Through reflection on my personal and professional growth, I will explore how JOY informs my work as a Creativity Coach and its impact on my clients as they navigate their own creative paths.
Arriving at JOY has been anything but linear. It has unfolded through a kaleidoscope of experiences: crossing borders, exploring languages, and being inspired by the smells, colors, and textures of life. My earliest memory of JOY takes me to the corner of my childhood bedroom, where I sat quietly, coloring and painting my clothes. What seemed like isolation was, in fact, my sanctuary - a place where I met myself and found a creative outlet for my emotions. In hindsight, this was my first encounter with JOY: the freedom of being fully immersed in creative expression.
As I grew older, the corner of my room transformed into art schools and studios where creativity became my oxygen. Yet, this process was often fraught with obstacles. Creativity, I discovered, is a double-edged sword - a source of immense JOY and profound struggle. At one point, I abandoned it altogether, locking my creativity away in a box and losing the intimate dialogue between myself and my artistic soul. It was through therapy and coaching that I reclaimed this dialogue, rediscovering JOY as an ever-present companion.
Therapy gave me the tools to understand and embrace my thought patterns, while coaching created the space to envision a future aligned with my values. As Carl Rogers (1961) posits, the right relationship fosters growth and transformation. These experiences inspired me to create a coaching practice where clients could explore their authentic creative selves and reconnect with their JOY.
In my coaching practice, I draw from Nancy Kline’s (1999) Time to Think, which highlights the transformative power of silence. By holding space for my clients to think, feel, and create, I honor their process without imposing my own. For instance, a client once began a session unsure of what to discuss but ended up playing her guitar for the first time in three years. Witnessing her reconnect with her JOY was profoundly moving and affirmed the value of presence and trust in the coaching relationship.
Eric Maisel’s (2005) Coaching the Artist Within and his emphasis on life purpose have been instrumental in shaping my approach. I aim to help clients embrace a meaningful creative process, not as a destination but as an ongoing journey. The JOY they find in this process often becomes their compass, guiding them through challenges and blocks.
Reflecting on my practice, I see my role as a mirror, reflecting my clients’ words and emotions to help them connect with their inner selves. By providing a space free from judgment and assumptions, I enable clients to explore their narratives, uncover meaning, and channel their emotions into creative action.
The journey of JOY has just begun. As I continue to grow as a Creativity Coach, I remain committed to fostering spaces where clients can rediscover their voices, transform their emotions into art, and live authentically. JOY, for me and my clients, is not merely an outcome: it is the process itself.
References
Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Harlow, J. M. (1868). Recovery from the Passage of an Iron Bar through the Head. The Publications of the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Kline, N. (1999). Time to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind. Cassell Illustrated.
Maisel, E. (2005). Coaching the Artist Within. New World Library.
Rogers, C. (1961). On Becoming a Person. Houghton Mifflin.
Author
Bici, E. (2019). What a JOY: A Reflective Journey into Creativity Coaching.
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