for some encouragement right now. This episode is all about the art of the mandala, which is a healing circle to contain your essence. And it's about what you...
2025-01-2917 minThe Modern Creative Woman88. Pros and Cons of Defining YourselfAsk me a question or let me know what you think!How do you define yourself? There are benefits to defining who you are...are there are significant drawbacks to hanging too tightly to these definitions of who we are. As always, all women welcome here!New Complimentary ResourceYour Creative New Year Webinar!✔ Stretch your creative muscles with expressive art, journaling and visualization✔ Complementary Workbook to plan your whole year✔ Creative Thinking Skills to change...
2025-01-2226 minThe Modern Creative Woman87. Slow is Smooth...and Smooth is FastAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Join the excitement!Ready for lasting change and deeper meaning?Join the Live in Person Retreat!January 25San Franciscoregister here!If you find you are in a hurry, it is time to slow down so you can go fast! This episode tells you how it can be done.Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com ...
2025-01-1521 minThe Modern Creative Woman86. Ten Ways Modern Creative Women Stay InspiredAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Ready for lasting change and deeper meaning? Join the Live in Person Retreat!January 25 San Francisco register here! "You can get excited about the future. The past won't mind." - Hillary Damiano This episode is all about making the future a point of interest and excitement. -bridging and bonding -a theme for your new year -10 ways to stay inspiredSupport the showEx...
2025-01-0819 minThe Modern Creative Woman85. Back to Basics: The Ever-Present NowAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Free New Year WebinarIn Person New Year Retreat"Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels." - Ann Richards Because it's the beginning of the new year. I wanted to bring things back to basics and talk about present moment awareness. This is a concept that is explored in philosophies and religions and science. Of course, there are decades of research about making contact with the present moment gives us a...
2025-01-0131 minThe Modern Creative Woman84. Step into your Power and PurposeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“Self-care is how you take your power back.” -Layla Delia This episode is all about power, purpose, and how basic self care is necessary for a purposeful life. Art, meditation, being in nature, prayer, dance, and the ways that you feel in contact with yourself and your source can help your purpose so much. In fact, I think it's essential. Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com Free Goodies...
2024-12-2517 minThe Modern Creative Woman83. The Neuroscience Behind our DecisionsAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“Each time a woman stands up for herself without knowing it, possibly without claiming it. She stands up for all women.” -Maya Angelou We have so many choices to make this time of year. Will we do the usual holiday traditions? Will we have a New Year's resolution? Will we feel good or guilty? Will we give? How much will we give? There is a lot that goes into choice. Today we talk about the neuroscience of choice and the brain mech...
2024-12-1821 minThe Modern Creative Woman82. How to DO More Things you REALLY LikeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!What can you do to enjoy the holidays a little bit more? The answer is incredibly simple. It didn't say it was easy. I said it's a simple answer. This episode is all about making contact with the present moment so that you can be in a state of mind to create your response in a way that is authentic and genuine and in alignment with how you want to be and how you want to feel. Support the show...
2024-12-1126 minThe Modern Creative Woman81. Which do you prefer...Process or Product? (Holiday Edition)Ask me a question or let me know what you think!"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."-Sidney Harris Ask any art therapist about process or product and you will probably catch an ear full! This episode is all about how to enjoy the process of the holidays without the emphasis being on the product - the days you celebrate or the gifts you get. Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com ...
2024-12-0428 minThe Modern Creative Woman80. If you think you're enlightened, go spend a week with your familyAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"If you think you're enlightened, Go spend a week with your family." This quote from Ram Dass is one of my favorite challenge questions this time of year, as we move into family and holiday seasons. 4 philosophies to feel good this holiday season!1. be here now 2. psychological flexibility3. beginner mind Book: Zen Mind Beginner Mind by Shunryu Suzuki (1970)4. use your strategies Remember to grab your free gratitude journal! Download it and give yours...
2024-11-2720 minThe Modern Creative Woman79. Art as a Human RightAsk me a question or let me know what you think!The United Nations recognizes the right to artistic experience as a fundamental cultural right, and it's in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They also acknowledge the importance of artistic expression for the human spirit to create democratic societies and vibrant cultures. Art and artistic expression is a fundamental human and cultural right. This starts off today's episode and we are talking all about ease and flow and using your fundamental human creative right to show who you are, express yourself and learn from yourself.
2024-11-2017 minThe Modern Creative Woman78. That family-political dramaAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"Breathing in I calm my body and mind. Breathing out I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment." This quote from Thich Nhat Hanh starts us off today as we talk about cultivating ease and how to navigate holiday time with family, where you might be struggling to have an aligned vision. I answer a listener question about choosing to spend time with family. You always have options! You don't have to see family! If you decide to g...
2024-11-1323 minThe Modern Creative Woman77. Take it Easy on YourselfAsk me a question or let me know what you think!I'm recording this on election night in the United States, and I don't know yet who will be the winner. Friends in the US and around the world are feeling the stress of this election. We are talking today about anticipatory anxiety. It is a feeling where uncomfortable feelings increase because we are anticipating something happening that they don't really have that much control over. Obviously, we can vote, but there's not a lot of individual control over the outcome once you've cast your...
