Exploring Your Creative Genius: Episode 142
I am particularly proud that ‘Exploring your Creative Genius’ brought you this episode.
I interviewed Connie Jones and Melanie Davis-Jones, the authors of the new book ‘Green Glitter Girl’, a compelling, thoughtful, often sad but ultimately hopeful story about how to overcome childhood trauma.
Once or twice during the show the relationship between trauma and creativity was mentioned. In my 25 years of studying creativity I haven’t explored that relationship. Inspired by Connie and Melanie I have spent time doing exactly that and found a very interesting research project investigating that relationship.
The researchers recruited participants from Nashville’s rich music scene — songwriters, performers, studio musicians — and conducted a series of focus groups with them.
Their conclusions include that childhood trauma reinforced creativity. These professional creatives reported the importance of using creativity to escape from their unpleasant memories, finding inspiration in that effort. Their art had the power to separate them from that traumatic life, allowing them to live more fully in the world they created.
One participant stated “I figured out that I could pour out my emotions and what I was feeling in a lyric much easier than I could in a conversation.”
There was also a strong sense that early trauma increased awareness and compassion for others, building a heightened empathy, a wonderful creative state.
Most of the participants commented on the healing that occurs from engaging in creative activities.
For more information about Connie and Melanie’s book, check out greenglittergirl.com.
They have invited you to reach out to them directly if you are interested in their work.
Connie’s email is conniecumminsjones@gmail.com
Melanie’s can be found at zaiaenergyworks.com
“Exploring Your Creative Genius” takes an expansive view on what it means to be creative and entrepreneurial in an ongoing conversation led by Carl Nordgren — entrepreneur, novelist, and lifelong student with decades of experience growing his own creative capacity and assisting others to do the same in exciting new ways!
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