EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of the Creative Genius Podcast, host Kate welcomes the irreverent, fierce, and powerful Emma Zack. Emma's journey into music wasn't a straightforward one. From singing at a young age to feeling pressured to fit a mold created by others, Emma experienced a hiatus from music during her early teens. However, as the universe often does, music found its way back to her after a powerful plant medicine journey. This reconnection led to her recording her debut album at...

In this episode, Lama Rod Owens explores how tending to our own brokenheartedness can unlock the transformative power of creativity, offering a path to building an awakened and beautiful life. Through insightful and personal anecdotes from his book, "The New Saints: From Broken Hearts to Spiritual Warriors," Lama Rod invites listeners to reimagine forgiveness, radical self-care, and awakened care as essential tools for crafting a fulfilling existence. Don't miss this opportunity to discover...

Our guest today is Autumn Skye - an incredible artist with a massive online following, and when you see her work you’ll immediately get it. Her pieces are equal parts painstakingly detailed and evocatively magical. This is a deep and deeply nourishing and expansive feeling episode. We cover a lot of ground from the practical to the esoteric. I came away from this conversation feeling more spacious and filled with a sense of possibility and wonder than I have in a long time, and I hope you...

In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative power of sound and creativity with the renowned musician and healing sound artist, Ashana. A classically trained musician who grew up in the Bronx who spent a lifetime as a professional musician and teacher, she unexpectedly found herself trailblazing an entirely new genre of music that has since garnered international acclaim. With renowned producer Thomas Barquee by her side, Ashana has pioneered a sound that resonates with listeners...

James McCrae a widely celebrated internet poet and author of several books including The Art of You, was a New York ad executive who found himself at a crossroads. Feeling directionless and utterly disconnected from his life's purpose, no matter what he did nothing in his life felt "right" - he constantly felt like he was banging his head against a wall. Listen to the story of how he completely turned his life around and had everything clicking into place. James is living proof that...

In this enlightening episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, we are joined by Jaime Hamilton, a passionate middle school English teacher and talented watercolour artist. Jaime shares her journey of embracing her purpose and navigating imposter syndrome while empowering teenagers to embrace their individuality. Jaime opens up about her personal mission to become the mentor she longed for during her own teenage years, now guiding her current students with compassion and wisdom. Through...

This is an encore presentation of one of our most listened to episodes in the series so far. In this encore presentation, the episode revisits Wendy McWilliams' inspiring journey, originally featured in Season One. Wendy, who started seeking a simple hobby at the age of 49, eventually discovered her life's passion in painting. Despite going through 22 different jobs, including roles at Calvin Klein and Revlon in Europe, Wendy found fulfillment and success as an artist with her work sought...

Join host Kate Shepherd in a transformative conversation with Bibby Gignilliat, visual artist, as she delves into her artistic journey, overcoming self-doubt, and leveraging childhood experiences in creative expression. Bibby reveals the shift from a thriving career to a life dedicated to art, emphasizing the fusion of business skills and artistic prowess in building a successful art practice. Gain insights into leveraging email, social media for art sales, and the profound impact of teaching...

In this insightful conversation, Kate Shepherd reunites with Beth, a watercolor artist and moon cycle coach, to delve into the profound influence of moon wisdom on intention-setting and navigating life's ups and downs. They explore the nuances of moon phases, their impact on energy, and emotional states. Beth underscores the significance of reflection, celebration, and rest synchronized with the rhythm of the moon's cycles. They also confront the contrast between societal expectations and our...

Megan Sheldon, a ritual and ceremony expert, joins us for a deep dive into the significance and transformative power of year-end rituals for acknowledging emotions and shaping intentions for what is to come. We chat about the profound opportunity this time of year presents for bridging the past while embracing clarity and openness for the year ahead. Tapping into the elements of Earth, Fire, Water & Air, Megan brings us actionable steps and ideas for infusing ritual into our lives,...

A mini episode featuring a vulnerable share from host Kate Shepherd about falling apart, and coming together, how it's perfectly fine not to have everything figured out.

​​In this episode we explore the transformative power of reconnecting with intuition, unlocking the secrets to artistic mastery through connecting with your inner child, and the profound impact of bravely following one's artistic impulses. Artist Andrew Faulkner candidly shares his journey—from the creative doubts that plagued him even when his work was being published in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times & The Washington Post to embracing the profound...

