Modern Creativity | Creating Space for Being and Doing – by Kathy Känzig

071 | Healing & Arts: Creativity as a Structural Principle of Life with Lukas Feireiss (EN)

In this episode I sit down with Lukas Feireiss [https://www.studiolukasfeireiss.com/], a true "Wundertüte" filled with exciting stories and perspectives. We explore the beautiful intersection of healing and the arts. Growing up with a medical doctor father and a gallerist mother, Lukas experienced these two worlds not as separate, but as seamlessly co-present. Today, he dedicates his work to building bridges between medicine and art, recognizing them as complementary ways to understand and engage with the world. We dive into his work with the Charité on the "Healing Arts" [https://www.charite.de/service/veranstaltung/veranstaltung/details/congress_the_healing_arts_forging_alliances_of_arts_medicine]dialogue series and measurable health benefits of both active and passive engagement with the arts.  We also discuss navigating vulnerability in a society that often disciplines male emotion, and how practices as seemingly opposite as Reiki and martial arts both ultimately teach us the profound power of presence and soft power. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: * Why creativity can be seen simply as a structural principle of life , rooted in growth and evolution. * How to uncover your own "creative DNA" and recognize your inherent structural forces. * Why you don't need to intellectually "understand" art ; it is primarily about resonance and presence. * The power of giving yourself a "date with art" by sitting with a painting and observing your physical sensations. * How healing is not about returning to a previous status quo , but about evolving and growing after a disruption. About the Guest Lukas Feireiss [https://www.studiolukasfeireiss.com/] works as a curator, coach, and bridge-builder between transdisciplinary arts and medicine. Through his coaching practice, Cura vision [https://cura.vision/], he acts as a co-navigator to help people reveal their inherent creative strengths and design their external expressions. Find him on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lukasfeireiss/]. Follow for more creativity If this resonated with you, follow Modern Creativity and leave a short review — it truly helps me keep sharing content. Website [https://www.modern-creativity.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/modern__creativity] Substack [https://mocr.substack.com/] My personal website [http://kathykaenzig.com] Thank you for being here. Stay open, stay kind, and keep creating from the heart.

070 | Art & Mindfulness: Embodied Art – Live at Fotografiska Berlin

In this special episode, I share a live session recorded at the Art & Mindfulness Night Academy at Fotografiska Berlin [https://berlin.fotografiska.com/de] from the 26th of February 2026. In this talk, I guide the audience through an embodied art practice exploring how artworks can become a training ground for meaning-making, presence, and inner dialogue. Rather than analyzing art intellectually, the practice invites us to slow down and notice what happens within us when we open up to an artwork. Through three layers — feeling, body, and message — we explore how perception, sensation, and reflection interact. — Follow for more creativity If this resonated with you, follow Modern Creativity and leave a short review — it truly helps me keep sharing content. Website [https://www.modern-creativity.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/modern__creativity] Substack [https://mocr.substack.com/] My personal website [http://kathykaenzig.com] Thank you for being here. Stay open, stay kind, and keep creating from the heart.

069 | Improvisation & Play: Cultivating Presence with Dr. Chris Heimann (EN)

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Chris Heimann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherheimann/], a theatre director, educator, and former leader of the improvisation curriculum at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. For nearly two decades, Chris has guided actors, leaders, and teams to cultivate presence, spontaneity, and embodied awareness — using improvisation as a pathway into deeper human connection and creative agency. Together, we explore what it means to work with what you’ve got, how play shapes our creativity, and why presence is perhaps the most powerful skill we have in a world that constantly pulls us away from the current moment. The conversation moves from childhood impulses to leadership, from somatic intelligence to curiosity, and from friction to flow. Chris and I reflect on improvisation as a form of research — a way to understand ourselves, each other, and the stories we co-create. * How creative play can lead us to greater awareness * Why presence is a leadership skill * The promise of any given moment * Why improvisation begins with “working with what you’ve got” * Somatic intelligence and speaking through the body * Navigating uncertainty: the art of letting go * How “yes, and…” can shift collaboration and leadership * The difference between performing and researching through play * Simple practices to cultivate presence in everyday life About Chris Dr. Chris Heimann led the improvisation curriculum at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) for 19 years, teaching actors including Cynthia Erivo, Taron Egerton, Amy Lou Wood, and Marisa Abela. He is a two-time Fringe First Award–winning theatre director, and has spent 20 years coaching leaders and teams on communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership. Chris is now based in Berlin, where he works through his company Spacecraft, helping individuals and organizations cultivate presence, awareness, and creative leadership. Website [https://spacecraft.london/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherheimann/?skipRedirect=true] 🎟 Whoops – already in the past: Reflection & Direction Workshop If you’re in Berlin, join me at the start of January for a 3-hour Reflection & Direction Workshop guided by Transformation Designer Daniele Lauriola and Creative Health Facilitator Kathy Känzig. We’ll look back at 2025 and create a personal orientation for the year ahead. Follow for Impact! If this conversation resonated with you, follow Modern Creativity and leave a short review — it truly helps me keep sharing soulful dialogues and inspiring guests like Chris with you. Website [https://www.modern-creativity.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/modern__creativity] Substack [https://mocr.substack.com/] My personal website [http://kathykaenzig.com] Thank you for being here. Stay open, stay kind, and keep creating from the heart.

