At Creatively, LLC, therapy isn't just about managing symptoms. It's about helping creative people return to themselves. Too often, the conventional therapy model fails to understand the complexity, sensitivity, and brilliance of the creative mind. Creatively, LLC was built to change that.

Creative individuals tend to experience the world with more depth, nuance, and intensity. They are intuitive, emotionally rich, and wired for curiosity and exploration. But those same strengths can also make them more vulnerable to burnout, anxiety, depression, and existential doubt. Traditional therapy can sometimes mislabel these qualities as dysfunction, instead of recognizing them as the hallmarks of a creative brain.

At Creatively, LLC, creativity is honored as central, not peripheral, to a person’s identity and healing process. Therapy here starts with understanding the full picture of who you are, and recognizing the value of your creative wiring.

The Creative Vitality Theory, developed by Cindy Cisneros, forms the philosophical core of Creatively, LLC. It holds that creative people must engage in creative practice daily to feel mentally, emotionally, and spiritually whole. Just as physical health depends on movement and nourishment, the creative brain depends on expression and imagination.

When a creative person stops creating, they can experience emotional stagnation, increased anxiety, and a loss of purpose. Creativity isn't a luxury for these individuals, it's their life force. By restoring daily creativity, clients begin to feel alive again. Therapy at Creatively, LLC incorporates this principle into every session, offering more than talk, providing a path back to vitality.

Concierge therapy is ideal for creative individuals who need personalized, flexible, and in-depth care. These are often high-performing or highly sensitive people whose needs don’t fit neatly into 45-minute sessions or insurance-driven models. Concierge therapy offers extended time, more privacy, and tailored strategies that honor each client’s unique rhythms. Artists, entrepreneurs, neurodivergent thinkers, and emotionally intense individuals find this model ideal for meaningful progress.

Equine psychotherapy takes place outdoors, in the presence of horse co-therapists. This model facilitates emotional breakthroughs that can be difficult to achieve in traditional settings. Clients learn to regulate emotions, confront patterns, and practice self-awareness through non-verbal communication with horses. Especially powerful for trauma survivors, intuitive feelers, and those who have "talked themselves in circles," equine sessions offer grounding and embodied insight.

Creativity coaching focuses on helping clients move forward in their careers, overcome blocks, and reconnect with their creative identity. Coaching includes mindset work, business development, confidence-building, and project planning.

At the heart of this service is the Creative Empowerment Pathway, a step-by-step journey for artists and creatives who want to build a sustainable life doing what they love. It begins with the Creative Kickstart, a DIY, self-paced program designed to jumpstart creative momentum and shift out of stuckness. From there, clients can move into deeper support with 100, 200, and 300-level coaching that scales with their growth and goals.

Many creatives wait too long to seek support, believing they must first "get their life together" before they can return to their art. But the truth is, the disconnection from creativity may be the very thing causing their distress. If you:

• Feel emotionally flat or uninspired
• Keep delaying your creative goals
• Are successful on paper but deeply unfulfilled
• Feel chronically anxious, restless, or numb
• Miss the version of you that used to dream, imagine, and make

…then you may be ready. Healing doesn’t mean changing who you are; it means coming home to yourself.

At Creatively, LLC, therapy is not about fixing you. It’s about restoring you. Whether you're overwhelmed, creatively blocked, burnt out, or simply tired of being misunderstood in traditional therapy, Creatively, LLC offers services designed just for you.

If you’re ready to feel seen, supported, and inspired again, try a service today. Start with the Creative Kickstart, book a concierge consultation, or schedule your first equine session. You deserve to feel whole, alive, and creatively vital.

Truth in Fiction, My First Year in Horse Therapy, Routines that Work, The Meaning of Life,  No, Hope isn't Toxic, Creative People and Horses, Successful but Unfulfilled, Creative Personality Paradox,  Anxiety Legacy of 80s Babies,  Healthy Weight, Creative Life,  Horse Therapy for Creatives,  Should I Quit Social Media for Creatives, Creativity and ADHD, Boundaries for Creative People,  The Creative-prenuer Revolution

References & Influences

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention.

Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection.

Kaufman, S. & Gregoire, C. (2015). Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind.

Research on neurodivergence and creativity (e.g., ADHD, AuDHD, Highly Sensitive People)
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Creative Vitality Theory by Cindy Cisneros

As a therapist and an avid reader of epic fantasy and dystopian fiction, I’ve often found more truth in imagined worlds than in the headlines scrolling across my phone. After hours of holding space for real-world pain, I reach for stories filled with dragons, crumbling empires, magic systems, or dystopian collapse. Not because I want to escape, but because these stories give shape to things we can’t always say out loud. They speak in metaphor where direct language might falter. They show us who we are by placing us somewhere else.

In my sessions with creative clients, many of them neurodivergent, highly sensitive, or overwhelmed by the contradictions of modern life, I’ve seen how deeply these genres resonate. We talk about feeling like Katniss in a world of performative systems. About living in a society that says “everything’s fine” while quietly surveilling our every move, à la 1984. About trying to hold onto hope when the world feels broken, like Frodo carrying that heavy ring.

These stories matter. More than we often give them credit for.

This post is a love letter, and a rallying cry, for the writers and artists who create them. They are truth-tellers disguised as worldbuilders, rebels writing in metaphor, prophets hiding in plain sight. And in a world increasingly hostile to authentic expression, they are a creative force worth protecting at all costs.

Before we dive further into why these storytellers matter, it’s worth defining the genres we're celebrating, because while they often overlap, each brings its own flavor to the truth-telling table.