This mini episode addresses the formidable force of limiting beliefs and their impact on personal growth and self-expression. Creative Genius Podcast Host Kate Shepherd candidly shares her own lifelong struggle with some of these beliefs, how she's performed acrobatics to keep herself small and held back her own innate brilliance. And the ongoing yearning to embrace and express her true self.

Megan Sheldon, a seasoned End of Life Doula, Celebrant, and Cultural Mythologist, guides us through the profound significance of rituals and ceremonies in acknowledging life's transitions, especially during moments of loss and change. With her background and expertise, Megan shares insights into the transformative potential of these practices, offering tools and frameworks for creating personalized rituals. She emphasizes their role in processing emotions like anger and grief, discussing...

In this thought-provoking episode, we embark on a journey of self-discovery, exploring the complex and often elusive concept of our true selves. Kate and her guest Mary Ann Stancel an energy practitioner and meditation guide from Seattle delve into the notion of how we create the world around us, the personalities we embody, and the roles we play in our lives, including our jobs, families, and communities.

A sweet conversation between Kate Shepherd and her son Cosmo about spiders and idea of how embracing change and taking calculated risks in life can be exciting not scary and lead you to your best life.

In this inspiring episode, we dive into Dr. Heather Penny's incredible journey from a former third-grade teacher to a leadership coach, speaker, and author. Heather's midlife crisis became a profound opportunity to ask profound questions about her purpose and passion leading her to return to the truest version of herself. Her realization that there is an abundance of research on how women in our society are often silently struggle emotionally and even mentally, "spiralling down" but a...

In this honest and raw episode of Genius Moments, we dive into the profound world of creativity and the incredible impact it can have on your life and the world around you. In this mini-episode, hosted by a Kate Shepherd, you'll find yourself encouraged to unleash your creative gifts, express yourself authentically, and recognize the extraordinary power that resides within you. This episode is a beautiful reminder that your creative gifts are more valuable than you can imagine. By embracing...

In this episode, celebrated Author Martha Anne Toll shares her journey of persistence and creativity. Despite fairly constant rejection, Martha pursued her love of writing for 20 years. She emphatically shares with us the importance of tuning into our inner voice the one that urges us to keep going when things get tough. Martha intuitively knew how critical it would be to incorporate writing into all aspects of life - so that she could keep doing it even through the challenging dry times. She...

You contain, inside of you, a small, quiet voice that has the answers to everything that you could ever need to know. It knows what direction you need to move in moment to momoen, it knows what activity you need to explore. It knows what friendships you need to cultivate and which ones it is time to walk away from, what town you need to live in and even what you need to have for dinner. In this Bonus Episode I share a story of how my dedication to cultivating an ability to hear and be led by...

In this podcast conversation, we delve into the fascinating world of Maria Over, an artist, children's book illustrator, and creative spirit based in Munich, Germany. Maria shares her insights on managing her wild creative spirit while producing art commercially, building a supportive global community of like-minded artists, and nurturing her creativity through a daily morning routine. We'll also explore her impressive list of illustration clients (Random House, eeBoo, Ravensburger Puzzles,...

In this episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, our guest Dr. Meredith Estevez, a renowned oboist, podcaster, coach, writer, and educator, shares her profound journey of creative recovery and the vital lessons she's learned about finding joy in the act of creation. Through her personal experiences, Merideth explores the effects of creative burnout, the harmful generational cycle of teaching through shame, and the pressure to balance creative impulse with marketability and success. She...

In this pre-season three episode, Host Kate Shepherd announces the official vision and theme for Season 3, Learning to See. Kate shares a heartfelt personal story about Bob The Foster dog, and how in the face of external pressures she was able to rely on her intuition to help her see what she needed to see in order for navigate a difficult decision. Kate shares some of her techniques for cultivating your own intuition and sets the stage for some of the new things you can expect from Creative...

In this episode, host Kate Shepherd interviews Wisconsin based Juliette Crane, a painter, writer, and creative educator, with international recognition and thousands of collectors, customers, and students. Juliette shares pivotal moments along her creative journey and the difficult circumstances that led her to rediscover and her passion for art. They discuss Juliette's creative journey, her connection to creativity, the themes in her artwork, and the importance of embracing creativity to...