2024-11-0629 minThe Modern Creative Woman76. Time to let down your hairAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Ever have trouble relaxing? Yah, me too.It is time to let down your hair!Something is always born of excess. Great art was born of great terrors or great loneliness. Great inhibitions. Instabilities. And art always balances them. This quote from Anais Nin starts us off today as we're talking all about art, and we'll be looking at fairy tales, self-expression, personal style and metaphor as it relates to a certain aspect of letting your hair down and relaxing. S...
2024-10-3022 minThe Modern Creative Woman75. Your Healthy Creative Ambition (part 2)Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Feminist scholar, author, and activist, Bell Hooks gives us an incredible insight about women and agency. She says: "If any female feels she needs anything beyond herself to legitimate and validate her existence, she's already giving away her power to be self-defining. Giving away her agency." This quote starts off part two of our episode about healthy creative ambition. So if you have yet to listen to episode 74, go back and start there. This episode picks up where we left off. This...
2024-10-2320 minThe Modern Creative Woman74. Your Healthy Creative Ambition (part 1)Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Creative ambition must include your intention to act creatively on your values. If you've struggled with taking action on your values, this episode is for you. Have you ever wondered what your purpose on earth is? You are not alone. Philosophers, educators, theologians have been talking about and pondering this question for a millennia, and women often struggle with this question as well, wondering if they're supposed to be something. Are they supposed to be a mother? Or are they supposed to be a p...
2024-10-1629 minThe Modern Creative Woman73. Creativity to Self ActualizeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Creative Mindset includes a focus on creativity and innovation. It means exploring and examining your thoughts to see which ones you want to continue thinking and which ones are old, outdated, and weighing you down. Innovation is really focused on defusing from those old thoughts and choosing thoughts that serve you and get you where you want to go. It also means pushing your own boundaries. It's thinking outside of your usual thoughts and exploring new ways of doing things. It very much requires us to...
2024-10-0924 minThe Modern Creative Woman72. You were Born to Create!Ask me a question or let me know what you think! “You are not just born to center your entire existence on work and labor. You were born to heal, to grow. To be of service to yourself and your community. To practice, to experiment. To create. To have space. To dream and to connect.” This quote from Trisha Hershey, author of Rest is Resistance, starts us off today as we learned about a soft reset and creativity being inspired from this process. Research articles are linked in the show notes and here is an e...
2024-10-0213 minThe Modern Creative Woman71. Why you Need Creative AmbitionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“Ambition is what dreams are made of. It's what makes us believe that we can be more, that we can be a better version of ourselves.” This quote comes from Maria Catherine Harvey. She's the founder and CEO of Smart Way to Start. She's an author and leader of the A Effect in Switzerland. This episode is all about ambition. Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com Free Goodies and Subscribe to th...
2024-09-2524 minThe Modern Creative Woman70. Flexibility Makes You Happier!Ask me a question or let me know what you think! “I'm not as goal obsessed as I am process obsessed.” This quote from Lady Gaga starts us off today, as we think about the art and the science of how we can engage in process oriented strategies to feel better. This episode is a follow-up to episode 69...listen to that one first.Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletterhttps...
2024-09-1821 minThe Modern Creative Woman69. How YOU can be Psychologically FlexibleAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“Life is a process of becoming a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to select a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.” This quote from Anais Nin starts us off today talking about psychological flexibility and creativity. The research shows that psychological flexibility is one of the most important qualities that we can embrace as we grow and become more and more of the person we want to be. This episo...
2024-09-1123 minThe Modern Creative Woman68. Art Therapy does...what?Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Art therapy really is so magical. I am blown away every time I create my own art and discover something new about myself. And even after almost 30 years of practicing as an art therapist, I am surprised and delighted every time my clients make art. This is my perspective on the beauty and the power of art therapy. And this episode is all about art therapy and why it is such a powerful tool for healing, growth and insight. Support the s...
2024-09-0418 minThe Modern Creative Woman67. How to ditch your unrelenting standardsAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"If we can compassionately remind ourselves in moments of falling down, that failure is part of the shared human experience, then that moment becomes one of togetherness rather than isolation." This description comes from Doctor Kristen Neff, the leading expert in self-compassion. And in fact, she conducted the very first academic studies on the psychology of self-compassion. Today's conversation is all about pragmatic utility and how we can notice and use pragmatism to both feel better in the moment and let go of long...
2024-08-2821 minThe Modern Creative Woman66 Perfectionism Kills ArtAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"Perfectionism kills art. I find that if I criticize myself, it spoils the fun and you can get paralyzed by analysis. It takes all the playfulness away." This quote by Geri Halliwell starts off today's episode all about the neurobiological process of perfectionistic thinking and the creative ways that you can step away from this approach. We talk about partaking in perfectionistic thinking strategies such as thinking you areThe Modern Creative Woman Reframe Model Perfectionistic Statement and t...
