Season 2, Episode 2
Today's Guest: Nattan Hollander, LMFT, was an artist first and became a psychotherapist along the way. He made art as a child in Israel, where he grew up, and later moved to the US to train in art and get his fine arts degree at CalArts in California. He was living in a Zen Center during that time, where he spent many hours meditating and learned to cook great soups for Zen retreats with a woman who soon became his wife. He earned his MA at Pacifica Graduate Institute, a school that emphasizes care of the soul as being central to mental health. This aligned with his own sensibilities as an artist. For Nattan, art and spirituality are inseparable. When he works with artists as a therapist, he treats their creative life as sacred. SHOW TOPICS
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Disclaimer Beyond Artist's Block represents the opinions of its host and guests and is not meant as a substitute for therapy. It is for informational and educational purposes only. Please reach out to your healthcare provider with any specific questions you may have.
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 I don't draw. I mean, technically I can draw, but I don't feel like I have a much skill at it. My talent lies more in words and sound — in undergrad I focused on poetry because I knew it would probably be the only time in life when I could study whatever I wanted, and rhythm and rhyme were it.
I took an art class from a friend a few years ago and created the images above. The teacher seemed surprised at my skill level (methinks her standards were low!). She also objected when I complained that people only tend to apply the label "artist" to those in the visual arts. She pointed out that in schools most of the funding (if there is funding for art) goes toward band, theater, or choir, not visual art. She wasn't wrong. Although I don't consider myself a visual artist I am creative, and I think that creative spirit can be expressed in many ways, including everything we think of when we hear the word "artist," as well as creativity in business and home life. What do you think of when you hear the word "artist?" Maybe people like Van Gogh or Beyoncé? And who among us gets to decide who gets the rights and privileges to call themselves artists? I think culture has a lot to do with it (In particular, I'm thinking of Black clothing designers who have their ideas used without credit given). I also have a feeling I will be returning to this topic again. I feel fortunate to have been able to experiment with any creative medium I like. And I also have had the privilege to choose not to care if someone thinks I'm not a "real artist." Not everyone has this same freedom, though, especially if their main livelihood comes from art. What are your thoughts and experiences? |
AuthorRachel Moore, LMFT, (she/her) is the host of Beyond Artist's Block. Rachel is a Licensed Marriage &. Family Therapist based in San Diego, California. She is certified in EMDR and trained in Brainspotting, and she focuses on working with creative clients, including writers, artists, and musicians. Archives
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Disclaimer: Beyond Artist's Block podcast represents the opinions of its host and guests and is not meant as a substitute for therapy. It is for informational and educational purposes only. Please reach out to your healthcare provider with any specific questions you may have.