Painting Your Path

Spring is here. It’s the perfect time for renewal and planting seeds for the year. But nothing changes or grows unless you do something about it.

In this episode, I’m talking about what renewal actually requires (hint: it’s not waiting for the perfect time), and why so many of us stay stuck even when we feel the pull to move.

If you’ve been circling an idea, second-guessing yourself, or telling yourself “later”… this one’s for you.

I also share a simple question to help you take your next step, and an invitation to join me for the Spring Creative Reset on April 11 in Pasadena.

Connect with Clarissa:

• April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to [email protected] for more details or to sign up
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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In this episode of Painting Your Path™, I sit down with Nadia Paredes: art therapist, former president of the American Art Therapy Association, immigrant, mom, and community mental health leader with Project HOPE.  

After losing her son’s school in the Eaton fire, Nadia’s personal and professional worlds collided, leading her back into disaster mental health and community care. She shares how art, creativity, and community can help us navigate grief, shock, and long-term recovery.

Tune in to hear how Nadia thinks about healing after a crisis, what it really looks like a year later, and why she believes we are always “becoming.”

In This Episode, We Touch On:

• Nadia’s story of losing her son’s school to the fire and how it reshaped her sense of community  
• Her journey back to disaster mental health work after years in other clinical roles  
• What art therapy actually is—and how it differs from “therapeutic art” or creative self-care  
• The mission of Project HOPE and how they’re supporting communities in crisis (including the Eaton fire response)  
• The idea of vicarious trauma for people working closely with survivors and communities  
• Simple micro-breaks and self-regulation tools to support your nervous system during stressful times  

📺Watch on YouTube: Tune in here

Connect with Nadia:

• Project HOPE website: https://www.projecthope.org
• Project HOPE’s Mental Health Toolkit: https://www.projecthope.org/reports-resources/e-poster/quick-reset-mental-health-pocket-toolkit/
• CA for the Arts Therapy Session with Nadia: https://youtu.be/OyMb0Xj4_78?si=II-p1ehnRlJfKezQ
• Pasadena Village Hope to Healing program: https://www.pasadenavillage.org/events/4367-hope--healing-supper-club

Connect with Clarissa:

• March 26th Free Virtual ArtfulRx (Paint with me session)
• April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to [email protected] for more details. 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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Spring is starting to show up here in Southern California.

Little hints - hotter temps, longer evenings, small buds appearing on branches that looked completely bare just weeks ago.

It always reminds me of something important: nature doesn’t wait for perfect conditions before it begins again.

In this episode, I share a reflection on rebuilding, not just in our communities, but within ourselves.

After a difficult year and a season of loss for many in Altadena and surrounding communities, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it actually takes to start again.

Not the polished version of starting over.

The real one.

I also share a few honest reflections from women who recently joined The Art of Becoming, and what finally moved them from waiting… to beginning.

If you’re ready to really start 2026 (March is my January!), this conversation might meet you exactly where you are.

Inside this episode, I explore:

• waiting for the perfect moment
• the reconnective power of creativity can 
• what matters more than big plans

And I’ll leave you with a question I’ve been sitting with as we move into spring.

Because sometimes the most powerful beginnings are the quiet ones.

🎧 Tune in and see what resonates.

Connect with Clarissa:

• March 14 In-Person Art + Nature Mixed Media Class at Buzzworthy Beverages (Claremont, CA)
• March 26th Free Virtual ArtfulRx (Paint with me session)
• April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to [email protected] for more details. 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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This Season 5 episode of Painting Your Path™ continues our focus on the Eaton and Palisades fire survivors and the grassroots communities and organizations that have held us through it.

Today, I’m joined by Kelly Etter — retired dancer, singer, actress, former Rockette, longtime Altadena resident, Eaton fire survivor, and Pilates + nervous system mentor.

In this conversation, we explore:

• What it really looks like to rebuild your life, home, and work after losing so much in the fires  
• Why feeling safe in your own body is foundational to any kind of recovery  
• Simple nervous system practices that can help you regulate, soften anxiety, and release tension (no special equipment required)  
• The unexpected ways the Altadena community has grown closer, more creative, and more resilient since the fire  
• How to give yourself grace when you’re not “as far along” as you think you should be

Plus, she’s offering a free 6-minute nervous system practice to help you tame neck tension and come back to yourself.