2024-08-2122 minThe Modern Creative Woman65. Everything is Perfect. And There is Always Room for Improvement.Ask me a question or let me know what you think!“Everything is perfect and there is always room for improvement.” This quote from Suzuki Roshi, who is the founder of the Zen Center of San Francisco and credited with bringing Buddhism to the East, starts us off today on this conversation about perfectionism. Thoughts are not the truth, they are just neurological phenomenon. Your heart beats. Your brain thinks. Thoughts are one neuron firing across the synapse to another neuron and then spreading out across a group of neurons to make a pattern. Th...
2024-08-1425 minThe Modern Creative Woman64. Redefining PerfectionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"I am so afraid of disappointing the people that I love. I often forget that I am someone I love too, and I need kindness just as much as I believe the people I love do." Nikita Gill. Perfectionism is not a clinical diagnosis. It's not a pathology. It's a character trait and we can learn to relate differently to our perfectionistic thoughts. If you have yet to listen to Episode 63, listen to that one first. This episode is all about how w...
2024-08-0727 minThe Modern Creative Woman63. Perfection is the Enemy of Good EnoughAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"Perfection is the enemy of good enough." This quote comes from Voltaire, a Parisian philosopher, and he said it in 1770. Today's episode is all about our striving for perfection and how, with a few simple adjustments and some creative thinking, you can move from the unrelenting standards of perfectionism into the purposeful, meaningful striving towards your values. If you want to figure out how to have your standards without compromising your peace of mind, join me inside The Modern Creative Woman membership for a m...
2024-07-3129 minThe Modern Creative Woman62. Why you need to be walking with other womenAsk me a question or let me know what you think!I have learned so much about myself and others and the world by going on walks with other women. This episode is all about why we need to be walking with other women, what we should be talking about with them. No shock you have to put your phone away when you walk! I give some love to those women who walked with me and inspired me. Listen in for why a community of women takes us farther, faster. Your challenge for the week...
2024-07-2423 minThe Modern Creative Woman61 Avoid this One Thing to get Your Emotional Needs MetAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Nostalgia is a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for a return to simpler times, or some past period that really is irrecoverable. The condition no longer exists, and it probably didn't exist like you remember anyway. Learn how to reflect on the past in a healthy, holistic way. Manage your mind and use nostalgia and your creativity to to fuel you instead of distract you. Message me one happy memory that you are savoring and I'll send you one of mine!S...
2024-07-1719 minThe Modern Creative Woman60. Dialectics, Contradictions, & Your "Aide Memoire"Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Hurry! The doors to the Paris Retreat are closing! Secure your spot now for the ultimate glow up!"If we can learn to deal with our discomfort and just relax into it, we will have a better life." -Mellody Hobson Being able to hold two contradictory ideas within ourselves is incredibly empowering. Being psychologically flexible enough to allow balance reduces our suffering and brings ease to our life. If we only listen to one side of t...
2024-07-1022 minThe Modern Creative Woman59. Women Supporting Women - Your RoleAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“A mentor is someone who allows you to know that no matter how dark the night, in the morning, joy will come. A mentor is someone who allows you to see the higher part of yourself when something becomes hidden to your own view.” This quote from Oprah Winfrey starts off today's episode all about being an ally, a mentor, and a sponsor in your professional and your personal life. Quick! Who's one woman that mentored you and supported you in your life, either in your...
2024-07-0333 minThe Modern Creative Woman58. Overcoming your biggest mental hurdleAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough." You've probably heard that quote out of a lot of people's mouths, but do you know who said it first? Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Have you ever noticed your "eyes are bigger than your stomach?" Ever take on a big project and lose steam half way through? This episode is how you can overcome projection bias to achieve big dreams and stay the course. Projection bias is an overestimation of how m...
2024-06-2626 minThe Modern Creative Woman57. Holistic Love and Your Creative ProcessAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"I was always looking outside of myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within and it is there all the time." This quote comes from Anna Freud...yes, daughter of Sigmund Freud. She's an Austrian-British psychoanalyst, and she has delivered a powerful message here that it's always there. What we need for confidence is always there. We just are learning to tap into it. Are you willing? What are you willing to do?This episode is all about holistic love and t...
2024-06-1920 minThe Modern Creative Woman56. Tell me a story - why your brain craves a new storyAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"The single thing all women need in the world is inspiration, and inspiration comes from storytelling." This quote is from Zainab Salbi and she has spent her life advocating for marginalized communities. She is an Iraqi American journalist and a humanitarian, and she's used storytelling as a means of inspiring and empowering others. This quote about storytelling starts us off today as we explore holistic love and how we can tell stories to give us meaning and purpose. Did you attend the Vibrant Vision W...
2024-06-1226 minThe Modern Creative Woman55. Minute by Minute, You Accomplish Your PurposeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"Every minute of every hour of every day. You are making the world just as you are making yourself, and you might as well do it with generosity and kindness and style.." This quote is from Rebecca Solnit. She's a writer, a historian, and an activist. Our episode off today all about the benefits of slowing down, and living in the moment, minute by minute. Mindfulness meditation really gives us the chance to slow down, be in the moment and fully appreciate what's happening. If y...
