The Modern Creative Woman

135. The Neuropsychological Change Process and the Art Response

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2199359/open_sms] In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman, Dr. Amy Backos continues the conversation on creating more chill holidays by exploring the neuropsychology of choice, habit, and tradition. She weaves personal reflection with brain science to offer listeners both compassion and practical insight into why the holidays can feel so overwhelming—and how meaningful change is actually possible. Dr. Backos begins by normalizing the gap between intention and reality during the holidays. Drawing from her own experience of scaling back perfectionism, she reminds us that time is not the goal—well-being is. Gifts can arrive late, traditions can shift, and self-kindness matters more than meeting imaginary deadlines. The heart of the episode focuses on the neuroscience of decision-making. Dr. Backos explains how four key brain areas—the prefrontal cortex, limbic system, anterior cingulate cortex, and striatum—work together to shape our choices. Importantly, she highlights how emotion, habit, and reward often override logic, helping explain why we revert to old patterns (especially around family and holidays), even when we “know better.” She then unpacks research showing that the brain initiates action before we’re consciously aware of deciding, underscoring why habits are so powerful—and why change requires patience. This insight offers deep empathy for ourselves and others, reframing impulsive or regressive behaviors as efficiency strategies of the brain, not personal failures. From there, Dr. Bakos turns toward hope and neuroplasticity. Our brains can change, learn new routes, form new traditions, and create new emotional associations. Traditions, while comforting and efficient, are not fixed—and we are free to keep, modify, or release them. The episode closes with a gentle, experiential art therapy practice: slowing down, noticing the urge to move before acting, and using artmaking as a way to interrupt automatic patterns. This mindful pause becomes a lived experience of neuroplasticity and choice—one that can extend beyond the art table and into how we navigate the holidays. Key takeaway: When we slow down and understand how our brains truly work, we can meet ourselves with compassion, experiment with small changes, and create holidays—and lives—that feel more intentional, creative, and calm. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2199359/support] Explore the Modern Creative Woman Community https://moderncreativewoman.com [https://arttherapycentersf.com/] Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter https://moderncreativewoman.com/subscribe-to-the-creative-woman/ [https://mcusercontent.com/53c5579a5feca0090377003c7/files/b4f5b916-6160-01d5-e760-40b1327eac06/Modern_Creative_Woman_Manifesta.pdf] Connect with Dr. Amy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/ [https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/]

134. Stop Doing Too Much: Create Your Chill Holiday

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2199359/open_sms] The Process Is the Way: How to Actually Enjoy Your Holiday Season In this episode, Amy shares the surprising truth about the exact right moment to pause, relax, and return to yourself: when you feel way too busy to do it. If you’ve ever sprinted through December—overspending, overcommitting, overperforming, and quietly drowning in guilt, stress, or “holiday hustle”—this conversation is your invitation to stop treating the holidays like a finish line and start experiencing them as a process. Amy opens up about her own decades-long pattern of holiday bad habits: frantic gift-making, stressful travel, trying to recreate childhood magic single-handedly, and pushing herself far outside her values. Then she shares the shift that changed everything: embracing the process, not just the product. You’ll explore: * Why rushing to “get through the holidays” never works * How mindfulness, ACT, and Zen-inspired practices can bring you back to yourself anywhere—even in traffic * What art therapy teaches us about staying present and dropping perfection * The psychological and emotional benefits of valuing the journey rather than the outcome * How to release traditions you secretly hate and consciously build a season that feels aligned * Amy’s personal holiday transformations (no more frantic knitting, no more December flights, yes to pajamas + museums!) This episode will help you create a holiday season rooted in presence, pleasure, values, and genuine connection—not pressure or performance. If you want December to feel calmer, cozier, more intentional, and actually joyful, this is your guide. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2199359/support] Explore the Modern Creative Woman Community https://moderncreativewoman.com [https://arttherapycentersf.com/] Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter https://moderncreativewoman.com/subscribe-to-the-creative-woman/ [https://mcusercontent.com/53c5579a5feca0090377003c7/files/b4f5b916-6160-01d5-e760-40b1327eac06/Modern_Creative_Woman_Manifesta.pdf] Connect with Dr. Amy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/ [https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/]