068 | Digital Wellbeing – Empowering Connection with Wonder and Imagination in the Age of AI with Caitlin Krause (EN)

In this episode, I am joined by Caitlin Krause [https://caitlinkrause.com/], a globally recognized experience designer, author, and educator whose work bridges technology, storytelling, and emotional intelligence. Together, we explore what Digital Wellbeing truly means in a world designed to distract — and how we can cultivate presence, imagination, and care in our digital lives. The conversation moves from mindfulness to AI, from wonder to design, and from play to purpose. Caitlin and I reflect on creativity as a form of connection — not just to others, but to ourselves and the living systems around us. In this episode, we talk about: * What creativity means in an age of automation * How to design for Digital Wellbeing * Why wonder and imagination are vital for human connection * Lessons from Caitlin’s teaching at Stanford and University of Oregon * The role of awe and embodiment in technology design * The difference between using technology and being used by it * Simple practices to bring more reflection and intentionality into your day About Caitlin Caitlin Krause is the founder of MindWise, an interactive studio and consultancy focused on wellbeing, leadership, and design. She teaches Digital Wellbeing, AI & XR at Stanford University and the University of Oregon, and advises organizations including TED, Google, Meta, and the U.S. State Department. Her latest book, Digital Wellbeing: Empowering Connection with Wonder and Imagination in the Age of AI [https://caitlinkrause.com/digitalwellbeing/], invites us to reimagine our relationship with technology through the lens of presence and play. Connect with Caitlin Twitter [https://twitter.com/CaitlinKrause_]  |  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/CaitlinKrause_CK/]  |  YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/CaitlinKrause16]  |  Website [https://caitlinkrause.com/digitalwellbeing]   🎟 Creative Health Event [https://luma.com/vmw7sghj] If you’re in Berlin, join me on November 27th, 2025 for Creative Health: The Science of Awe and Neuroaesthetics — an embodied event co-hosted with EDGE Neuroscience & Art [https://edge-neuro.art/] Collective and Curator Lukas Feireiss. Grab your ticket here [https://luma.com/vmw7sghj]. Follow for Impact If this conversation resonated with you, follow Modern Creativity and leave a short review — it truly helps me keep sharing soulful dialogues and inspiring guests like Caitlin with you. Website | [https://www.modern-creativity.com/]Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/modern__creativity] | Substack [https://mocr.substack.com/] | My personal website [http://kathykaenzig.com] Thank you for being here. Stay open, stay kind, and keep creating from the heart. ✨

067 | Creative Health – The Missing Pillar of Wellbeing with Katina Bajaj (EN)

In this episode, I sit down with Katina Bajaj [https://www.katinabajaj.com/], clinical psychologist, co-founder of Daydreamers [https://daydreamers.co/], and the leading voice in the emerging field of Creative Health. Katina’s pioneering work bridges psychology, neuroscience, and the art of living creatively — asking a powerful question: What if creativity was the missing pillar of our well-being? Katina and I met serendipitously at Human+Tech Week in San Francisco, and I remember feeling an immediate spark — as if I had found someone speaking a language I’d been quietly learning myself. For years, I’ve been exploring how creativity can become a path to connection, and vitality — and then I met Katina, who has built an entire scientific framework around exactly that. For years, wellness has focused on the mind and body — yet often overlooked our innate human capacity to imagine, make, and express. Katina’s work reframes creativity not as a luxury for artists, but as an essential practice for everyone seeking meaning, resilience, and connection in a rapidly changing world. Together, Katina and I explore: * What Creative Health really means — and why it’s a core part of human flourishing. * Why friction and discomfort are vital ingredients for creative growth. * The relationship between AI, attention, and human creativity. * How moments of awe, stillness, and wonder restore our sense of vitality. * Practical ways to start cultivating your creativity muscle in everyday life. This episode is a beautiful reminder that creativity is not about perfection or output — it’s about presence, curiosity, and being fully alive. Connect with Katina Bajaj: Daydreamers [https://daydreamers.co/] Substack [https://daydreamerspace.substack.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/katinabajaj] — Follow for Impact! If this conversation resonated with you, follow Modern Creativity and leave a short review — it truly helps me keep sharing dialogues and inspiring guests like Katina with you. Website [https://www.modern-creativity.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/modern__creativity] Substack [https://mocr.substack.com/] My personal website [http://kathykaenzig.com] Thank you for being here. Stay open, stay kind, and keep creating from the heart.