2024-06-0531 minThe Modern Creative Woman54. BONUS Guided Meditation: Loving KindnessAsk me a question or let me know what you think!This bonus track is the Loving Kindness Meditation. You can lay down, relax, turn this on before you go to sleep at night, or you can set up some art supplies and respond however you like through the creative process. If you'd like to do a shorter meditation, you can stop at the musical interlude. If you'd like to go a little further, the meditation goes longer for loving kindness that covers the entire earth. And just for good measure, we'll stretch it out t...
2024-05-3120 minThe Modern Creative Woman53. The Neurobiology of Loving KindnessAsk me a question or let me know what you think! My wish for you is that you continue, continue to be who and how you are to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart. -Maya Angelou Have you reserved your spot yet for the Vibrant Vision Workshop? If not, what are you waiting for? This is your opportunity to really focus on the way you think about things and become more clear about choices, decisions, and your future. I'll be t...
2024-05-2923 minThe Modern Creative Woman52. Anniversary PartyAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"I want to build a community where women of all races can communicate and continue to support and take care of each other. I want to give women a space to feel their own strength and tell their stories." -Beyoncé Join the Vibrant Vision Free Workshop! https://moderncreativewoman.com/webinar/And today it's an audio celebration - this is the one year anniversary part of the Modern Creative Woman Podcast! We will cover a year i...
2024-05-2219 minThe Modern Creative Woman51. Slowing Cellular Aging ALSO Relieves AnxietyAsk me a question or let me know what you think!May I be healthy, safe and strong. May you be healthy, safe and strong. May all beings on planet Earth be healthy, safe and strong. May all beings throughout all time and space be healthy, safe and strong. This episode is all about peace and loving kindness. What if I told you I had a magic formula that could lessen your self-criticism, improve your wellbeing, even reduce cellular aging, reduce your experience of physical pain, give you greater resilience, better relationships, and even better m...
2024-05-1529 minThe Modern Creative Woman50. We might hate it when our friends become successfulAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"You can't be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean and a sea." C. Joybell C. Why do we seek change? Behavioral psychology says there's two reasons we might want to change. One is to remove discomfort or pain. Essentially, it's removing our own inner psychological distress. We also want to seek change for higher, mo...
2024-05-0825 minThe Modern Creative Woman49. Polar Bears and the "Dis-ease" of OverthinkingAsk me a question or let me know what you think!We make ourselves suffer the more we think, and when we live in our heads, we're missing all the feelings, all the experiences, and all the other sensations that we have available to us. Over-thinking leads to "dis-ease". Over-thinking means relying on this one aspect of our human experience, (our brain) to the exclusion of all the other rich, cool and amazing ways that we can live and experience our lives.Plus! Find out how a polar bear can change your relationship to...
2024-05-0120 minThe Modern Creative Woman48. Burnout & Putting Yourself to Bed on TimeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. Maya Angelou Welcome to the Modern Creative Woman, where we explore the power of creativity through neuro aesthetics, art therapy and innovative thinking. I'm Dr. Amy Backos, your hostess and creativity expert, bringing you the art and science of creativity through our conversations and creative insights. I'll provide simple tri...
2024-04-2429 minThe Modern Creative Woman47. Wonder Woman and Why it's Finally Time to Visit a MuseumAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"There is widespread agreement that art is very important, but it can be remarkably difficult to say quite why." This quote from Alain de Botton starts off today's episode all about the seven functions of art that you can use in your everyday life. Art as therapy postulates that creativity and art making is inherently human. It's part of our biology. It's what we do to express ourselves. And the process of making art is healing. Art makes us feel good. It's enjoyable. It r...
2024-04-1726 minThe Modern Creative Woman46. Coloring Outside the Lines: Navigating Ambiguity with CreativityAsk me a question or let me know what you think!"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way, things I had no words for." Georgia O'Keeffe How does your brain respond to ambiguity? Science and art have a lot to say about this! Ambiguity is really just the quality of being open to more than one interpretation. Ambiguity is really just the quality of being open to more than one interpretation. Today we are talking about three creative actions that you can take to...
2024-04-1017 minThe Modern Creative Woman45. Are you Thinking like an Artist?Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Creativity is not the problem. You and all of humankind are naturally and inherently creative. We have lots of creative ideas every day, and yet we have thoughts that stop us from taking internal and external action on our creative ideas. This episode is all about new ways to react to creative ideas. If you are considering how you can make an impact in your life, creativity just might be the missing ingredient. We have so many new ideas, and yet things like social c...
2024-04-0325 minThe Modern Creative Woman44. Sculpting Success: Crafting Your Mind for Creative BrillianceAsk me a question or let me know what you think!To think like an artist is to make contact with your intuitive spirit of exploration. This week's podcast is all about how to think like an artist. Welcome to the modern creative woman. Explain the art and science of creativity. We can be more authentic, more self expressive, and being in the present moment helps make the world a little bit better, because the people that we are taking care of, who rely on us, who interact with us, also get to have that o...
