The Modern Creative Woman

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Why do so many intelligent, capable women long to be creative but never quite begin? In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores three surprisingly common mental barriers that keep women from painting, writing, making art, and expressing themselves creatively. These obstacles aren't a lack of talent or time. They're patterns of thinking that...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! We spend so much of our lives trying to eliminate uncertainty. We want the right answer, the perfect decision, and reassurance that we're on the right path. But what if uncertainty isn't something to avoid? What if it's actually one of the most important ingredients for creativity, growth, and living a meaningful life? In this episode...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Have you ever thought about knitting as preventive healthcare? In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores the fascinating intersection of creativity, neuroscience, psychology, and fiber arts. What has often been dismissed as "women's work" is now backed by a growing body of research demonstrating significant benefits for brain health, e...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! The Male Gaze in Art: Who Gets to Be Seen? In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores the concept of the male gaze, its origins in art and film, and how it continues to shape what we see in museums, movies, and visual culture today. From feminist film theory to museum curation, this conversation invites listeners to look...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Show Notes: The Neuroscience of Pleasure, Desire, and Creativity In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores the fascinating connection between creativity, pleasure, and the brain's reward system. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, art therapy, and her own recent experience completing a new book manuscript, Amy di...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Season 4 Premiere: Creativity, Meaning, and Art Therapy—Answers to Your Most Asked Questions Welcome to Season 4 of The Modern Creative Woman podcast. As we begin another year together, I'm reflecting on what an incredible journey this podcast has been. What started as an attempt to put words to something I have always understood through experi...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman Podcast , Amy Backos explores one of the most powerful concepts in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): cognitive defusion. What happens when you stop treating your thoughts like facts? What changes when you learn to observe your mind instead of obeying it? Amy walks listeners through the neuroscience...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! What would happen if you stopped documenting your life long enough to actually experience it? In this episode, we explore the growing cultural movement toward an “analog summer” — intentionally stepping away from constant digital stimulation and reconnecting with slower, more tactile, deeply human ways of living. From knitting and painting to playin...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores the inseparable relationship between art and politics, and why creativity is not a luxury—but a necessity for a healthy society. From political cartoons and protest imagery to community art and everyday creative expression, art has always been a catal...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! What actually creates a meaningful life? In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores the deep connection between meaning, motivation, values, and behavior. Drawing from psychological research, personal stories, and her own creative process, Amy unpacks why fulfillment is not found through certainty, productivity, success,...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! When life feels uncertain or overwhelming, it’s natural to return to familiar ways of coping. These patterns often developed for good reason—they worked at one point in time. But as circumstances change, those same strategies can become limiting, keeping us stuck in cycles that no longer support our well-being. In this episode of The Modern Creative...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! The arts are not a luxury. They are a biological necessity. In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores the powerful connection between creativity and health—breaking down the neuroscience behind why engaging in the arts improves not only emotional well-being, but cognitive functioning and even physical health. From brain...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Art is not a luxury—it’s a defining feature of what it means to be human. In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores the deep psychological, biological, and cultural roots of creativity, starting with a powerful idea: humans have been making art for over 70,000 years—and we still underestimate its value. This is a convers...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! What does it actually mean to have YOUR style ? Not just in how you dress—but in how you think, create, relate, and move through the world. In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman , Dr. Amy Backos explores style as a way of being —a deeply personal, psychologically rooted expression of self. Inspired by a moment at a San Francisco Symphony Leag...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! What if the biggest limitation on your creative work isn’t your talent—but your perception of its value? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tanetha Jamay Fisher—leadership professor, former Capitol Hill strategist, and luxury business advisor—to explore the powerful intersection of power, perception, and prestige . Together, we unpack how high-lev...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! When was the last time you intentionally engaged with the arts—not just as background noise, but as a tool for your well-being? In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores the powerful intersection of creativity, neuroscience, and health. Drawing from the landmark 2019 World Health Organization report analyzing over 3,000 studies, she unpacks why the a...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Have you ever noticed the kinds of questions you ask yourself throughout the day? In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman Podcast , Dr. Amy Backos explores the powerful role of our inner dialogue and how the questions we ask ourselves shape the answers our brains produce. Many women are familiar with harsh inner questions like “What’s wrong wit...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman Podcast , Dr. Amy Backos explores an important question: How do we care for ourselves when the world feels overwhelming? Drawing from positive psychology and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, she reminds listeners that acknowledging suffering in the world does not require abandoning our own joy, rest, or...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Have you ever believed a thought about yourself so completely that it felt like fact? I’m not good enough. I’m a fraud. I can’t handle this. In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores what Acceptance and Commitment Therapy calls cognitive fusion —the very human tendency to get tangled up in our thoughts and treat them as truth. Drawing from art therap...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! How much of your life are you actually experiencing… and how much of it are you trying to finish? In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos explores the difference between process and product — and why our culture’s obsession with outcomes quietly steals so much of our satisfaction, creativity, and peace. From childhood art classes to professional life, we’re...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Many of us think we have a motivation problem. We call ourselves lazy. We say we’re procrastinating. We wait to “feel ready.” But motivation isn’t a personality trait — and it isn’t something you have to wait for. In this episode, psychologist and art therapist Amy Backos breaks down what 70 years of research actually says about motivation — includi...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! If I could gift everyone one psychological skill right now, it would be this: psychological flexibility. Because when the world feels overwhelming — when the news is heavy, systems feel broken, and old wounds get stirred up — rigidity doesn’t help. Avoidance doesn’t help. Doom-scrolling doesn’t help. Adopting a stance of Psychological Flexibility do...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! In this deeply meaningful conversation, I sit down with Dr. Lavinia Jackson — Chair and Professor of Art Therapy at Marymount University, scholar, educator, and one of the most important voices shaping the future of our field. Dr. Jackson is the author of Cultural Humility and Art Therapy , a book that has profoundly influenced both my teaching and...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! Pick our metaphor to make your life a little easier and more enjoyable. Getting into your zone is the key to living your purpose with clarity, intention, and creativity. Support the show Explore the Modern Creative Woman Community https://moderncreativewoman.com Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter https://moderncreativewoman.com/sub...

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! If your creative energy feels fragile right now, ask yourself not how to push harder or where to recruit more willpower. Instead, ask yourself what kind of container it's been asked to survive in.  This episode draws your attention away from motivation and willpower, and towards creating containers where your creativity can grow and expand. Sup...