Behind the Creative

Use These Strategies to Protect Your Mental Health as a Creative with Jai Huntley

In this episode of Behind the Creative, Dr. Kristelle (https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle]) sits down with Jai Huntley (https://www.instagram.com/jai.huntley) [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle], founder of Protect Your Mental (https://www.instagram.com/protectyourmental_) [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle], clinical mental health counselor, therapist, and faith-led creative entrepreneur, for a grounded conversation on mental health, calling, and sustainability in creative work. Jai shares the personal story that led her into therapy and how Protect Your Mental grew from an idea into a mission rooted in storytelling, ministry, and community. Together, they explore how misalignment with one’s true calling often shows up as burnout and emotional exhaustion, especially for creatives navigating multiple identities. Drawing from both clinical insight and lived experience, Jai offers healthier, more sustainable coping strategies, discusses how faith and creativity intersect in her work, and shares how she protects her own mental health while being a source of guidance for others. This episode is a reminder that rest and recovery are essential, not optional, for creatives building meaningful, purpose-driven lives. In this episode of Behind the Creative, Dr. Kristelle (https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle]) sits down with Jai Huntley (https://www.instagram.com/jai.huntley) [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle], founder of Protect Your Mental (https://www.instagram.com/protectyourmental_) [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle], clinical mental health counselor, therapist, and faith-led creative entrepreneur, for a grounded conversation on mental health, calling, and sustainability in creative work. Jai shares the personal story that led her into therapy and how Protect Your Mental grew from an idea into a mission rooted in storytelling, ministry, and community. Together, they explore how misalignment with one’s true calling often shows up as burnout and emotional exhaustion, especially for creatives navigating multiple identities. Drawing from both clinical insight and lived experience, Jai offers healthier, more sustainable coping strategies, discusses how faith and creativity intersect in her work, and shares how she protects her own mental health while being a source of guidance for others. This episode is a reminder that rest and recovery are essential, not optional, for creatives building meaningful, purpose-driven lives. -- Learn more about The Creative Corporate: www.thecreativecorporate.com [http://www.thecreativecorporate.com] Buy Coop Sleep Goods – because better sleep starts here. Get 20% off your first purchase or 10% off repeat purchases: http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle [http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle] -- Lead Producer: Dexter "Furg" Fugerson Music Produced by: Devin O’Bannon / Black Irish Entertainment Artist: Devin O’Bannon

How to Navigate Being a First as a Creative with Chris Peay

In this episode of Behind the Creative, Kristelle (https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle]) sits down with Chris Peay (https://www.instagram.com/chris.peay [https://www.instagram.com/chris.peay]), co-founder of Cxmmunity Media, the Black-owned media agency reshaping gaming, entertainment, and culture, for a conversation you haven’t heard before. Chris opens up about his journey from collegiate athletics to sports marketing, music entrepreneurship, and ultimately building a creative company at the intersection of culture and community. As the first in his family to graduate college, he reflects on the invisible pressure of being “the first,” the responsibility that comes with it, and how those expectations can quietly shape our personal and professional decisions. Together, Kristelle and Chris unpack what it really means to create boundaries as a first-generation leader, how to balance family responsibility with creative ambition, and how to unlearn guilt and shame while honoring your creative calling. They also explore how Chris has redefined success over time and how his lived experiences have become a core part of branding his brilliance. This episode is a powerful reflection for anyone navigating entrepreneurship, creative careers, or the weight of expectation while carving a path no one else around them has walked before. -- Learn more about The Creative Corporate: www.thecreativecorporate.com [http://www.thecreativecorporate.com] Buy Coop Sleep Goods – because better sleep starts here. Get 20% off your first purchase or 10% off repeat purchases: http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle [http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle] -- Lead Producer: Dexter "Furg" Fugerson Music Produced by: Devin O’Bannon / Black Irish Entertainment Artist: Devin O’Bannon

How to Stop People Pleasing with Music Artist BaeGii

In this episode of Behind the Creative, Dr. Kristelle (https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle]) sits down with music artist and vibrant creative voice Gianni “BaeGii” Chatman (https://www.instagram.com/baegii/ [https://www.instagram.com/baegii/]) to explore what really happens when you stop people pleasing and start believing in your own voice. From turning heartbreaks into lyrics to injecting personality and vibrant storytelling into her music, BaeGii’s journey has the courage to stand out even when blending in feels easier. Learn the key to unlocking how she navigates an industry where individuality can feel both like a superpower and a risk. This conversation is a key reminder that your brilliance is your advantage, that personality is part of your power, and that staying true to yourself is the real win, even when the world tries to tell you who you should be. -- Learn more about The Creative Corporate: www.thecreativecorporate.com [http://www.thecreativecorporate.com] Buy Coop Sleep Goods – because better sleep starts here. Get 20% off your first purchase or 10% off repeat purchases: http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle [http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle] -- Lead Producer: Dexter "Furg" Fugerson Music Produced by: Devin O’Bannon / Black Irish Entertainment Artist: Devin O’Bannon

What to Do as a Corporate Creative Before Burnout

In this episode, we explore the moment that forced corporate creative strategist Dior George to slow down and confront the pressure women face in both creative and corporate environments. Dior opens up about juggling motherhood, high stakes projects, and the invisible expectations placed on high achieving women, until a single moment made it clear that something had to change. What followed was a powerful realization about alignment, emotional capacity, and the myth that women must sacrifice their well being to maintain success. Dior shares the internal breakdown that led to a breakthrough, redefining what balance, ambition, and self trust look like for modern creatives and working mothers. This conversation dives deep into burnout, identity, mental health, and the permission to build a life and career that honors all parts of who you are. -- Learn more about The Creative Corporate: www.thecreativecorporate.com [http://www.thecreativecorporate.com] Buy Coop Sleep Goods – because better sleep starts here. Get 20% off your first purchase or 10% off repeat purchases: http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle [http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle] -- Lead Producer: Dexter "Furg" Fugerson Music Produced by: Devin O’Bannon / Black Irish Entertainment Artist: Devin O’Bannon

How to Define Your Career During Uncertain Times with CJ Simmons

In this episode of Behind the Creative, Dr. Kristelle (https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle [https://www.instagram.com/drkristelle]) sits down with creative strategist and sports marketing veteran CJ Simmons (https://www.instagram.com/mr_cjsimmons [https://www.instagram.com/mr_cjsimmons]) to explore what it truly means to define the undefined — in life, in business, sports, and in creativity. From launching his career at NASA to shaping partnerships across all six major sports leagues — NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and WNBA — CJ’s journey is a testament to reinvention, clarity, and purpose in the midst of transition. Together, they unpack what it means to navigate ambiguous seasons, turn uncertainty into creative momentum, and measure progress without traditional metrics. CJ opens up about the truths he’s learning to say out loud, the habits that keep him grounded, and his upcoming book exploring the art of defining life’s undefined chapters. This conversation is a powerful reflection on identity, alignment, and brilliance. It reminds us that even when the path isn’t clear, forward motion is still progress — and that sometimes, the undefined seasons are where our purpose begins to take shape. -- Learn more about The Creative Corporate: www.thecreativecorporate.com [http://www.thecreativecorporate.com] Buy Coop Sleep Goods – because better sleep starts here. Get 20% off your first purchase or 10% off repeat purchases: http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle [http://coopsleepgoods.com/drkristelle] -- Lead Producer: Dexter "Furg" Fugerson Music Produced by: Devin O’Bannon / Black Irish Entertainment Artist: Devin O’Bannon