Epic Fantasy

Epic fantasy is the stuff of sweeping sagas, imagined worlds, and long, often perilous journeys. Think The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, or The Stormlight Archive. These stories are marked by rich worldbuilding, battles of good vs. evil, and deeply personal quests nested within global stakes. Magic systems, ancient prophecies, and chosen ones abound, not because they’re cliché, but because they reflect real struggles: personal growth, power, corruption, hope, and heroism.

At their core, epic fantasies aren’t just about wizards and warriors. They ask: What would you sacrifice for a better world? How do we carry on when the weight of change is crushing? These questions are deeply human, and they echo in every reader who’s felt like an unlikely hero in their own life.

Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction is the broadest category here. It includes fantasy, sci-fi, alternate histories, and futuristic or metaphysical imaginings. What ties it all together is the central question: What if? What if humans lived on Mars? What if artificial intelligence governed society? What if time travel was real? What if witches, demons, or divine beings walked among us?

Writers like Ursula K. Le Guin, N.K. Jemisin, Octavia Butler, and Ted Chiang have used speculative fiction to push boundaries of thought and morality. These stories expand not only what’s possible but what’s permissible, offering blueprints for new systems of justice, equity, and human connection.

Dystopian Fiction

Dystopian fiction is what happens when speculative worlds go dark, when what if? becomes what if it all went wrong? Classics like 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 envisioned futures dominated by surveillance, consumerism, censorship, and loss of autonomy. More recent works like The Hunger Games, The Power, and Station Eleven pick up the torch, imagining worlds fractured by authoritarian control, environmental collapse, or pandemic.

Far from being bleak for the sake of it, dystopian stories show us the consequences of apathy, corruption, and inaction. They act as warning sirens, urging us to examine the paths we’re currently on, and to course-correct before it’s too late.
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A Brief History and Modern Relevance

These genres aren’t new. Epic tales date back to oral traditions (The Epic of Gilgamesh, Beowulf), and dystopian works gained traction in the industrial era as writers reacted to rapid societal change. Speculative fiction boomed in the 20th century, with pulp magazines paving the way for the golden age of sci-fi.

Today, they’re everywhere, on streaming platforms, bestseller lists, and classroom syllabi. Shows like The Witcher, The Expanse, and Black Mirror have made once-niche genres part of mainstream culture. What we’re seeing now is not a trend, but a renaissance, because in times of uncertainty, people crave stories that help them make sense of the world, even (and especially) if that world is fictional

One of the most powerful and unsettling things about speculative, epic, and dystopian fiction is how often it seems to predict the future. These authors aren’t just dreaming up bizarre scenarios. They’re observing trends, amplifying quiet truths, and daring to ask “what happens if we don’t change?”

When Fiction Becomes Fact

Take George Orwell’s 1984. Written in 1949, it imagined a world of constant surveillance, authoritarian control, and doublethink, where truth itself was a manipulated construct. Decades later, we're grappling with digital surveillance, disinformation, and political gaslighting that would feel right at home in Big Brother’s world.

Or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, which warned of a culture lulled into compliance through pleasure, distraction, and manufactured needs. In a time of algorithm-curated reality and dopamine-fueled scrolling, Huxley’s dystopia hits differently.

Even The Handmaid’s Tale, which once read as speculative extremism, now gets referenced in real-world political discourse, because its commentary on reproductive control and gender oppression mirrors contemporary debates with eerie clarity.

Worlds That Mirror Ours

It’s not just dystopia doing the predicting. Epic fantasy has long been a mirror for political unrest, climate anxiety, and social inequality. In The Broken Earth Trilogy, N.K. Jemisin weaves racial trauma, ecological disaster, and oppression into a high fantasy tale that won the Hugo Award three years in a row. That’s no accident; her work reframes our world through the lens of myth and magic, showing us both the damage done and the possibility for rebirth.

Even Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, often viewed as escapism, was shaped by the horrors of war and the mechanization of society. The Shire’s peace, Mordor’s industrial wasteland, these are reflections of what we build and what we destroy.

The Controversy of Truth-Telling

When authors speak truth through fiction, controversy often follows. From book bans to boycotts, these genres have always been lightning rods. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, ironically, has been challenged in schools for its themes. Margaret Atwood has faced intense backlash for The Handmaid’s Tale. Even J.K. Rowling’s post-Potter world has sparked intense debates, not just about politics, but the responsibilities of creators once their stories enter public consciousness.

These aren’t just books. They’re battlegrounds for belief.

The Role of the Author as Oracle

Whether they mean to or not, authors of speculative genres often act as oracles, interpreting current cultural patterns and extrapolating them forward. Sometimes, they get it wrong. But often, they get uncomfortably close to the truth. Not because they can see the future, but because they see the present more clearly than most. They’re not escaping reality; they’re dissecting it, one metaphor at a time.

At the heart of epic fantasy, speculative, and dystopian fiction lies a creative mind that dares to see differently. Writers in these genres are often pattern seekers, individuals who notice connections others miss, who question accepted norms, and who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

 Seeing Patterns and Making Connections

Creative thinkers tend to synthesize information from many sources, combining history, psychology, politics, and personal experience into something new. This ability to weave disparate threads into coherent stories is essential for crafting worlds that resonate on multiple levels. It’s why these authors can spot societal shifts, cultural anxieties, and underlying tensions before they become mainstream headlines.

 Going Against the Grain

Many writers in these genres are, by nature or necessity, rebels. They push against cultural norms, expectations, and often the publishing industry itself. Their stories may be dismissed as niche, fantasy, or “not serious,” but they insist on telling truths that don’t fit neatly into the mainstream narrative. This resistance to conformity is vital, it keeps creativity alive and forces society to reconsider its assumptions.

