Relationships. Utterly key to our ability to function with optimism, contentment, and creativity. But how much do we take care of them? Relationship with ourselves? Partners, professional or romantic? With society?

Psychotherapist Allison Heiliczer joins The Creative Condition for the latest in a series of specific mental health topic episodes as we take a long look into the relationship mirror.

We cover:

• Chaotic brains
• Finding the right tribe for these brains
• Negative identities
• The finding time myth
• Loneliness and isolation
• The control illusion

You can find out more about Allison at https://rethinkthecouch.com

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

It's heavy out there. Cost of living. Mental health. Climate. Extreme division. Capitalist mania.

I opened my finances spreadsheet and freaked right out. Anxiety took hold and amplified it out of all proportion.

Here are 10 things that got me out of the hole, things that can help you too, dear artist.

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Are we all on ref cam?
• Identity and belonging on the paper round
• AI agents and primitive idiocy

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A moment with The Creative Condition founder Ben Tallon as he shares creativity-led thoughts, insights, lessons, feelings, and observations for the duration of one brew (hot beverage).

Today, join me as I reflect on a nettle sting sustained by reaching for a bag of dog shit, and why it links to Marcus Aurelius.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Aaron Becker, Seth Kleinberg, and Troy James Miller from Los Angeles-based Filmograph join me to take us inside their brilliant studio.

Their output is insane and inspiring, from The Penguin to Mission Impossible via Aquaman, a visit to their portfolio is a must for any serious film fan.

We cover:

• The importance of respect for the concept over trends
• Filmograph's origins
• The importance of time off
• Changing plans in the service of the creative
• Juggling acts and the art of staying creative across many projects

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Golden hour comfort
• Learning through humour 
• Burning bridges
• Gallows humour

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

After reading a beautiful piece of writing about Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke's football strike partnership in 1999 by Matt Dickinson, I was reminded of the vital importance of our creative partners in life.

To help you recognise and value yours, I work through some that spring to mind in my life, how they vary, and why they matter for our creativity.

I dig into:

• Why partners matter for our creativity
• Types of partners
• The different ways they nourish us
• The difference between long-term, momentary, disparate, and imaginary partners

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Three nice things after a bad night's sleep
• A tiny assault on my peace 
• Telling an authentic story

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

The world is heavy. It always was. But today, we're slammed by a constant wall of white noise, and the vast majority of what we're told is negative.

Anxiety is heightened perhaps more than ever before as a by-product of our hyper-connected digital way of life.

Too many people spend their days exhausted and locked in a state of fear. It's damaging our ability to create, to feel hopeful, optimistic, and curious.

Every one of us lives with anxiety. It is an evolutionary alarm system to help keep us safe. We are also able to manage our thoughts to stay in control of our anxiety.

UK leading psychologist Wendy Dignan, founder of Fearless Female joins me as we openly discuss our own experiences with anxiety, what it is, why many people are struggling to cope with theirs, and how we can better do that.

We discuss:

• Why anxiety belongs to all of us, and how it behaves
• Why people suffer from it more than others
• The physiology of anxiety
• Wendy and Ben's own struggles
• Anxiety misconceptions
• Techniques to turn anxiety into something meaningful, and how to quieten thoughts

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session or my 'The Creative Condition' workshop now at https://thecreativecondition.com/coach

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A responsive instalment of The Creativity Diary as I drive under a motorway bridge and struggle to get past the graffiti message painted on it.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua