SPECIALTY AREA
creatives
Therapy for people who make things.
Online therapy for artists, designers, musicians, writers and creative people in California.
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATIONMaybe this sounds familiar…
- You care a lot about your work, and it’s hard to switch off.
- You second-guess what you make, even when other people like it.
- Feedback and rejection stay with you longer than you’d like.
- You compare yourself to other people and feel like you should be further along.
- It’s hard to start, hard to finish, or hard to share what you’ve made.
- Or you’ve stopped making things, and you miss it.
When the work is personal, everything about it feels personal.
Creative people put themselves into what they make. So a critique, a slow month or a project that isn’t working can feel like it says something about you. That isn’t a flaw. It comes with caring this much.
What we work toward
- Caring about your work without it deciding how you feel about yourself.
- Hearing feedback without it staying with you for days.
- Starting, finishing and sharing your work with less fear.
- Trusting your own creative instincts.
- Rest that doesn’t come with guilt.
- Room for your own work, not only the work you’re paid for.
How we work together
Attachment
Self-doubt and perfectionism usually started somewhere. We look at the early relationships and experiences that shaped how you see yourself. For this deeper work I draw on psychodynamic therapy and EMDR.
Nervous system
Pressure and deadlines can keep your body on high alert. Body-based work and the Safe and Sound Protocol help your nervous system settle, so it gets easier to rest and recover.
Boundaries and needs
We get clear on what you need in order to do your work and stay well, and how to ask for it with clients, collaborators and the people close to you.
I work with…
“Your relationship with yourself is the foundation for all psychological growth.”
Dr. Cindy T. Denkhaus
Questions you might have
Do I need to be a professional?
No. I work with people who make a living from creative work, people who do it alongside a day job, and people who have stopped and want to start again.
How will therapy impact my creative work?
Therapy isn’t meant to change what you make or take away what drives you. Many people worry that their struggle is what fuels the work. What I see more often is that with less fear and self-criticism in the way, people have more energy and freedom for it.
What is your background with creative work?
Before I became a psychologist I worked in the music industry. I trained in creative arts therapies, and I was the in-house therapist for art students at California College of the Arts. I’m a licensed clinical psychologist, trained in EMDR and the Safe and Sound Protocol. You can read more on my About page.
Do you offer online therapy for creatives in California?
Yes. I offer online therapy (telehealth) to adults across California by secure video, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley.
Do you take insurance?
I am an out-of-network provider. You can find the details on my Psychotherapy page.
If this sounds like you, I’d love to connect.
Schedule a free consultation call and we’ll see whether working together feels right.
CONNECT WITH DR. DENKHAUS