2024-03-2715 minThe Modern Creative Woman43. From Stuck to Unstoppable: The Art of ChangeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!We change over time. Sometimes in dramatic ways where we make a big life change, and other times we change intentionally in small ways that lead to something big later on. And we're always just changing naturally. To live our life is to evolve, and if we try to avoid changing, we really get stuck. It leads to a whole different kind of usually unwanted sorts of change. When I think about the mechanisms of change, I'm referring to the things that actually move us forward...
2024-03-2028 minThe Modern Creative Woman42. How Desire Shapes Creative VisionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!“Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.” This quote from Helen Keller starts off our episode all about desire. We're talking today about using your creative mind to understand this deeper perspective of your desires, your dreams, your wishes. We'll talk all about desire, some of the upsides and the downsides of how we've been trained to think of our own desire. And I'll share with you an amazing art project that you can do to really capture your desir...
2024-03-1321 minThe Modern Creative Woman41. Artistic Alchemy: From Prometheus to Art Therapy BarbieAsk me a question or let me know what you think!The birth of creativity came when humankind got fire. Or so the legend goes about Prometheus, who stole the lightning bolt from Zeus and gave it to humankind. Today we are talking all about creation, creativity, and what it means to be a creator. Welcome to The Modern Creative Woman, exploring the art and science of creativity. This is the podcast for women who want to elevate their creativity and start applying creative thinking in their everyday lives. Support the show...
2024-03-0627 minThe Modern Creative Woman40. The Art of Self-Leadership: 8 Strategies to Lead with ConfidenceAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Would you describe yourself as a leader? Maybe a self leader? You are!Today we're talking about eight powerful ways that we express leadership. This is also a bit of a swan song to women leaders around the world, including my mom, who's got some bang up advice for dealing with tricky situations. Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter
2024-02-2819 minThe Modern Creative Woman39. Game Changers: Self-Leadership Lessons from Women's Sports PsychologyAsk me a question or let me know what you think!What have been your game changing attitudes? Today we're talking about how sports psychology and some of the modern updates to it are redefining self leadership for women. Sports psychology is full of strategies to help people visualize their success in their performance on the field. It's a subset of psychology that began around the 1920s, and as with most aspects of psychology, it began focusing mostly on men. In the 1990s, sports psychology became associated or tie in more with positive psychology. And si...
2024-02-2113 minThe Modern Creative Woman38. You Need to be CEO of Your Life: 10 Power MovesAsk me a question or let me know what you think!How do you lead yourself? Do you like the way you do it? Are you a good boss? We're talking today all about how to craft your destiny using the art of self leadership. And a modern, creative woman who is a self leader is unapologetically authentic and fearlessly pursuing her passions and empowering others to do the same. That was my initial definition, and then I had a little modification. The idea of fearlessly pursuing our passions seems almost impossible to think about m...
2024-02-1418 minThe Modern Creative Woman37. Oops, I Did It Again: Lessons I Just Can't Seem to MasterAsk me a question or let me know what you think!What are the lessons that you keep learning over and over again? Today I'll be sharing two of my lessons that I seem to keep having to learn. Welcome to the modern Creative Woman exploring the art and science of creativity. This is the podcast for women who want to elevate their creativity and start applying creative thinking in their everyday lives. I'm your hostess and creativity expert, Doctor Amy Backos. I'm a licensed psychologist and a registered and board certified art therapist with almost t...
2024-02-0729 minThe Modern Creative Woman36. Only Two Kinds of Behavior (Part 2)Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Our relationship with ourselves is the longest lasting and closest of all our relationships. Perhaps you are best friends with yourself, or perhaps you feel really ill at ease. This episode outlines the internal behaviors you might want to consider to build a stronger relationship with yourself. This is a two part episode of behavior and understanding the difference between inner and outer behavior. If you have yet to listen to episode 35, go back and listen to that one first. Support the sh...
2024-01-3122 minThe Modern Creative Woman35. Only Two Kinds of Behavior (Part 1)Ask me a question or let me know what you think!When our choices and actions line up with what is most important to us, we feel good. It's like we're living our purpose and enjoying our lives when we take those kinds of actions. Today's episode is all about aligning our behavior. This episode is a two part series on behavior. Today we are talking about external behavior, and the traditional definition of behavior is things that can be observed by two people. Next week we'll talk about internal behaviors. And those are thoughts, f...
2024-01-2420 minThe Modern Creative Woman34. Creativity and the Scientific MethodAsk me a question or let me know what you think! Ever wonder what to believe? Me too. An abundance of scientific literature is truly a great thing, and yet we all need some help in carefully selecting what we consume to avoid being swept away by wishful thinking or pseudoscience. There are many ways of knowing and in this episode I am talking about the scientific method. I want you to be able to discern what you are reading. I know people being duped by pseudo-scientists and I want our community to be...
2024-01-1720 minThe Modern Creative Woman33. Creative Emotion Regulation StrategiesAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Emotions are like the weather and we are the sky. The weather comes and goes but we as the sky are constant. This episode is all about the psychology of dealing with the metaphoric, turbulent weather of unwanted emotions, and how you can best choose the coping strategies that will help you in the moment.This episode is all about choosing the best strategy for your present moment awareness and emotional regulation. We'll be talking about mindfulness. The concept of the thinking threshold, and...