 Daring to Say What Needs to Be Said

Creative authors in these genres often tackle taboo topics or uncomfortable realities, climate change, authoritarianism, systemic inequality, mental health, identity, and more. Through metaphor and allegory, they create safe spaces for readers to confront difficult questions. This courage to speak honestly, even when it’s risky, is part of what makes their work so powerful.

 The Therapeutic Power of Storytelling

From a therapist’s perspective, this kind of creative expression is healing. It provides an outlet for processing trauma, a way to imagine new futures, and a language for emotions that are otherwise hard to name. For readers, these stories can offer validation and hope; for writers, they are a lifeline to authenticity and meaning.

Throughout history, creative voices, especially those telling uncomfortable truths through genres like epic fantasy, speculative fiction, and dystopian fiction, have faced censorship, boycotts, and outright bans. This isn’t accidental. It’s a deliberate attempt to control narratives and silence dissent.

A History of Suppression

From the burning of books in authoritarian regimes to the banning of novels in schools and libraries, the suppression of creative expression is as old as storytelling itself. Works that challenge power structures or question societal norms have always been vulnerable. Consider how 1984 was banned in the Soviet Union, or how Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 has been challenged despite its theme warning against censorship.

Contemporary Challenges

Today, the battleground is just as fierce. Political movements seek to remove books from shelves, restrict diverse voices, and label imaginative fiction as “dangerous” or “inappropriate.” These efforts disproportionately impact speculative and dystopian fiction, genres often led by marginalized voices exploring race, gender, sexuality, and power.

Why Creatives Are Targeted

Why is this happening? Because stories shape culture. When writers dare to expose inconvenient truths or imagine alternative futures, they threaten established power. Creativity isn’t just entertainment, it’s a form of resistance. Silencing it maintains the status quo, but at a steep cost: stagnation, fear, and loss of empathy.

The Impact of Silencing

When these stories are suppressed, we all lose. Readers miss out on worlds that expand empathy and understanding. Writers are denied their voice and livelihood. Societies grow less flexible and less imaginative, traits essential for adapting to rapid change.

If epic fantasy, speculative, and dystopian authors are the truth-tellers of our time, then supporting them is more than just appreciating great stories; it’s an act of cultural preservation and resistance.

Read and Share Their Work

The simplest and most powerful way to support these writers is to read their books, attend their events, and share their stories with others. Every purchase, every recommendation, amplifies their voice and sustains their creative freedom.

Advocate Against Censorship

Speak up when you hear about book bans or challenges, whether in schools, libraries, or online communities. Join or support organizations that defend free expression, like the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

Support Diverse Voices

Many voices in these genres come from marginalized communities. Seek out and uplift writers from diverse backgrounds, and help create a more inclusive literary landscape where all stories can thrive.

Engage in Creative Communities

Join writing groups, book clubs, or online forums that celebrate these genres. These communities provide crucial spaces for dialogue, encouragement, and solidarity.

Create Space for Creativity

If you’re an educator, librarian, or parent, prioritize giving young people access to speculative and fantasy literature. Encourage creative thinking and open discussion around complex themes.

Show Up for Authors

Attend author readings, book signings, workshops, or panels, virtually or in person. Writers often thrive on community support and direct engagement with their readers.

Protecting these creative voices means protecting the imagination, empathy, and courage our world needs now more than ever. Let’s stand with the storytellers who dare to imagine new possibilities, and speak hard truths through fantastic worlds.

As we reflect on the power of speculative fiction and epic fantasy to reveal deep truths and challenge dominant narratives, it’s important to widen our lens. Other artistic disciplines also use metaphor, imagined worlds, and symbolic language to engage in the same kind of cultural and psychological storytelling.

Visual artists often build alternate realities to process trauma, question power, or envision new futures. From Hieronymus Bosch’s surreal, moral universes to the Afrofuturist dreamscapes of Wangechi Mutu, these works invite us to see the world—and ourselves—through transformative lenses.

Musical artists like Sun Ra, with his interstellar Afrofuturism, and David Bowie, with his alien alter-ego Ziggy Stardust, used mythic personas and otherworldly soundscapes to critique society and explore identity. Their music created not just escape, but commentary.

Theater, too, leans into fantasy to speak uncomfortable truths. In dystopian plays like Caryl Churchill’s Far Away or reimagined classics like The Wiz, stagecraft becomes a portal to parallel realities that illuminate real-world injustice, hope, and healing.

Dance captures the ineffable through movement. The surreal choreography of Pina Bausch or the speculative, tech-inspired work of Wayne McGregor explores emotional and futuristic dimensions that expand our understanding of what it means to be human.

Each of these art forms—visual, musical, theatrical, and kinetic—uses creative distortion, alternate settings, and symbolic elements to help us examine what is, what was, and what could be. They deserve their own deep dive, each powerful in its own right for advancing culture and illuminating truth.

Epic fantasy, speculative fiction, and dystopian stories do more than entertain, they illuminate hidden truths, challenge our perspectives, and inspire change. The writers behind these worlds are often the boldest truth-tellers, weaving complex patterns of reality into their narratives and daring to imagine futures both hopeful and cautionary.

Protecting these creative voices isn’t just about preserving books on shelves. It’s about safeguarding the freedom to question, to rebel, and to envision a better world. In a time when so many forces seek to silence or restrict expression, standing with these authors is an act of courage and hope.

