Therapy for Artists Online in New York
Making art asks a lot of a person. You put your work and often yourself in front of others, you hear no far more often than yes, and income can swing from busy to nothing in a month. Many artists are good at pushing through all of this until something gives.
I’m Scott Whipple, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York with over 20 years as a clinician. Performing and creative artists are one of the groups I have long worked with. I see adults across New York State by video.
Common reasons artists come to therapy
Actors, musicians, dancers, writers, visual artists and others often bring similar concerns, even though the work looks very different.
- Performance anxiety, stage fright or freezing in auditions
- Creative blocks, or losing the drive to make work at all
- Rejection, harsh reviews and the self-doubt that follows
- Irregular work and income, and the stress of not knowing what is next
- Comparing yourself to peers, or perfectionism that stops you from finishing
- Balancing day jobs, relationships and the work you care about
How I work with artists
Performance anxiety and creative blocks are often less about skill and more about what your nervous system does under pressure. A racing heart before an audition, or a blank mind in front of the page, is the body reacting to a sense of threat.
Alongside talk therapy, I use somatic awareness from Somatic Experiencing and mindfulness to help you notice those reactions as they happen and let them settle. Clinical hypnosis can help with focus and with old messages about failure or worth. When past experiences like a public humiliation or a hard training environment still sting, EMDR therapy may help. We build on the strengths you already have.
We also look at practical things: how you handle slow periods, how you respond to rejection, and how to keep making work when outside approval is uneven.
Sessions online
All sessions are by video, which can make it easier to fit therapy around rehearsals, gigs, shifts and travel within New York State.
If you would like to start, request an appointment or call (917) 570-0053.
Questions about therapy for artists
Can therapy help with performance anxiety?
Yes, it often can. Therapy can help you understand what triggers the anxiety and how it shows up in your body, then practice ways to settle it before and during a performance or audition. Approaches like somatic work, mindfulness and clinical hypnosis focus on the physical side of stage fright, not only the thoughts around it.
How do I get over a creative block?
A creative block often has something underneath it, such as fear of judgment, perfectionism, burnout or stress from other parts of life. In therapy we look at what is getting in the way for you, rather than pushing harder. Small, low-pressure steps back into the work and attention to how your body responds can help things move again.
How can artists cope with constant rejection?
Rejection is built into most creative careers, but that does not make it painless. Therapy can help you separate a single no from your sense of worth, notice the stories you tell yourself afterward and recover faster. It also helps to look at where you get support and how you care for yourself between auditions, submissions or shows.
Ready to talk about starting therapy?
Call (917) 570-0053 or send a short message. Sessions are by video for adults in New York State.