🎧 Listen now to hear:

• The moment Kelly realized her work with the body meant something very different after the fire  
• The tiny daily rituals that are helping her move through grief and into quiet resilience  
• How you can begin to “paint your path,” even when you can’t see the whole picture yet  

Connect with Kelly:

• Get Kelly’s free gift: Tame Your Neck Tension in Under 6 Minutes 
• Website: https://kellyetter.weebly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterwithkellyetter/
• Programs: https://programs.kellyetter.com/reclaim-your-body-reclaim-your-life-short-landing-page

Connect with Clarissa:

• March 14 In-Person Art + Nature Mixed Media Class at Buzzworthy Beverages (Claremont, CA)
• March 26th Free Virtual ArtfulRx (Paint with me session)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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“Not ready.”

I hear it all the time.

This week, I’m unpacking what we really mean when we say that, especially when it comes to creative work, big ideas, and becoming the next version of ourselves.

We’re talking about time, energy, hope… and the quiet ways fear disguises itself as responsibility.

This episode is honest. Grounded. And maybe a little uncomfortable.

If you’ve been waiting for clarity or confidence before you begin, press play.

Connect with Clarissa:

• FREE 3-day audio series: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/theartofbecoming-freeaudioseries
• The Art of Becoming Program: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/artofbecoming2026
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art

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This week on Painting Your Path, I sit down with the incredible Ellen Stern Kutza—someone whose journey through creativity, healing, and community support will move and inspire you. Ellen is not only a certified biofeedback specialist, but also a lifelong artist with a huge heart for giving back.

We dive into what it means to turn personal and community challenges into powerful acts of service and creativity. You’ll hear about Ellen’s experiences during one of the most trying times our community has faced, how art became a beacon of hope, and the surprising ways she’s helped others rebuild and heal.

Curious about how resilience takes shape when life throws its biggest curveballs? 

Or how an artist’s perspective can transform tragedy into hope? 

Don’t miss this heartfelt episode—I promise you’ll walk away inspired and uplifted.

Tune in to hear more and be sure to share your biggest takeaways!

Ellen’s Bio: 

Certified Biofeedback Specialist since 2005, Ellen uses state of the art quantum technology for stress reduction, brain wave retraining and pain management. She also services many energy workers for their self care and peak performance. 

Ellen is an Advanced Certified Akashic Record Healer.  She channels beautiful poetry from source. 

She is also a fine artist working with watercolors and abstract acrylics. Her artistic expressions flow from emotions, harmonizing with the melodies of music to see where the journey leads. Over time, Ellen’s creations have transformed into a conduit for spiritual awakening and portals as magical beings grace her paintings with their presence expressing aspects of divinity and dimensional realms. 

Connect with Ellen: 

• Website: www.biofeedbackmatters.com
• Instagram: @ellensternkutzaartist
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/P_LM4C1e0hI?si=w7E_zwItq0FvjMaB

Connect with Clarissa:

• FREE 3-day audio series: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/theartofbecoming-freeaudioseries
• Feb 23rd Bonus Coaching Q&A: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/bonuscoachingfeb23rd-optinform 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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Driving home today, I kept thinking about something I heard in a meditation:

What if we spend too much of our lives getting ready to become who we’re meant to be?

Getting ready to feel confident.

Getting ready to have more time.

Getting ready to feel certain.

In this episode, I’m unpacking what actually creates change — and why it’s rarely about your environment.

I share:

• A real client story about moving from rumination and perfectionism to clarity and follow-through
  
  
• The quiet shift that helps women reconnect with their creative spark
  
  
• Why support matters more than discipline

If you’ve been circling an idea, waiting for the right time, or feeling like “little, old me can’t do this”… this episode is for you.

You don’t need to become someone else.

You need to recognize who you’re already becoming.

🎧 Listen in — and let me know what resonates.