2024-01-1026 minThe Modern Creative Woman32. The Most Powerful Creative PositionAsk me a question or let me know what you think! What time is it? It's the new Year, and it's time to take stock of your life and make your creative plans. Temperatures might be dropping, but it is the season to heat up your creativity. 7s Welcome to the modern creative woman exploring the art and science of creativity. This is the podcast for women who want to elevate their creativity and start applying creative thinking in their everyday life. I'm your hostess and creativity expert, Doctor Amy, because I'm a licensed psychologist and a r...
2024-01-0316 minThe Modern Creative Woman31. The Brain Body Connection is a MythAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Have you heard the brain body connection? Many people believe that the two are connected and that concept is so outdated. It's time we got to the heart of the matter. This week we are talking all about the myth of the mind body connection and how making contact with the present moment helps us see the illusion of connection and disconnection, how we view some of the art and science related to how we think about ourselves, and give you some ways that y...
2023-12-2726 minThe Modern Creative Woman30. How to Get Out of a HoleAsk me a question or let me know what you think!The first law of holes says, if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. The second law of holes is to notice that when you stop digging, you're still in a hole. These rules about holes were first popularized in 1911, in the Washington Post. And of course, there's been lots of variations. We're talking today about how to stop digging and what to do when you're ready to get out. It is episode 30! Thank you for hanging in with me!...
2023-12-2031 minThe Modern Creative Woman29. Create Your Life in ContextAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Women are not the content of their thoughts or feelings or memories or actions. Whether we are the consciousness, experiencing or observing our thoughts and feelings and memories. This is my definition of our observing self, and that's what we'll be talking about today. If you have yet to listen to last week's episode, I encourage you to go back and listen to that one first. Last week we talked about presence and that means fully conscious of and engaging with your current experience. P...
2023-12-1320 minThe Modern Creative Woman28. Making Contact: Why you Need Present Moment AwarenessAsk me a question or let me know what you think!There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. So today is the right day to love, to believe, and to mostly just live. This quote from the Dalai Lama speaks to us today about presents. Welcome to the modern creative woman exploring the art and science.I want to talk to you today about presence. Not the kind you give and receive. This is the kind that you intentionally...
2023-12-0622 minThe Modern Creative Woman27. Creative ways to Overcome Your BlocksAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Ever have a block like a writer's block and artist's block? Maybe even a decision block? You might feel like something is holding you back. Maybe you're the person who freezes up or distracts themselves or procrastinates. Or maybe you're a person who moves about frantically doing a lot of unproductive things. Today we're talking about how to use self appreciation to help you take action and overcome these kinds of blocks. I think it is the missing ingredient when we're struggling to overcome s...
2023-11-2921 minThe Modern Creative Woman26. The Fountain of Youth: Is Your Bestie the Magic Ingredient?Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Let's talk friendships. Think of your bestie. Who's your best friend? Aren't they amazing? Now think of a casual friend. Someone you see only occasionally, or you have not such a deep connection with. And now think of a distant social relationship. Maybe like your barista. Research has demonstrated that all of these kinds of relationships bring us value. They're good for us, and they help us with our mental and physical health. They can even help us live longer. This is se...
2023-11-2222 minThe Modern Creative Woman25. Self Appreciation before Appreciating OthersAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Gratitude allows us to make contact with the present moment. It opens our eyes to the possibility of our own creativity. And gratitude also puts us in contact with our intuition and our inner wisdom. Today, we're talking about the practical ways that you can use gratitude to foster your inner and outer peace. If you have yet to join the 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, I want to personally invite you. It's my hope that the 21 Day Gratitude Challenge contributes to a little more peace i...
2023-11-1520 minThe Modern Creative Woman24. How to Make Gratitude Your Core StrengthAsk me a question or let me know what you think!There's a really unique way. I want you to think about gratitude. Gratitude is both a state and a trait. For example, you could be in a state of happiness because something happened. You could also have a trait of happiness where you just kind of lean towards happiness. You put a lot of time and attention into that experience of happiness. Gratitude is like that. You can feel grateful in the moment when something happens, and you can also build it up as one of yo...
2023-11-0821 minThe Modern Creative Woman23. Gratitude & PerspectiveAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Join the 21 DAY GRATITUDE CHALLENGE!Build your inner peace. And from a place of gratitude, we really can continue to work towards family, community and world peace. When we feel settled, we choose actions towards peace. So if you're interested, you can consider this challenge as your commitment to embark on a path of gratitude and appreciation and really start to focus on your own way of being to create a more peaceful world. I think the challenge will bring you some awareness about how m...
2023-11-0122 minThe Modern Creative Woman22. Cultivating Creative SpiritAsk me a question or let me know what you think! What would your creative spirit say? Have you chatted with her lately? Let's talk about what that means to be in alignment with your creative spirit. And sometimes it is the way through a hectic season of our lives, a busy day at work or with family. And it's certainly a way to connect when we're feeling the stress from the outside world and what's happening. Your creative spirit is the source of your creativity. It could be a joyful experience of inspiration, insight. Ma...
