Your Creative Mind

The simple question that protects artists, writers, performers, and creative entrepreneurs from unpaid work What changes when you decide your creativity deserves professional respect and pay? In this solo episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg speaks candidly to writers, musicians, actors, and creative professionals about getting paid, setting boundaries, and refusing the “do it for ex...

Staying Creative in Difficult Times: How to Keep Your Spark When the World Feels Heavy How can you protect your energy, stay creative, and build meaningful collaborations without burning out? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I talk with author and activist Kitty Stryker, who has spent over a decade shaping conversations around consent culture, sustainable activism, and healthy creative pract...

See why sustainable creativity is less about pushing harder and more about supporting your well-being. What would your creative life look like if your focus felt steady, your ideas flowed more easily, and your work lifted you up instead of wearing you down? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda sits down with Steven Puri, former EVP, Kurtzman/Orci @ DreamWorks Studios and 20th Century Fox...

If your creative vision feels bigger than your current skills, you’re not failing. You’re growing. In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg shares a powerful insight from playwright Lauren Gunderson that reframes creative hesitation for writers, musicians, actors, and artists. This isn’t about fear of judgment. It’s about artistic skill, vision, and timing. Through personal stori...

For People Who Want Depth, Not Drama and Expression Without Exhaustion What happens when your creative voice evolves, and you choose to evolve with it? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg shares why 2026 marks a turning point: a deeper focus on artists, makers, and anyone reclaiming confidence through creative expression. You’ll hear the story behind the new Suit of Voices i...

Al Petteway was arguably one of the top ten guitarists who ever lived. I was also lucky enough to call him a dear friend. Enjoy this encore episode with a terrific human and a musical master. New episodes will return in the new year. This Week's Card to Contemplate: Confidence Website: https://IzoldaT.com Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call New Play Exchange: http...

NPR Books Editor Petra Mayer Petra was a great friend of mine. Tragically, she suddenly passed away in November 2021. Her New York Times Obituary noted her many accomplishments. I called her my dear friend. Enjoy this encore episode of one of the best people ever.   Website: https://IzoldaT.com Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call New Play Exchange: https://newplay...

Turn Artistic Vision into Real-World Experiences People Can’t Stop Talking About with Liz Yilmaz and Mara Driscoll How do you create collaborative art that sparks emotion, builds community, and keeps audiences talking long after the performance ends? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda talks with Mara Driscoll and Elizabeth Yilmaz. They are the visionary producers behind Art Bath, an imm...

Curiosity & Beginner’s Mind and Why They Matter Have you ever felt like your creativity or focus has dimmed even though you’re doing everything “right”? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I explore how curiosity and beginner’s mind can lift that heaviness and help you reconnect with clarity, energy, and authentic creative flow. You’ll learn simple, science-supported ways to spark mental op...

Learn how mindfulness practices for children can transform how your family or team handles stress, builds focus, and fuels creative flow. What if teaching your child mindfulness could make your whole family calmer, more creative, and more connected? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda talks with Veronica Moya, author of Goom Finds His Happy Place and founder of Mindful V, about how medit...

Reduce holiday stress and navigate family tension with writing and storytelling The holidays are meant to be joyful, but for many of us, they bring stress, overwhelm, and tricky family dynamics. What if there was a simple way to feel calmer, clearer, and more in control without rearranging your entire schedule? Today, we’ll explore how writing and storytelling can do exactly that. You’ll learn pra...

Why I’m Just Getting Started: Creativity, Courage, and Confidence in My Late 50s What if the best years of your creativity, courage, and confidence are still ahead of you? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I share my story of directing my very first play on a $50 budget, returning to theater decades later, and reflecting on what shows like And Just Like That reveal (and sometimes miss) about...

Turn laughter into your edge. Learn from Lynn Harris how comedy strengthens creativity, confidence, and communication in every part of your work and life. Lynn Harris © Denise Winter What if your sense of humor could become one of your strongest creative and professional tools? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Lynn Harris, comedian, writer, and founder of GOLD Comedy, shares how the craft of...