If you’d like deeper support, I’m hosting a live coaching + Q&A session on the 23rd. 

Connect with Clarissa:

• FREE 3-day audio series: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/theartofbecoming-freeaudioseries
• Want in on the live coaching + Q&A session Feb 23rd? It’s just $26 USD. https://paypal.me/ClarissaCastillo208
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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There’s something extraordinary about sitting down with fellow artists who have walked through fire (sometimes literally) and emerged with new light to share.

In this heartfelt episode, I’m joined by Marike, painter and founder of Altadena Candle Company. We dive into creativity as a source of healing, our shared love for community, and how it feels to rebuild life, one brushstroke or candle at a time, after loss.

We talk about holding space for both grief and beauty, making meaning through art, and how personal rituals and local roots feed our resilience.

Whether you’re navigating change, longing for inspiration, or love a behind-the-scenes look at creative entrepreneurship, there’s something here for you.

Tune in for a conversation full of honesty, hope, and creative sparks. Don’t miss this episode!

Marike’s Bio:

Marike is the founder of Altadena Candle Company, where she hand-pours all-natural soy, phthalate-free candles inspired by the beauty and resilience of Southern California. A former high school teacher/admin and lifelong artist, she began making candles after the loss of her husband as a form of healing and creative expression. Following the Eaton Fire, candle-making became a deeper way to stay connected to her community and to honor place through scent and ritual.

Connect with Marike: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altadenacandlecompany
• Website: www.altadenacandleco.com

Connect with Clarissa:

• FREE 🎁Self-Expression Journal: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/selfexpressionjournal
• Feb 7th watercolors workshop, Claremont, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/manage/events/1980840454121/details
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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This season of Painting Your Path™ begins with a pause.

Before sharing conversations with survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires (and the organizations supporting healing and recovery) I’m opening Season 5 with a solo reflection.

This episode is not about resolutions or reinvention.

It’s about gentler rhythms.

About honoring what you’ve carried.

About arriving—without rushing who you’re becoming.

A soft beginning.

An honest breath.

An invitation to listen and not let the “shoulds” start off your year. 

Connect with Clarissa:

• FREE 🎁Self-Expression Journal: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/selfexpressionjournal
• Jan 31st vision board workshop, S Pasadena, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vision-board-workshop-at-the-hive-south-pasadena-jan-31st-tickets-1981239403389 
• Feb 4th vision board workshop, Pasadena, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vision-board-workshop-at-wild-parrot-brewing-co-pasadena-tickets-1980524026678
• Feb 7th watercolors workshop, Claremont, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/manage/events/1980840454121/details
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

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Dr. Tasha Golden, behavioral scientist and former singer-songwriter, bridges the gap between knowing that creativity heals and making it happen in practice. In our conversation, she reveals her collaborative “Arts on Prescription” field guide that gives healthcare providers and art and wellness practitioners actionable steps to integrate arts into treatment—not just theory, but practical implementation. 

Here’s more about Dr. Tasha Golden: Tasha Golden, PhD is a touring artist turned behavioral scientist who speaks and consults globally on creativity, wellbeing, and change.

Dr. Golden was the first Director of Research for the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is adjunct faculty in the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, and lead author of Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities. Named one of Fierce Pharma's "Fierce 50" for her work integrating arts and healthcare, she has published extensively on intersections of arts, behavior, and wellbeing.

Golden's work emerged from her career in the arts. As singer-songwriter for the critically acclaimed band Ellery, she toured internationally, with songs in TV/film (ABC, SHOWTIME, FOX, NETFLIX). Her experiences on the road, and subsequently with burnout and depression, shaped her current work in arts and health. She is founder of Project Uncaged, a trauma-informed writing program for incarcerated girls, and developer of "How We Human”—a mental health training for creative professionals.

Dr. Golden helps clients and audiences combine science and creativity to advance wellbeing, innovation, and impact.

Connect with Dr. Tasha:

Website: https://www.tashagolden.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashagolden
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tasha.golden/

Connect with Clarissa:

• FREE 🎁Self-Expression Journal: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/selfexpressionjournal
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art

Support the show