By reading, sharing, and advocating for these genres, we nurture not only great storytelling but the very imagination and resilience our culture needs to thrive. Let’s commit to protecting and celebrating the creators who remind us that sometimes the most fantastic worlds reveal the deepest truths.

My First Year in Horse Therapy, Routines that Work, The Meaning of Life,  No, Hope isn't Toxic, Creative People and Horses, Successful but Unfulfilled, Creative Personality Paradox,  Anxiety Legacy of 80s Babies,  Healthy Weight, Creative Life,  Horse Therapy for Creatives,  Should I Quit Social Media for Creatives, Creativity and ADHD, Boundaries for Creative People,  The Creative-prenuer Revolution,  The Nurturer Trap, 

References

Atwood, M. (1985). The handmaid’s tale. McClelland and Stewart.

Bass, B. K. (2023). The history of fantasy literature. Retrieved from (https://bkbass.com/essays-articles-and-musings/genre-studies/history-of-fantasy-literature/)

Bradbury, R. (1953). Fahrenheit 451. Ballantine Books.

Clute, J., & Grant, J. (Eds.). (1997). The encyclopedia of fantasy. St. Martin's Press.

Cronshaw, J. (2023, July 16). From Middle-Earth to Roshar: Tracing the evolution of epic fantasy. Jon Cronshaw. Retrieved from (https://joncronshaw.com/2023/07/16/from-middle-earth-to-roshar-tracing-the-evolution-of-epic-fantasy/)

Heinlein, R. A. (1947). Speculative fiction. The Saturday Evening Post, 220(6), 30–31.

Huxley, A. (1932). Brave new world. Chatto & Windus.

Jemisin, N. K. (2015). The fifth season (The Broken Earth Trilogy, Book 1). Orbit.

Kirk, M. (2020). Censorship and literature: The battle for free expression. Journal of Literary Freedom, 12(3), 45–59.

Orwell, G. (1949). 1984. Secker & Warburg.

Singer, J. (2017). Neurodiversity: The future of creativity and innovation. Journal of Cognitive Diversity, 9(1), 12–20.

Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954). The lord of the rings: The fellowship of the ring. Allen & Unwin.

(c) 2025 Creatively, LLC
​www.creativelyllc.com

This week marks the one-year anniversary of Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy. To celebrate, the practice has been rebranded as Creatively Horse Therapy. Over the past year, much has unfolded, and many exciting changes are on the horizon. But before charging ahead, it feels fitting to pause and reflect on the wild, winding path that led to this moment.

So come along—this is a runaway journey of dreams, shared from the heart.

Looking back, I’m filled with gratitude for everything that’s unfolded. The good, the hard, and the surprising parts have all made this path so important to me. It’s not just about horses or therapy, it’s about a personal commitment to doing something real, something that has the power to help others heal.

I’m excited for what the next year holds, but I’m even more grateful to have shared this first one with you. Thank you for being a part of this journey. I’m beyond thankful for your support, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us next.

As a kid, I was the one drawing horses in the margins of my notebooks, reading every horse book I could get my hands on, and begging for lessons or pony rides whenever the chance came. Horses weren’t just a hobby, they represented freedom, connection, and something ancient and wise that called to me even then.

Fast forward a few decades, and I found myself with a child of my own, a child who also dreamed of horses. This time, the longing came full circle. Together, we stepped into the world I had once only imagined. We started lessons, learned barn chores, figured out tack and safety, and trust, side by side. It wasn’t always graceful, but it was deeply bonding. We were beginners together, with hearts wide open.

Those early days weren’t just the beginning of horse ownership. They were the beginning of a calling that would eventually shape Creatively Horse Therapy.

The first time I climbed into the saddle as an adult, something clicked. It wasn’t just nostalgia, it was love, immediate and undeniable. I had waited decades for that moment, and somehow it was even better than I had imagined. I didn’t just enjoy riding; I felt right in a way I couldn’t explain.

Then came COVID. While the world turned upside down, riding became one of the few steady, healing things in my life. Being outdoors with the horses, feeling their presence and grounded energy, it offered a kind of therapy I didn’t yet realize I would one day help offer to others.

Eventually, it became clear: riding once a week wasn’t enough. This was more than a hobby, it was a lifestyle, a calling, a source of emotional and spiritual nourishment. I decided it was time to own a horse.

That decision led me to a quiet farm, where I met a mare with kind eyes and a steady, knowing energy. Her barn name was Guess, but the name written on her paperwork was Made a Decision. And I had. She became my first horse, the first member of a healing partnership I didn’t yet fully understand, but one I would come to cherish deeply.

Owning Guess was the beginning of a whole new chapter, one filled with humility, learning, and love.

She is a mare through and through: smart, sensitive, and opinionated. She taught me quickly that partnership with a horse isn’t about control, it’s about listening, adjusting, and showing up consistently with respect. Mares don’t hand you their trust; you earn it. And when you do, it’s undeniable.

As an adult amateur, I came into horse ownership with a lot to learn and no ego about it. I was willing to be the beginner, to ask questions, to get it wrong, and try again. There were moments of triumph and moments of frustration. There were days I left the barn proud, and days I left in tears. But I kept coming back.

Because this journey has never been easy, but it has always been worth it.

There was blood (hello, surprise nicks and bites), sweat (more than I thought possible), and yes, tears. I fell. Literally. I hit the ground more than once. But each time, I got back up, stronger, more grounded, and more committed.

Guess has been my greatest teacher, not just about riding, but about resilience, boundaries, patience, and trust. She is the heart of Creatively Horse Therapy, and her presence continues to shape everything we do.

