You are creative.

Heal your creativity so you can (finally) create what matters and live in your grounded authenticity without fear and angst

You are creative.

But the big people said “not so fast.”

At crucial moments in your childhood you got the message that “it’s not okay” to create. Not okay to allow your inner world to flow into the outer world. So you held it in.

At the time you didn’t really understand what that meant. But you did know the pain of not being seen for who you are and the judgement that came with it. 

So you locked that part of yourself up tight.

You tried pretending it wasn’t there. You looked for “safe” and acceptable creative outlets. Ways that avoided judgement. To be what other people wanted you to be.

But your creative spirit cannot be contained.

You hear it call to you.

Your burning heart. Your burning Idea. The real you. 

And now you’re older and wiser, you think, “I can handle it.” I can open that box, even just a little. Maybe for a small project. Or maybe something bigger, that creative dream you’ve held close to your chest for the last decade or more.

But when you try to open the box, even just a little, you are overwhelmed by uncomfortable and confusing symptoms.

  • Negative and critical thoughts
  • Doubt and uncertainty
  • Anxiety
  • Sleepiness
  • Busyness
  • Procrastination
  • Physical pain
  • Caretaking
  • Escaping into fantasy
  • Guilt and shame
  • …and more

That's natural.

And…temporary. Your creative spirit can flow freely again.

How do you heal the locked box your creative spirit is fighting to get out, but your inner protection system is fighting to keep shut?

How do you release that tension?

Let’s start: Imagine the box your creativity is locked in. Is it plain or ornate? What colour is it? What size is the lock? What does the scary guard dog look like?

Now add the chains. The chains that keep the box locked up tight in case you get any wild ideas about opening it. Each chain represents a message you received as a child about your creativity.

Those messages might sound like:

  • “You can’t make money from art, so why bother?”
  • “You’re not good enough to be successful.”
  • “Art can’t be your Plan A.”
  • “Your art is hurting your family. You need to stop.”
  • “Art is for kids or Picasso. And you’re not either of them.”
  • “I suck at this.”
  • “Art isn’t for people like us, get a real job”
  • “I can’t believe you wrote that about your family, how could you?!”

Those messages distil to a simple (false) belief: “I’m bad.”

So every time you try to open your creative box your unconscious mind screams DANGER, WARNING, DANGER.

To stop you from exposing yourself to judgement, ridicule and persecution, your unconscious mind reacts in the only way it knows how. With uncomfortable and confusing symptoms that stop you in your tracks.

We call them defences.

And at Individuo we help you identify those defences, so you can heal your creativity and make whatever wild and wonderful things your creative spirit calls you to create.

But there is no magic pill. Sorry.

You can’t rip the box open and expect creative flow. In fact, that will simply strengthen the defences around your box.

Slow is the way.

Because the only way to release those chains is to go into your inner world and heal the pain within. You’ll start small, building a suite of creative practices that help you stay with the discomfort that arises when you try to open that box, and have a toolkit of practices to help you heal them.

We have a bunch of free resources to help. But we recommend getting started with the My Creative Defences play sheet. It’s a quick and easy way to get to know how your unconscious mind tries to protect you from “danger.”

Sign up below to get started.

A bit about Samantha Mackay (that’s me!), founder of Individuo

I got so excited about helping you heal your creativity, I forgot to introduce myself.

I am Samantha Mackay, founder of Individuo, Enneagram mentor and creative recovery coach.

I remember the first time I judged my artist endeavours. I was painting a self-portrait. The skin colour was too peachy, the chin curved the wrong way, the eyes were flat. I said to myself “you’re terrible at this, stop.” 

I was 5. At 5 my painting should be a mess! But, without support, I stopped painting.

I have spent my life trying to find acceptable outlets for my creativity, constantly stifled by fear and judgement.

And then I got curious.

Why is it so hard to do something that brings me joy and delight? Why am I resisting it? 

That question led me to coaching, psychology, healing and the Enneagram. 

And since 98% of us lockup our creativity in childhood and the rates of chronic illness are soaring, I realised I wasn’t the only one that needed help with this.

What others are saying about healing their creativity:

“Samantha helped me unravel these symptoms, my repressed creativity and emotions with practical tools and Enneagram strategies. There hasn’t been a time in my life when I’ve been free of physical symptoms for more than a few days at a time – I’ve now hit one month and am starting to feel confident to socialise, and express my creativity again without having to constantly have an ‘exit’ strategy to get back to a safe place.”

– Naomi, Sexual Nine

“Working with Sam has been an incredibly enriching experience. She was able to take the considerable amount of inner work I’d completed previously and build on that – guiding me through loads of uncharted territory together.

– Kristin, Self-Preservation Four

“Even countless past therapy sessions could not reveal what Samantha did. I’m so hopeful for my life path ahead, and I’m forever grateful to Samantha for it.”

– Jomine, Social Four

“Thank you for seeing me, and making me feel heard and understood, Sam! And thank you for not trying to save me from pain 😊”

– Celeste, Sexual Seven

Now you're wondering...

I am creative, but...

Do I have to talk about my childhood? Is this therapy?

A therapist can help with this. But talk therapy is only one way to help heal and release the chains that bind you. Practices that help you access that creative part in a safe and supported way are equally effective.

Do I have to make money from my creations?

No. Healing your creativity isn’t about making money or even sharing your creations with other people. It’s not about measuring up to someone else’s definition of success. It’s about reconnecting with a core part of your humaness. That part that makes you light up inside and feel whole. You are here for the joy of it.

And by clearing the blocks to your creative spirit you become more confident, more content, your emotions are more balanced, you are present in your body, you’ll be more present with yourself and the people around you.

Will I become a great artist?

This isn’t about becoming a great artist. It’s about letting yourself be a bad artist everyday and enjoying the process. Whether it’s wordsmithing, painting, drawing, sculpting, filming, dramatising, crafting, collaging or something else entirely, whatever you want to create we are here to support you.

Will the creative process become easy?

Where would be the fun in that?? Making anything new comes with challenges and problems to solve. This is about helping you feel equipped and confident to navigate those challenges. To know that your defences aren’t sabotaging your creative efforts. So you have more agency in the creative process than you have now.

If I make art everyday will I stop sabotaging myself? 

Many of Individuo’s healing activities aren’t strictly creative or “art-making”. They are different ways of accessing and working with our inner world. Many creative practices assist with that. But when we are struggling to navigate the resistance, we need to use activities that don’t trigger our defences. 

And sometimes trying to work in our usual medium, in our usual way, will just trigger your defences and you’ll lock up. Because sometimes to solve a problem, you have to approach it from an entirely different angle. 

At Individuo, we focus on the problem behind the problem.

At Individuo, we support you to express your authentic individuality with ease.

No angst, no analysis paralysis, no worry. No twisting yourself into knots to keep everyone happy. No forgetting that you matter. 

And we do that through a range of practices that reconnect you to your inner world so you can heal the chains that bind your creative spirit. To calm your inner protection system so it knows that creating, making and self-expression are safe activities.

And by healing your spirit, we also heal your body, your heart and your mind.

When we heal our creativity, we become better versions of ourselves and we get to spend time doing something we love. 

I hope you join us,