Paradoxically, these artistic realms are also frequently marked by systemic barriers and intense competition. Over time, many performing artists find themselves losing sight of the intrinsic therapeutic aspects of their craft. The genuine joy and healing potential that initially fueled their artistic pursuits can become overshadowed by the demanding stressors of navigating highly competitive industries.

My goal is to create a supportive and grounded space where performing artists can explore, heal, and reconnect with themselves and their work. Whether you are a singer, actor, musician, dancer, comedian, or a visual or aural performer working across disciplines, therapy can become a place for self-discovery, stability, and renewed connection with your craft.

With a focus on nervous system regulation and trauma, I provide therapy for performing artists in the Los Angeles and Pasadena areas. I have had the privilege of providing therapy to opera singers, musicians, dancers, actors and models. Artists, creatives, and performers experience unique pressures and challenges in their fields. While performing artists are not monoliths, they often come into therapy with a level of openness, right-brain comfortability, imagination and vulnerability that allows us to lean into depth work with abandon.

Systems of Trauma

While progress has been made toward advancing diversity, equity, and trauma-informed practices within the arts, significant challenges remain. Performing artists frequently navigate environments where financial survival and career advancement take precedence over personal well-being.

Unfortunately, abuse from individuals in positions of power still occurs across artistic industries, leaving singers, musicians, actors, and other performers feeling trapped or unable to safely assert boundaries.

Women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ artists often encounter marginalization, microaggressions, and systemic oppression within performing arts spaces. These experiences can have profound impacts on mental, emotional, and physical health.

Therapy can provide a vital space for processing trauma, building solidarity, and developing strategies for boundary-setting and self-advocacy.

Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety is a common challenge for many performing artists. It can appear as waves of anxiety, nervous system dysregulation, or sudden episodes of stage fright that arise unexpectedly. These experiences can feel overwhelming and may trigger feelings of fear, dread, or loss of control around the act of performing.

Contrary to common assumptions, performance anxiety is not limited to beginners. Even highly experienced performers may struggle with it quietly while carrying the burden of shame or self-criticism.

In therapy, performers learn to understand their internal dynamics, including protective parts that may trigger dissociation, panic, freeze, or collapse responses during performances.

Therapeutic work often takes a holistic approach, addressing both nervous system responses and the cognitive patterns underlying performance anxiety. By using “bottom-up” approaches, therapy supports performers in understanding the roots of their anxiety while developing practical strategies to navigate and manage it.

Comparisonitis & Scarcity

The performing arts often demand an extraordinary level of dedication, which can lead artists to focus exclusively on their craft—effectively “monocropping” their lives.

The pursuit of excellence can become all-consuming, leaving little space for exploration, relationships, or fulfillment in other areas of life.

In therapy with performing artists, we often use Narrative Therapy to explore the dominant narratives shaping identity and self-worth. By examining these narratives closely, artists can recognize the limitations they place on themselves and begin to imagine alternative ways of relating to their identities and careers.

Identity & Well-Rounded Living

A more holistic approach to life can support performers in cultivating balance and overall well-being. Therapy encourages artists to explore experiences beyond their professional identity.

This may include engaging in hobbies, connecting with nature, nurturing meaningful relationships, or pursuing personal growth outside the performing arts.

Through Emotionally-Focused Individual Therapy, parts work, Narrative Therapy, and ongoing exploration, individuals can begin to move beyond monocropped identities and build fuller, more expansive lives.

Who Am I as an Artist? And Why?

An important part of therapeutic work with performing artists involves exploring the deeper motivations behind their artistry.

Through collaborative reflection, we examine the forces shaping artistic identity and uncover obstacles that may be limiting fulfillment and self-actualization.

My goal is to support creative clients in cultivating stability, balance, and renewed energy in their relationship with both their work and themselves as artists. Together, we aim to build a sense of authenticity and alignment that allows them to thrive both artistically and personally.