Not long after I found Guess, my son began showing more interest in horses, too. It felt like a full-circle moment, just as I had dreamed of horses as a child, now I was watching that same spark in him. So, we began the search for a pony, hoping to find the right match for his size and spirit.

Enter Winter. A little grey pony with a big personality and a classic case of pony-tude. She was spunky, opinionated, and completely unforgettable. Like most ponies, she had her own ideas about how things should go, but she was safe, smart, and endlessly patient with my son. They were a team.

As he learned to ride, I found myself learning alongside him. We navigated the early anxieties of being on horseback together, me supporting him while also managing my own nerves as a newer rider. In many ways, Winter helped both of us grow. She was part of our foundation, the little mare who helped us find our footing.
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Losing Winter was unexpected and devastating. The grief was heavy, not just because she was my son’s first pony, but because she was part of our shared beginning in this horse world. She taught us about responsibility, joy, and heartbreak. Her absence is still felt, but so is her impact.

After Winter’s passing, the barn felt quieter and emptier. But as it often happens in life, something meaningful came along just when it was needed. Simon came to us from a local equine therapy program that had recently closed. He needed a new home, and when I met him, something just clicked.

Simon had a calm, grounded energy that immediately felt therapeutic. He wasn't flashy or fast, but he was intuitive, present, and steady. He wasn’t just a horse; he was a partner. At the time, the idea for Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy had been quietly forming in my mind, and Simon felt like the sign I needed to move forward.

Simon, with his background and temperament, was perfectly suited for what my son deemed “heart” work. He became the heart of the program and the symbol of what it could become: a place where healing happens through presence, reflection, and authentic relationship.

When I first ventured into the horse world as an adult, I had idealized it, imagining it to be a community of passionate, like-minded people who shared a deep love for horses and a commitment to their well-being. But the reality was far more complicated. I quickly learned that the world of horses is not as romantic or as simple as it appears from the outside.

I made mistakes, some big ones, and I was taken advantage of. People in the horse world, unfortunately, don’t always have your best interests at heart. Some see an opportunity to profit, and others have hidden agendas wrapped up in their lessons, training, or rehab programs. I was vulnerable, eager to learn, and trusting, and I paid the price for that naiveté.

One of the hardest lessons was realizing that not all trainers are in it for the right reasons. Your trainer, no matter how well-intentioned, is not necessarily your friend. In this world, people often look out for their own interests, and that can affect the way they treat both you and your horse. Learning to recognize this dynamic was painful, but necessary.

Then came the first real scare, when I was faced with a situation that made me question everything. It was a wake-up call. I knew I needed to make a change, so I moved to a new barn, one that was more aligned with my values. That decision was a turning point. I could no longer ignore the emotional implications of the choices I was making in the horse world.

I committed to doing things differently. Better. I learned to trust my instincts more and to choose my connections with care. I worked hard to build a network of like-minded people who shared my values, and over time, I began to find my place in this world, one step at a time. Or so I thought.

After moving to a new barn that I hoped was aligned more closely with my values, the dream for Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy began to take shape in a more concrete way. I was finally in a place where I could commit to making this vision a reality.

Training became a key focus. I invested time and energy into learning more about equine-assisted psychotherapy, developing a deep understanding of the therapeutic work that horses can do from the ground, not just from the saddle. I took courses, read everything I could, and built relationships with mentors in the field who could guide me.

Alongside the training, the planning phase began in earnest. I started mapping out what Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy would look like, what services it would offer, who it would serve, and how it would operate. I had a vision of creating a space where people could heal, reflect, and grow in partnership with horses, grounded in a philosophy that honored both the horses and the clients. It was a dream realized.

But, as often happens in life, things didn’t go exactly as planned.

Just a week into launching the business, despite previous agreements and support, the new barn suddenly and without warning decided not to support my business, forcing me, yet again, to relocate. The timing was unexpected, and it threw a major wrench in my plans at a critical moment. It was a difficult blow, and I found myself back at square one, reassessing everything.

This sudden shift was jarring and disheartening, but it was also a powerful reminder of how unpredictable the path to building something meaningful can be. I could have let this setback stop me, but I didn’t. Equine Psychotherapy was a dream I was deeply committed to, and that commitment only grew stronger in the face of adversity.

After the unexpected setback, I found myself scrambling to reassess my options and make the necessary changes to keep the dream of Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy alive. It was a difficult period, but it also turned out to be a time of growth and connection.

I began reaching out to numerous businesses, barns, and individuals who might be able to offer support or collaboration. Each conversation, each connection, was a small step forward, sometimes feeling like progress, sometimes feeling uncertain. As I sought new partnerships and connections, I was actively networking, thinking that maybe a new relationship or opportunity would be the key to propelling the business forward.

I did eventually find  Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy’s new home, a beautiful place where I had everything I truly needed, a supportive community, the right space, and a sense of purpose that aligned perfectly with my vision.

After Simon, Guess, and I settled into our new location, I found it difficult to truly relax. My mind, still shaken by the earlier setbacks, couldn’t quiet itself. I kept searching—more partnerships, more collaborations, more backup options—all driven by fear. But in the midst of this constant searching, I stumbled upon an invaluable lesson: "The grass under your feet." I was so focused on looking outward, hoping to find that perfect partnership or opportunity, that I eventually realized the most fertile ground I needed was already right beneath me.

It was a humbling realization—one that reminded me that often, the best opportunities are the ones we already have. We can easily get caught up in the search for something more, only to realize that everything we truly need is already within reach. Even when things haven’t gone as planned in the past, we have the choice to shift our mindset to one of abundance and gratitude, focusing on the positives we’ve created or received along the way.