2023-10-2510 minThe Modern Creative Woman21. My Brain-Hack Burnout SolutionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Yes or no? What is your go to answer? If you find that you are saying yes to things you know are burning you out, and you're saying no to the things that would truly enrich your life. This episode is for you. I'm really excited to talk with you about yes and no. And I'm going to teach you a powerful tool that you can use right away to start thinking a little bit differently about your decisions. I used to just say no...
2023-10-1816 minThe Modern Creative Woman20. How to Get Out of Your Own WayAsk me a question or let me know what you think!In acceptance and commitment therapy, we have a great metaphor for how to get out of our own way. It's essentially the idea of taking your brain for a walk. So if you can imagine yourself like you're walking the dog but you're walking your brain, it's about letting that active, busy, chattering part of our brain come along with you. The fears can come along, the insecurities, and it allows us to move forward with what's important, what we truly value, even when we're full...
2023-10-1126 minThe Modern Creative Woman19. Hindsight is 20/20: A Journey through Positive Psychology and Imaginary HindsightAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Creativity connects to everything! This episode explores the intersection between positive psychology, creativity, and personal growth. Positive psychology emphasizes well-being, happiness, and personal growth as well as subjective well-being, positive emotions, character strengths, resilience, and flourishing, all of which are relevant to your creativity and personal transformation.Here is a five-step strategy for change that seamlessly integrates positive psychology and creativity. This includes finding your intrinsic motivation to discover your deeply held desires, values, and motivations,Preparation: The preparation stage emphasizes th...
2023-10-0422 minThe Modern Creative Woman18. Stop Withholding Acceptance from YourselfAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Welcome to the modern creative woman exploring the art and science of creativity!Acceptance is not love. You love a person (including yourself) because they have lovable traits. But you accept everybody, (including yourself) just because we're alive and we're human. This is a quote from psychologist Albert Ellis and this episode is all about acceptance of yourself, of others, and of what isexisting around you. Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityht...
2023-09-2723 minThe Modern Creative Woman17. The Emotional Cycle of Change: Overcoming the Valley of DispairAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Welcome to the Modern Creative Woman, exploring the art and science of creativity. This week is all about the Emotional Cycle of Change: Uninformed Optimism, Informed Pessimism, the Valley of Despair, Informed Optimism (hopeful realism), and Success.What can you learn from your past Valleys of Despair to help you move forward through change?My affirmations for the week:-I am a woman who grows in the direction of my choosing.-I am a woman who...
2023-09-2024 minThe Modern Creative Woman16. Practice Makes Change: The Art of Creative AlignmentAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Feeling stuck or fearful of change? Wish there was a way to experiment with change in a safe and risk free way? Change can be scary, that's for sure. Do you ever wish you could experiment with change without the risk or the hassle of actually changing behaviors? You might be surprised that such a thing does exist and it far more than just imagining the change. You can make huge strides in practicing your change through art making. This is, i...
2023-09-1318 minThe Modern Creative Woman15. Ditching the Norm: Creative Success Beyond SMART GoalsAsk me a question or let me know what you think!I always found SMART* goals boring and uninspiring. As a person who thrives on variety and inspiration, they just never motivated me in spite of my best efforts. Ever feel like something was wrong with you when you failed achieve or even forgot your SMART goals? Nothing is wrong with you! They were designed for a narrow and specific type of goal in business or education. As a Modern Creative Woman, you probably just need some more options for setting goals. Are you ready to trade t...
2023-09-0621 minThe Modern Creative Woman14. Learning or Unlearning?Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Can you actually unlearn? Probably not, but you can learn new skills and the ability to have a second thought when faced with triggers. This episode builds on Episode 13, if you have not listened to that one, go back and learn about the Trans-theoretical Model of Change before you go granular in what constitutes change and three ways we can ease into the season of change.If you are excited about this work and interested in learning more, September is your month! Come join...
2023-08-3016 minThe Modern Creative Woman13. Embracing Fresh Starts: A Formula for Lasting ChangeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Ah, the allure of new beginnings – whether you love them or find them daunting, they're an integral part of life. In September, the promise of renewal and transformation is in the air. Despite January's title as the official New Year, this transitional period brings its own unique magic. Here is my four-part formula, a guide to approaching fresh starts with grace and self-compassion. Four: Shifting Perspectives on the Unfinished Unfinished projects can make us uncomfortable, triggering negativity and self-criticism. However, in ou...
2023-08-2319 minThe Modern Creative Woman12. The Joy of Time Well WastedAsk me a question or let me know what you think!I like to waste a little time here and there. It makes my thinking so much more creative. Today we are talking about how to claim your rest and why you should be wasting a little bit of your time.Is the day taking its toll? Are you feeling a bit weary? Perhaps it's time for a well deserved pause to recharge and rejuvenate. We definitely need it...over 77% of people have experienced burnout in their job, and in 2019, burnout was officially recognized as...
2023-08-1624 minThe Modern Creative Woman11. The Hidden Secret to a Well-Rested LifeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Creative rest involves engaging in activities that allow you to express yourself or tap into your imagination. They're the things that really rejuvenate your mind. And it's all about giving yourself the space and freedom to explore your creative interests without the pressure of productivity or the expectation that your art or your writing might look or read a certain way. This kind of rest is so important for individuals who engage in any kind of analytical work. It's also relevant if you have fa...
