Follow, Listen, Rate & Review (thank you!)  in Apple Podcasts Subscribe & Listen in SpotifySubscribe & Watch clips on YoutubeOR listen in your favourite podcast app  SHOW NOTES  In this tender welcome-back episode, Kate shares honestly about the months she spent unable to show up: the depression, the grief, the days she couldn't get out of bed, and the slow, quiet process of finding her way back to herself and to this work. She reflects on what it means to be a guide for others when you've temporarily lost your own footing — and why trusting the wisdom of stopping was, in fact, the most important creative act of all. But this episode isn't just about the dark. Kate also shares the luminous knowing that's been growing...

A reflection on coming back to creative work after a long, necessary silence I promised myself I wouldn't cry when I finally sat down to record again. That was a stupid promise. Of course I cried. It has been months since I've released a new episode of the Creative Genius Podcast. Months since I've shown up here in the way I intended to, in the way I believe matters. And if you've been following along and wondering where I went — I owe you an honest answer. The short version: I hit a wall. A trauma wall. And I had to stop. The longer version is what I want to share with you here, because I think it's actually part...

Follow, Listen, Rate & Review (thank you!)  in Apple Podcasts Subscribe & Listen in SpotifySubscribe & Watch clips on YoutubeOR listen in your favourite podcast app  Creativity as a Lifeline: A Conversation with Jaime Townzen What happens when grief, loss, and uncertainty open a doorway back to creativity? In this soulful episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, host Kate Shepherd speaks with artist and author Jaime Townzen about how watercolour became her lifeline during a dark time, and how following her spark led her to write and publish her debut novel Absorbed. Together they explore creativity as healing, intuition as guidance, the courage to embrace being an artist, and how art helps us through times of crisis. Listeners will hear about Jaime’s journey from stay-at-home mom to professional...

Follow, Listen, Rate & Review (thank you!)  in Apple Podcasts Subscribe & Listen in SpotifySubscribe & Watch clips on YoutubeOR listen in your favourite podcast app  What if your nervous system—the very force that protects you—was also the key to unlocking your creativity, joy, and deeper self-connection? In this profound and heartfelt conversation, Kate sits down with emotional healing specialist and nervous system guide Natalie (NatNat) Bédard of LiftOneSelf. Together, they explore how our nervous systems shape our experiences, how integrating soul and humanity allows us to embrace the full spectrum of being alive, and why vulnerability is at the heart of creative expression. Natalie (NatNat) Bédard is the founder of LiftOneSelf and a devoted emotional healing specialist and nervous system guide. After surviving a life-threatening health...

UPDATE!  Today we gathered as a community at our annual street party to paint our Baby Salmon Warriors, and we had such a great time. Our youngest painter was just 18 months old! At one point, the skies opened up with a surprise downpour—the first rain after weeks of dry weather. Instead of dampening spirits, it felt like a blessing, especially with the nearby forest fires. We all huddled together under the tents, laughing and waiting for the clouds to pass. When the storm passed, we picked up our brushes again and carried on. The resilience of the salmon felt mirrored in us and in the art that emerged. I’m so delighted to share some of the wonderful fish paintings...