One year after the official launch of Eldersburg Equine Psychotherapy, it’s been incredible to reflect on how far we’ve come and the transformations that have taken place along the way. Despite the challenges and unexpected turns, this first year has been a journey of growth, healing, and connection, not only for the horses and me but also for the clients who’ve walked through our doors.

Success stories have come in many shapes and sizes. We’ve had children, teens, and adults of all ages come through the barn, each finding their own path to healing and self-discovery through our equine-assisted therapy programs. Whether it’s a teen learning to manage anxiety with the help of Guess or an adult finding clarity and peace through a ground session with Simon, the work we do here is making a tangible difference.

Both Guess and Simon have become integral parts of the therapeutic process, with each horse developing a unique way of connecting with clients. Guess, our strong-willed and intuitive mare, has a special connection with clients who need help building trust, while Simon’s calm and gentle nature has been a steadying force for those seeking grounding and emotional regulation. Together, they are helping people navigate their personal journeys, offering a space for reflection, growth, and healing.

While we’ve made incredible strides, there is still so much room to grow. Each session brings new lessons, new connections, and new opportunities for expansion. The success we’ve seen this year has only fueled my passion to offer more, and I’m thrilled to share that we’re planning to expand our offerings in the coming months.

One exciting addition on the horizon is the EquiNimity Space, an adjunct, subscription-based, creative, and therapeutic space at the barn. This new initiative will provide clients and creatives a space to engage in art, journaling, movement, and other creative activities, alongside the horses, allowing for deeper introspection and self-expression. My goal is to cultivate an environment where both creative and therapeutic healing can occur side by side, providing people with tools to manage stress, tap into their inner creativity, and foster mental well-being.
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The vision behind Creatively Horse Therapy has always been to offer a safe, welcoming space where people can heal and grow. Continuing this journey alongside incredible horses and clients is both an honor and a joy. The renaming marks more than a milestone—it’s a reclaiming of the space after a turbulent beginning, a declaration of our resilience, and a commitment to move forward with purpose. The foundation is now firmly in place, and the path ahead is full of possibility. Here's to the year to come—and all the growth it promises.

As I reflect on this first year, I can’t stress enough how important it is to follow your heart, even when the path is unclear or filled with obstacles. Starting and growing a business, especially one as unique and specialized as equine psychotherapy, hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth every challenge. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s this: don’t give up. Keep going, even when things feel uncertain. Trust the process, trust your heart, and most importantly, find your people, those who believe in your mission and who will support you through thick and thin.

If you’ve been curious about the work we do at Creatively Horse Therapy, or if you think equine therapy might be the right fit for you, I encourage you to reach out. Whether you’re ready to dive in or just want to learn more, I’d love to offer a free consultation to answer any questions you may have.

You can also support us by spreading the word about the healing power of horses and the work we do. If you know anyone who might benefit from our services, please share our story with them. Together, we can help more people experience the transformative power of equine-assisted therapy.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Here’s to many more years of growth, healing, and connection.

Routines that Work, The Meaning of Life,  No, Hope isn't Toxic, Creative People and Horses, Successful but Unfulfilled, Creative Personality Paradox,  Anxiety Legacy of 80s Babies,  Healthy Weight, Creative Life,  Horse Therapy for Creatives,  Should I Quit Social Media for Creatives, Creativity and ADHD, Boundaries for Creative People,  The Creative-prenuer Revolution,  The Nurturer Trap, 

Do traditional productivity hacks leave you feeling more drained than focused? You’re not alone. For neurodivergent creatives, the usual advice often misses the mark. These minds tend to operate outside of conventional norms, thriving on novelty, sensory richness, deep focus, and creative flow. So, how do you build a life that fuels that, instead of fighting it?

If you’ve ever struggled to follow rigid schedules, felt overwhelmed by multi-step planning methods, or bounced between bursts of inspiration and complete burnout, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong; it might actually be a reflection of how your beautifully complex brain is wired. These challenges are incredibly common among creative traits. What looks like inconsistency on the outside is often a sign of a mind that works in depth, nuance, and big-picture vision.

I notice it in myself all the time. I can sit down with a structured planner, color-coded and full of intention, only to feel completely boxed in. I’ll hyperfocus on a project for hours without blinking, then struggle to remember to eat lunch. Or I’ll plan out a content calendar and end up tossing it out the window the moment a fresh, more exciting idea hits. These aren’t failures of discipline, they’re signs that my brain thrives on energy, curiosity, and flexibility.

Here’s a science-backed, experience-informed look at how neurodivergent creatives can build routines that energize rather than exhaust, designed not to tame your creative mind but to support and celebrate the way it works best.

Routines don’t have to mean hour-by-hour calendars. Many neurodivergent creatives do better with predictable rhythms rather than strict timelines. Think "morning rituals" instead of "7:00 AM wake-up." Rhythms give you structure without rigidity, which is essential for brains that crave both freedom and grounding.

You might already notice this instinct in yourself, gravitating toward a certain order of tasks or flow of energy during the day, even if the clock isn’t involved. That’s your natural rhythm speaking. Tapping into that rhythm, instead of forcing yourself into a traditional schedule, can be the key to sustainable productivity.

🌀 Try This: Create a 3-part rhythm, Start-Up, Flow, Wind Down, for your workday. What helps you ease into focus? A warm drink, music, a walk? What helps you stay in the zone: a dedicated workspace, a timer, or background sound? And what helps you signal the end, a journal entry, a shower, or a shift in setting?

