Episode Notes
Have you ever wondered any of these: What the science is behind creativity? What causes creativity in the brain? What part of the brain is used in creativity? Or maybe even how to activate creativity in the brain?
In this episode Kate speaks with Dr. Cheryl Arutt a clinical and forensic psychologist based in Los Angeles, California working with actors, writers, directors and showrunners supporting their psychological well-being. A specialist in trauma recovery, creativity and post-traumatic growth, Dr. Cheryl is currently Access Hollywood’s go-to psychologist for trauma issues, a frequent psychological expert on many networks including CNN, HLN and DiscoveryID, and has been interviewed by the BBC and 20/20 Australia. For more information about Dr. Cheryl please visit askdrcheryl.com, and for info about her online courses for creative artists please visit www.thecreativeresilience.com
Dr. Cheryl explains how creativity works and what it even is from a Brain Science Perspective. We talk about the link between education and creativity. I ask her if we are doing enough to foster creativity & creating thinking in the school system? And she gives us some actionable things we can do at home for ourselves and our children to rev our own creative engines. One of my favourite moments though, comes towards the end when I ask her about the possibility of the opposite of inheriting generational trauma existing. We know we can inherit trauma but can we inherit magical wonderful things too? We shared a really tender moment - one where I felt like she was talking to ALL of us. It’s beautiful, uplifting and inspiring. I think you’ll be really moved by it.
What Dr. Cheryl Arutt & I talk about
-What creativity IS from a brain science perspective.
-What is really going on inside our psychology when people say “I’m not creative”
-Why processing trauma including intergenerational trauma, and converting it to post traumatic growth is so important (and is absolutely possible)
-The link between education and creativity. Are we fostering creativity and creating thinking enough in the school system? And if we are seeing that our children are not getting as much focus on creativity in school what can we do at home?
-What is the one question you can ask yourself (or your kids) to kick start your creativity (what is another way to do that/look at that/solve that)
-How the “we only use 10% of our brains” thing is a myth
-How to use creativity to safely access our traumas
-What is EMDR (eye movement and desensitization and reprocessing therapy how it was discovered and how creative people can use it to heal trauma and access even more of their innate creativity
-Post traumatic growth - learning to integrate and recognize all the ways you grew as a person as a result of living through your trauma
-What she thinks creativity is trying to do - from a brain science perspective
About Dr. Cheryl Arutt
Dr. Cheryl Arutt is an accomplished clinical and forensic psychologist based in Beverly Hills, CA whose amalgamation of rigorous training and experience allows her to engage with people from a place of deep insight and empathy. Through compassion, skill and sometimes even humor, she helps her patients uncover what is in the way of living a full-access life, empowering them to move forward.
Following over 20 years as a working actor, Dr. Cheryl’s interest in human behavior shifted to psychology after volunteering on a crisis line. With scholarships from both SAG and AFTRA to study at University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Cheryl graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her Doctor of Psychology degree from California School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles, where she received the Outstanding Doctoral Project Award for her Clinical Dissertation: Healing Together: A program for couples coping with the aftermath of rape.
Her postdoctoral fellowship at WILA culminated in a certificate of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and she received further advanced training in Interpersonal Neurobiology with Dr. Daniel Siegel, with whom she gave a TEDx talk. A lifelong student of power dynamics and an ally for social justice, Dr. Cheryl taught courses to PhD and PsyD students at Allliant International University/CSPP, including: Intercultural Processes and Human Diversity, Sex Roles and Gender, Ethics and Clinical Interviewing.
Dr. Cheryl Arutt - Clinical Psychologist
As a trauma specialist, Dr. Cheryl helps her patients understand how adaptations to the source of distress often outlive their usefulness and provides guidance and inspiration to navigate life from a place of wholeness. In continual pursuit of deepening her knowledge of trauma recovery and post-traumatic growth, Dr. Cheryl is devoted to continuing education in effective and evidence-based therapies, including EMDR therapy. A certified Rape and Domestic Violence counselor for decades, Dr. Cheryl also serves on the Board of the national victim’s organization, PAVE, dedicated to shattering the silence of sexual violence.
Dr. Cheryl understands and supports the unique needs and challenges of creative artists and performers. In collaboration with Dr. Cheryl, actors, writers, showrunners, musicians and other creative professionals learn to thrive and clear obstacles to their success and happiness, both personally and professionally. She is a firm believer that the best way to protect the art is to protect the artist.
In addition to working with people in private practice, Dr. Cheryl enjoys speaking to professional organizations, institutions of higher learning, at events and on television about creative resilience, post-traumatic growth, recovery from trauma and why people do what they do.
Dr. Cheryl Arutt: website | facebook | instagram | twitter
Kate Shepherd: art | website | instagram | twitter
Morning Moon Nature Jewelry | website | instagram
Creative Genius Podcast | website | instagram
Resources discussed in this episode:-Dan Siegel, MD-Dan Siegel’s “Window of Tolerance”-EMDR Institute-Access Hollywood video about EMDR-Bessel van der Kolk, MD book: The Body Keeps the Score
