Creative Belonging with Dr. Brooke Kuhnhausen

About the speaker:

Dr. Brooke Kuhnhausen is a deeply creative soul who embraces explorations of connection and healing across varied landscapes ranging from academic classrooms to treeside in a forest.  Dr. Kuhnhausen values creativity and collaboration as portals of transformation and imagination so vitally needed for new ways of being together and caring for the Earth in our time of climate change. She is a psychologist who practices depth and relational therapy in her private practice and also trains and consults with other therapists, teaching in various graduate programs and therapy institutes.

Dr. Kuhnhausen's climate justice advocacy includes her participation in ecofeminist art exhibitions, including her absolutely stunning land art installation last summer at the Verdancy Project in Oregon.  Her passionate centering of beauty and connection as north stars for inspiring positive change has personally shifted co-host Sarah Reeder's thinking away from climate despair many times.  It is such an honor to be able to share her unique gift of perspective on the podcast as we talk about creativity as a force for healing.

Dr. Kuhnhausen can be reached at [email protected] for inquiries regarding workshops, speaking engagements, creative collaborations, and other opportunities.

In this episode:

• Brooke Kuhnhusen shares her evolving understanding of creativity, initially seeing herself as a psychologist engaging in art, but now embracing her identity as a creative person.
• She discusses the therapeutic connection of creativity, highlighting its role in connecting with the deepest self through compassion, curiosity, connectedness, and creativity.
• Brooke emphasizes the importance of joy in the creative process, describing it as a vital, fun energy that counters the inundation of bad news. She recounts her personal experience with land art, overcoming self-doubt, and finding satisfaction in the creative process itself.
• Brooke also explores cultural perspectives on creativity, particularly in ceremony and ritual, and the significance of giving oneself permission to be creative.
• She highlights the power of co-creation and community in amplifying joy and connection, viewing creativity as a collaborative and exponential force.
• Lastly, she underscores the natural world's role in inspiring and holding our joy and courage in creative endeavors.

Images of Dr. Kuhnhausen's 2023 art installation:

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