Why It Works: Rhythmic structure respects natural energy cycles and avoids the all-or-nothing pressure of rigid scheduling. Research into ADHD and time-blindness shows that contextual cues (like music or environment) often work better than clock-based expectations to support attention and transitions (Barkley, 2011). For creatives, this also mirrors the natural arc of the creative process: warming up, diving deep, and gently releasing.
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And remember, your rhythm doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Morning person? Night owl? Ultra-focused in 90-minute sprints? Great. It’s about aligning with what works for you, not what works for the average executive on a productivity podcast.

Neurodivergent minds often come with heightened sensory sensitivity to light, sound, texture, temperature, and even the “vibe” of a space. Instead of viewing this as a challenge to overcome, treat it as valuable information. Your sensory environment can either drain your energy or become a powerful tool for focus, comfort, and creative flow.

This means your workspace isn’t just about organization, it’s about sensation. Are you more focused in warm, cozy lighting or bright, natural sunlight? Do you work best with complete silence, or does a little background noise (like a coffee shop playlist or rain sounds) help you feel grounded? Does a weighted blanket or fuzzy socks help regulate your body, or does a standing desk get your energy moving?

🎧 Try This: Use playlists with binaural beats, ambient nature sounds, or instrumental music to support focus without overstimulation. Keep a few fidget tools nearby for grounding, and experiment with lighting, like a dimmable lamp or color-changing LED bulbs, to suit different moods and tasks. Even scent can play a role: try essential oils like peppermint for alertness or lavender for calming transitions.

Why It Works: Sensory modulation helps with both focus and emotional regulation, two areas often impacted in neurodivergent experiences. By intentionally shaping your environment, you’re giving your brain the cues it needs to stay centered and present. Studies show that sensory-aware environments can support task initiation, reduce overwhelm, and even boost mood in neurodivergent individuals (Robertson & Simmons, 2015).

And it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, even small shifts (like noise-canceling headphones or a cozy corner with soft textures) can have a big impact. The key is noticing what you respond to, then making it part of your routine instead of trying to suppress or ignore it.

Creative minds are often powered by interest-based motivation. That means it's not laziness or a lack of willpower when you struggle to start something that doesn’t spark your curiosity — it’s your brain asking for meaning and engagement.

For many, traditional productivity frameworks emphasize grit and discipline, but for creatives, curiosity is often a far more effective fuel. When you're deeply interested, you enter flow, hyperfocus, and high levels of output — without force. The trick is learning how to work with this tendency rather than constantly pushing against it.

🔍 Try This: Instead of forcing yourself to stick with one project from start to finish, create a “project playground” — a collection of 2–4 ideas or tasks you can toggle between. Rotate based on interest and energy level. Keep a “spark list” where you jot down ideas that excite you, so you always have something to follow when motivation dips.

Why It Works: Interest-based motivation taps into the brain's natural reward system. Research in neuroscience shows that dopamine levels rise when we engage with novel or meaningful tasks — especially important for neurodivergent individuals who often experience dopamine dysregulation. Curiosity not only boosts productivity, it also enhances learning, problem-solving, and creativity (Gruber et al, 2014).

Rather than forcing yourself to function like a factory, think of yourself more like a laboratory — driven by exploration, experimentation, and discovery. This shift isn’t just more fun; it’s also more sustainable.

For many neurodivergent creatives, time can feel slippery. Minutes stretch or collapse depending on interest, emotion, or sensory load. This is often called time blindness, and it can make everything from estimating how long tasks take to transitioning between activities feel like a constant struggle.

Instead of trying to force your brain into linear time awareness, it’s often more helpful to externalize time, make it visible, tangible, and flexible enough to support the way your mind actually works.

⏳ Try This: Use visual timers, analog clocks, or time-blocking with color-coded calendars to give shape to your day. Try setting intentions instead of alarms, like, “After lunch, I’ll work on writing until I feel my energy shift.” You can also bookend time with sensory cues like a specific playlist, a lighting change, or a short movement break to help with transitions.

Why It Works: Time blindness isn’t about carelessness; it’s about how your brain perceives and processes time. External tools and sensory anchors help compensate for internal inconsistencies, and they create a more embodied, intuitive way of navigating time. Studies suggest that contextual time cues and environmental structuring improve functioning and reduce stress in neurodivergent individuals (Toplak & Tannock, 2005).

And remember, productivity doesn't have to be measured in hours. Some of your most important creative breakthroughs may happen in nonlinear, unpredictable ways. Giving yourself permission to work with time differently, in pulses, sprints, or immersive stretches, is not a flaw; it’s often the magic of how your brain operates.

Rest isn’t a reward for productivity; it’s a vital part of the creative cycle, especially for neurodivergent minds. Whether it's sensory overload, decision fatigue, or emotional intensity, the creative brain needs intentional recovery time to function well.

Yet many creatives carry guilt around rest, especially if they’ve internalized messages that rest is lazy or unearned. But the truth is: pushing through burnout doesn’t lead to brilliance, it leads to shutdown. Rest is not the opposite of creativity; it’s the soil where ideas germinate.

🌿 Try This: Design a personal recovery ritual. This could be a post-project decompression routine, a weekly “creative day,” or even a 10-minute sensory reset in your day. Include elements that soothe your nervous system, gentle movement, nature, low-stimulation activities, or just staring out the window without a goal.

Why It Works: Neurodivergent nervous systems often run in high gear, and without intentional downshifting, it’s easy to end up in chronic stress states. Research shows that strategic rest boosts focus, supports memory consolidation, and prevents emotional burnout, all essential for sustained creativity and well-being (Medina, 2008). Recovery time is also when your subconscious starts piecing together new ideas, meaning rest is actually doing important behind-the-scenes work.