Breaking Creative Barriers with Outrageous Ideas What makes a story both unforgettable and transformative? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I sit down with author and playwright Susan Sloate, whose work spans novels, musicals, and autobiographical love stories. Susan shares why she believes happy endings carry lasting value, how outrageous creative choices often lead to the strongest storyte...

From brain science to heart truth. How storytelling is your most powerful tool. Ever wonder why you feel a pull to tell stories, even if you’ve never written a word? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, we explore the deep-rooted instinct to create and share stories, whether through books, plays, films, or everyday conversations. You’ll learn how storytelling strengthens emotional intelligence,...

Collaboration Lessons from Theatre Directors That Apply to Any Creative Project with Stacy Zuberi, Sara Ruiz, Basil Rodericks, and Andy Reiff. What can a directing class teach us about creativity, leadership, and the art of telling stories that connect? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg sits down with fellow directors Basil Rodericks, Andy Reiff, Sara Ruiz, and Stacy Zuber...

Doing Nothing as a Creative Reset: Simple Techniques to Reclaim Your Mind and Mood What if doing nothing was the most creative thing you could do? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg explores how intentional stillness restores your creativity, focus, and joy even when you only have five minutes. You’ll learn why pausing your productivity actually strengthens your imagination...

How tiny bursts of creativity during your day can help you feel calmer, more focused, and more yourself. Do you wish you had more time to be creative but feel like every minute is already spoken for? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg shares three simple, proven strategies to help you carve out a few minutes each day for creativity or your favorite hobby without overhauling...

Three actors, one enigmatic play, and surprising insights into collaboration, craft, and curiosity What can three actors teach you about memory, silence, and creativity? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I sit down with Jaqui Shiel, Mark Cosby, and Lori Kee, three accomplished performers who brought Harold Pinter’s Old Times to life in a Zoom performance in Karen Kohlhaas’ directing class tha...

Itzhak Perlman at 80 reminds us: presence and connection matter most What happens when you’re on stage and suddenly feel your audience slip away? In this Creatives at Work episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg shares why losing an audience isn’t a failure. It’s a normal part of creative life. And, more importantly, how you can bring people back with confidence and grace. Take the fear...

Why Self Trust and Telling the Truth in Your Art is the Most Radical Move You Can Make What happens when you stop asking for permission and start using your voice fully and unapologetically? In this powerful episode of Your Creative Mind, Grammy-nominated artist, poet, and activist Mary Lambert shares how creative self-trust, emotional truth, and artist activism fuel her work. You’ll hear how she...

A brand new segment/episode style of this podcast. When I see, do, or experience creatives at work in a way that highlights curiosity and using our brains and minds to create or change worlds, I'll do an episode like this one. On this one, I explore Playhouse Creatures' production of Tennessee Williams' Two Character Play starring Irene Glezos and Joseph Rodriguez directed by Anthony Biggs. I saw...

Josh Rogosin breaks down the magic behind music that moves people around the world. What does it take to truly hear creativity across cultures, genres, and geography? In this episode, Izolda sits down with Josh Rogosin, the sound mind behind over 800 NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and founder of Global Sound Concerts. You’ll hear how music becomes a bridge between people, how deep listening changes everyt...

How I spent my summer vacation ... Here are my lessons learned from taking time to work on myself, my art, my time management and many other facets of being me for these last four weeks. I hope these lessons learned will help you set boundaries, do your creative work, and discover how you work best. Cheers! Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon . Connect with me...

Finish What You Start: Techniques to Keep Judgment Out of Your Creative Process Ever start a project only to abandon it halfway through because you judged it too soon? You’re not alone. Millions of half-finished books, paintings, and songs aren’t abandoned because the ideas were bad. They’re abandoned because judgment crept in before the work was ready. In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izold...