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Creativity Coaching FAQs

Small steps to your creative dreams!

Creativity coaching is for individuals who want to live a more fulfilling life as well as for those wanting to pursue a specific creative path or dream.

Gain compassionate support to live a more fulfilling life and/or pursue a specific creative path or dream with Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching™. The result of the coaching process is learning, improved performance, and enhanced quality of life!

What does Kaizen-Muse mean?

Kaizen is a Japanese word meaning "continuous improvement with small steps." A Muse is a bearer of creative inspiration.

Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching™ (KMCC) is a trademarked model of creativity coaching designed by Jill Badonsky, M.Ed., with added elements from Dr. Robert Maurer and his book One Small Step Can Change Your Life the Kaizen Way.

What is a creativity coach?

A creativity coach is a helping professional trained to work with clients in specific areas of artistic expression, or in broader ways according to a client's needs. Some have called creativity coaching "life coaching for creatives," and others find it a collaborative relationship between coach/client for exploring possibilities, knowledge, support, and accountability.

What kind of creativity coaching do you do?

I specialize in Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching™ and support people at all levels of creative ability. Through an approach of small-steps, lowering expectations, kindness, and compassion, I help individuals overcome common blocks to their creativity including fear, procrastination, overwhelm, habits, mild self-sabotage, and perfectionism, and help them to experience more joy in the creative process. (Learn more about Kaizen-Muse here.)

My creativity coach training and credentials include:

• Certification with Eric Maisel, PhD, ('America's Foremost Creativity Coach) trained in:
  · Creativity Coaching
  · Coaching Artists
  · Coaching Writers
• Certification in Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching™ with Jill Badonsky, MeD, and Robert Maurer, PhD
• Pursuing Master KMCC Certification
• Client & Collaborator Testimonials

Are you creatively engaged yourself?

Absolutely! And I completely empathize with the non-linear nature, ebb-and-flow, and blocks to creative expression. I'm passionate about creativity and have been a dedicated student to the 'exploration and expression' of this multi-faceted jewel since 1997. In addition to my work as an artist and writer, I'm also the founder of the award-winning Creativity Portal® Web site, an invigorating community I established online in 2000, dedicated to the exploration and expression of creativity.

You can also enjoy visiting my personal Web site and blog at chrisdunmire.com, and check out the 15 Minutes page to see some of my creative projects, published work, accolades, humor, and related shenanigans.

How will you work with me?

Creativity coaching is convenient and accessible. And because coaching is not counseling or therapy (I will refer you to others if that’s what you need), we can enjoy working together in combination with:

• Phone coaching
• E-mail coaching
• Parallel Universe Time
• Weekly and monthly check-ins

What can I expect from working with you?

My intention as your coach is to exceed your expectations as my client. I will hold the unconditional space for you to discover, uncover, explore, and engage in your creativity and desired mediums of expression with joy and ease.

You'll find the Kaizen-Muse coaching process a welcome, life-changing experience. Through confidential, collaborative sessions we'll explore what's getting in the way of your creative dreams and use kind, playful, low-pressure tools and jewels to re-engage you in the process and re-unite you with your joy.

In Kaizen-Muse we honor the non-linear, messy nature of creativity and take the pressure off by lowering expectations and purposely doing it imperfectly! I will encourage you to engage in your creative work and process as it fits you, and not for my approval or the approval of anyone else.

So it's okay if you don't get to your creative work this week. Maybe we can discover why. It's okay if it appears like you're doing nothing — incubating ideas is part of the creative process. And it's okay if you just 'show up' for our sessions as you are — showing up is engaging in the process!

Do I have to be an artist, writer, performer, inventor, or other highly creative person to work with you?

No. If you aspire to be more creative or explore creativity in your life in any way, shape, or form, I am happy to work with you. You can be an artist, writer, teacher, homemaker, construction worker, accountant, banker, engineer, entrepreneur, or anything else.

Do you give feedback on creative projects?

I am a process-oriented creativity coach. So I give feedback on the effort and progress you put into and make on your creative work — whether it's still incubating in your mind or manifested in tangible form.

I help you determine for yourself if your ideas are sound or if you might need expert input or professional preparation to put your work out into the world (if that's what you choose to do with it). Because I am not a product-oriented coach, I do not give specific instruction, training, or product feedback such as a writing editor or art critic would.

Will you make my art sell or my book get published?

As your creativity coach, I do not act as your agent or broker, but I can help you explore possibilities in working with other professionals offering these paid services, if needed, and help illuminate the path you might take to achieve these goals.

How much does coaching with you cost?

I have several coaching packages available depending on your needs and desires. See the Coaching Packages and Pricing page for more information.

What does 'pay what you can' coaching mean?

My passion for this work and the difference it makes in people's lives enables me with karmic boldness to make my services available, on a limited basis, to those who through financial hardship may otherwise not be able to experience the wonderful rewards of working one-on-one with a creativity coach.

I have several client slots open in my schedule specifically for those with a creative passion desiring support and in need of a sliding scale or a 'pay what you can' payment model.

Thus, 'pay what you can' coaching (sometimes called "freewill") means that instead of paying my usual coaching fee, a client donates whatever amount of money coaching is worth to them (via PayPal) for a 30-minute creativity coaching phone session with me. Their donation, in whatever amount, not only ensures a mutual honor and exchange of energy, but that they'll show up for the session and be invested in the coaching process.

After our 'get to know you' session and agreement on payment terms, freewill coaching clients can make donations to me through this PayPal button:

See also:

• Coaching Packages & Pricing
• Client & Collaborator Testimonials
• 15 Minutes in the Spotlight
• Peter Clothier Interviews Chris