2023-08-0915 minThe Modern Creative Woman10. From Imagination to Manifestation: The Magic of Creative EvolutionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Think about your own vital life force energy and how it is directing your life. How much room are you giving it to breathe? This kind of energy informs our creativity, our art, our self expression, our career, our family, and even how much fun we're having. Creative evolution an idea that began with French philosopher Henry Bergson in 1907. Creative evolution is an inherent creative force guiding the development of life in a nonlinear, unpredictable, and purposeful ways. What I like most is that i...
2023-08-0214 minThe Modern Creative Woman9. Five Universal Truths to Guide Your Creative EvolutionAsk me a question or let me know what you think!We have so much more in common than we think. In this episode, I'll be sharing five things that I have observed from my work as a therapist for over 25 years and the universality of the human condition. Have you considered the idea that we are more alike than we are different? I was reflecting on how there are common themes across all of the people that I've worked with, and it's been thousands. And there seems to be universal truths in philosophy and religion and p...
2023-07-2612 minThe Modern Creative Woman8. How to RespondAsk me a question or let me know what you think! Some of the best responses come after a pause, a breath, a walk, and a refocus on the big picture. In this episode, we talk about why your knee jerk reactions are limiting your creativity. And we'll also cover three ways that you can go from automatic reactions to value based responses. The trickle down effect of listening to and believing your automatic thoughts is less actual thinking, less creative thinking, less relationship building, and far less self growth than we're capable of.
2023-07-1918 minThe Modern Creative Woman7. How to be a Modern Creative WomanAsk me a question or let me know what you think!What unique story and perspective do you want to share with the world through your creative life? This episode is all about how you can answer that question through your own modern creative life. A Modern Creative Woman actively engages in creative perspectives and pursuits. She expresses herself through her life, in her work, home, parenting, cooking, style, writing, art, and in every aspect of her life and community. She knows she is the one who can do it the way that she does, a...
2023-07-1217 minThe Modern Creative Woman6. The Awkward In-BetweenAsk me a question or let me know what you think!How much of your life is balanced on the unseen? Liminal Space refers to a concept that's popular in anthropology, psychology and art, describing a transitional or a threshold, and it occurs between two really distinct conditions or places or stages in life. Liminal encompasses the transitional spot that we might have in between something that's happening. Liminal space is often associated with ambiguity, uncertainty, and transformation. Think of it as not being here but not being there. The familiar is left behind, but the new or...
2023-07-0519 minThe Modern Creative Woman5. Cultivating those elusive "Ah-Ha" MomentsAsk me a question or let me know what you think!An AH-HA moment is that split second of sudden inspiration, insight, recognition, or some kind of comprehension. We might call it a light bulb moment and it comes from in our brain was a spontaneous insight. It has nothing to do with analytic thinking. In psychotherapy, an ah-ha moment is a client's sudden insight into her motives for thoughts or feelings or behaviors. Oprah describes the AHA moment as remembering what you already knew. It's hearing something articulated in a way that resonates with your own t...
2023-06-2816 minThe Modern Creative Woman4. UPDATED Self Expression is Easier than the AlternativeAsk me a question or let me know what you think!It is far easier to be creative and express ourselves than it is to hold it all in. It's like smiling. Having a smile on your face requires less facial muscles than it does to frown. Have you ever considered that it's actually easier to be your authentic self and just express it? It requires so much energy to be not authentic and to be not creative. It takes a real toll on our minds and our bodies if we're only passively consuming the creativity of...
2023-06-1721 minThe Modern Creative Woman3. Art is the Elimination of the UnnecessaryAsk me a question or let me know what you think!Art is the elimination of the unnecessary. This quote by Pablo Picasso is the inspiration for today's episode about what to let go of to be more creative. Opening your mind to create creativity and creative thinking requires letting go of a lot of our old, uncomfortable, yet familiar thoughts and habits. As we age, we certainly begin to let go of things that weigh us down. This episode highlights four ways of thinking that you can eliminate today if you want to be more c...
2023-06-1616 minThe Modern Creative Woman2. Six ways Creativity makes us more Socially Conscious NeighborsAsk me a question or let me know what you think!A society that has lost touch with its creative side is an imprisoned society. In that generations of people may be closed minded, it broadens our perspective, and creativity can help us overcome prejudices. That's a quote from the National Youth Council of Ireland. Do you ever feel frustrated and find it difficult to make the changes that you want in your life? Or it's hard to get what you want in your relationships in society? Perhaps you feel frustrated about social change and t...
2023-06-0613 minThe Modern Creative Woman1. UPDATED Are you a creative thinker?Ask me a question or let me know what you think!Do you see yourself as more creative or more logical? You actually possess both types of thinking. Creative thinking and making art are human survival traits and even serve as an evolutionary advantage. This episode covers the psychological concepts of convergent and divert thinking and why you might want to practice your creative thinking.Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.com Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter...
2023-06-0215 min