And not all rest looks like sleep. For some, rest might mean drawing with no end goal, walking in the woods, or lying on the floor listening to a podcast. What matters is that it feels restorative to you.

When you start honoring your recovery needs as essential, not optional, you build a life that supports your creativity instead of sabotaging it.

Creativity and emotion are deeply intertwined, but for creatives, emotional experiences can feel especially intense. Whether it’s excitement, frustration, rejection sensitivity, or performance anxiety, those emotional waves can either fuel or flood your day.

The goal isn’t to “control” your emotions, it’s to develop tools for regulation so you can stay present, grounded, and responsive, rather than overwhelmed or shut down.

🧠 Try This: Identify your emotional “tells”, physical signals like tension, restlessness, or shutdown that let you know you’re approaching overwhelm. Then, create a small go-to toolkit of regulation strategies: breathwork, movement, expressive art, a sensory break, or a quick text to a supportive friend. You can even design a check-in ritual at certain times of day to notice how you’re feeling and respond with care.

Why It Works: Emotional regulation isn’t just a mental skill; it’s a nervous system practice. Neurodivergent individuals often have heightened emotional sensitivity, which means we need more consistent, embodied strategies to reset and return to baseline. Practices that integrate mind and body, like grounding exercises, bilateral stimulation (e.g., walking), or expressive journaling, can be especially helpful. Studies link emotion-regulation skills to greater resilience, creativity, and self-efficacy (Gross & Thompson, 2007).

And here’s the key: regulation isn’t about becoming emotionally “neutral.” It’s about staying connected to yourself through the storm, so you can keep creating from a place of authenticity rather than burnout.

One client, a graphic designer and parent, struggled with balancing intense creative bursts and total shutdowns. We scrapped their rigid planner and instead created a visual week board using movable magnets representing different energy levels and tasks. Now they adjust their week based on how they feel, and their productivity and satisfaction have both skyrocketed.

Another, a writer with sensory sensitivity, discovered that switching to dim lighting and ambient audio tripled their ability to concentrate and lowered their daily anxiety.

These routines are not gimmicks. They are customized to how real brains actually work.

Ironically, while I was finishing this very article on routines for creatives, my own routine was put to the test. I had written, formatted, and sourced everything. It was ready to publish. I clicked the button... and it all vanished (updated to add: this happened TWO TIMES!) My website glitched, and the entire article disappeared. Though I had the original draft backed up, the formatting and prep alone had taken over an hour. After thirty frustrating minutes on the phone with my web hosting company, it was clear that the work was gone and not recoverable.

In that moment, I applied several of the very strategies I’d outlined in the article:

- Emotional regulation through routine: Instead of spinning out emotionally or trying to redo everything in a panic, I relied on my routine to anchor me.
- Knowing when to step away: I cut my losses and stopped trying to force productivity.
- Creative cross-training: I spent the rest of the day riding at the barn, which, for me, is both grounding and rejuvenating.
- Nature and movement for recovery: The physical movement and outdoor setting helped regulate my nervous system and restore my mental clarity.
- Returning with perspective: I didn’t try to redo it immediately. I gave it space and came back to the work the following week — refreshed and more focused.
- Self-trust in the creative cycle: Most importantly, I trusted that the article would still get done, even if not on my original timeline.

This experience reminded me that the purpose of a creative routine isn’t just productivity — it’s sustainability. It’s about having systems and strategies that support you when things don’t go according to plan. Sometimes, the most powerful part of a creative routine is knowing when to walk away.

You don’t need to force your creative, neurodivergent brain to fit into someone else’s mold of productivity. The truth is, the systems that burn you out were probably never designed with your way of thinking in mind.

But when you begin to honor your rhythms, your sensory needs, your curiosity, your relationship with time, your need for recovery, and your emotional depth, everything changes. You stop fighting yourself and start building a life that supports who you actually are.

This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about freeing yourself.

There’s incredible power in realizing that your sensitivity, your passion, your nonlinear thinking, the very things that made the old ways feel impossible, are exactly what make your creativity so needed in the world.

So if you’ve been feeling exhausted by traditional productivity advice, take this as your permission slip to try something different. To experiment. To trust your process. To create a daily life that doesn't just look good on paper , but feels good in your body, your brain, and your soul.

Your mind is not the problem. It's the map.

If you’re ready to stop forcing yourself to "work like everyone else" and start designing your days to work like you, I invite you to explore concierge therapy at Creatively, LLC. Let’s build the structure that sets you free.

Learn more about Concierge Therapy at Creatively, LLC

References

Barkley, R. A. (2011). Executive Functions: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Evolved. New York: Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7504-1

Robertson, C. E., & Simmons, D. R. (2015). The relationship between sensory sensitivity and autistic traits in the general population. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 38, 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2015.07.011

Hupfeld, K. E., Abagis, T. R., & Shah, P. (2019). Living "in the zone": Hyperfocus in adult ADHD. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(5), 575–585. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-019-01371-y

Brown, T. E. (2013). A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults: Executive Function Impairments. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054713491480

Andreasen, N. C. (2005). The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius. Brain, 128(9), 2011–2012. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awh406

Gross, J. J., & Thompson, R. A. (2007). Emotion regulation: Conceptual foundations. In J. J. Gross (Ed.), Handbook of emotion regulation (pp. 3–24). New York, NY: Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.3.3.257

Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Seattle, WA: Pear Press. https://www.brainrules.net/the-rules

Toplak, M. E., & Tannock, R. (2005). Tapping and anticipation performance in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 100(3), 659–676. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.100.3.659-676

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