133. That Quiet Drift Away From Ourselves...and How to Return

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2199359/open_sms] In this episode, Dr. Amy Backos takes you inside a moment every creative woman knows too well—the quiet drift away from our creativity and, in many ways, from ourselves. What begins as a blank page or stalled idea can quickly snowball into self-doubt, overwhelm, or a nervous system stuck in self-protection. But this isn’t a personal failure—it’s biology, psychology, and lived experience converging. For 20 grounding minutes, Amy unpacks why we stop creating and how to gently navigate our way back. You’ll learn: * Why the brain interprets vulnerability, visibility, and uncertainty as “threats,” and how that shuts down creative impulses * The four psychological patterns that disconnect us from our art: avoidance, emotional overwhelm, perfectionism, and the freeze response * How childhood experiences—from classroom critiques to the pressure to perform—shape our adult creative identity * Why creativity is not a luxury, but a biological form of expression that reconnects us to our sense of self * How art-making supports self-regulation, identity repair, and the reclaiming of your own perspective * A simple, soothing creative practice you can do today: the Rainbow Photo Series, designed to ground you in presence and rekindle your creative spark Amy also shares personal stories about knitting failures, adolescent art shame, the psychology of “too muchness,” and the surprising perfectionism behind choosing the “right tomato.” You’ll walk away with practical ways to re-enter your inner world, slow your nervous system, and create not for the product—but for the reconnection. The Modern Creative Woman is a weekly podcast for women who want to live, create, and heal with intention. If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend and leave a 5-star review—your support helps bring this work to more women. To learn about the upcoming Modern Creative Woman x Girlboss Paris Retreat—a transformative week of art therapy, self-expression, and deep reflection—connect with Amy through the link in the show notes or on Instagram @dramybackos. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2199359/support] Explore the Modern Creative Woman Community https://moderncreativewoman.com [https://arttherapycentersf.com/] Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter https://moderncreativewoman.com/subscribe-to-the-creative-woman/ [https://mcusercontent.com/53c5579a5feca0090377003c7/files/b4f5b916-6160-01d5-e760-40b1327eac06/Modern_Creative_Woman_Manifesta.pdf] Connect with Dr. Amy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/ [https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/]

132. Taking Control of Your Brain

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2199359/open_sms] In this week’s episode, Dr. Amy Backos invites listeners into a grounding and honest conversation about the power of values—especially as we head into a season filled with expectations, pressure, and anticipatory anxiety. Using the Buddha’s teaching on the “drunken monkeys” mind as a starting point, Amy explores how our restless, swirling thoughts can pull us away from what truly matters… unless we intentionally return to presence. Amy breaks down the heart of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): identifying what is most important to us, and taking small, consistent, value-aligned actions. She shares how values differ from goals, how to recognize the values already present in your daily life, and how non-value actions—overthinking, pseudo-action, avoidance, distraction, or overindulgence—quietly drain meaning and increase suffering. In this rich, reflective episode, Amy offers practical tools for returning to presence: two-minute mindfulness resets, mirror practices, grounding routines, mindful breathing at red lights, and small daily behaviors that strengthen your connection to what matters. She also unpacks the “emotional cycle of change,” explaining why so many people stall in the Valley of Despair—and how values help us move forward with informed optimism. As the holidays approach and the new year looms, Amy nudges listeners to begin preparing now: clarifying your values, envisioning how you want to live them in the months ahead, and biasing yourself toward action with creative, doable behavioral experiments. This episode is an invitation to reconnect with your purpose, choose the behaviors that express it, and gently return—time and again—to the present moment. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2199359/support] Explore the Modern Creative Woman Community https://moderncreativewoman.com [https://arttherapycentersf.com/] Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter https://moderncreativewoman.com/subscribe-to-the-creative-woman/ [https://mcusercontent.com/53c5579a5feca0090377003c7/files/b4f5b916-6160-01d5-e760-40b1327eac06/Modern_Creative_Woman_Manifesta.pdf] Connect with Dr. Amy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/ [https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/]

131. Creativity and Context

Ask me a question or let me know what you think! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2199359/open_sms] "Creativity itself doesn't care about results. The only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens happen next without fussing too much about it. Work like a monk or a mule or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work. Destiny will do what it wants with you regardless." - Elizabeth Gilbert  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2199359/support] Explore the Modern Creative Woman Community https://moderncreativewoman.com [https://arttherapycentersf.com/] Free Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter https://moderncreativewoman.com/subscribe-to-the-creative-woman/ [https://mcusercontent.com/53c5579a5feca0090377003c7/files/b4f5b916-6160-01d5-e760-40b1327eac06/Modern_Creative_Woman_Manifesta.pdf] Connect with Dr. Amy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/ [https://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/]