Exploring creativity with Elin Horgan and Rachel Connor - Writer, Mentor and Creative Coach (podcast episode)
Elin Horgan talks to Rachel Connor, a writer and transformational life and creativity coach. The discussion delves into the essence of creativity, exploring its broad and deep significance beyond traditional artistic practices.
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215: Exploring creativity
with Elin Horgan and Rachel Connor
In this week's episode, host Elin Horgan talks to Rachel Connor, a writer and transformational life and creativity coach. The discussion delves into the essence of creativity, exploring its broad and deep significance beyond traditional artistic practices.
Rachel Connor shares her journey from academia to becoming a creativity coach, highlighting her belief that creativity is an inherent human trait essential for self-expression and connection. She discusses her work with various creatives and non-creatives, emphasising that creativity can manifest in many forms, from artistic practices to everyday activities.
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About Rachel
Rachel is a writer, creativity guide and transformational coach.
As a former academic with graduate degrees in literature and writing, Rachel has seen how powerfully we are shaped by the stories we’ve inherited from family and culture. We often misinterpret these stories negatively. This induces shame, so we push them deep into the shadows and are left with a skewed sense of who we are. Our self-belief is eroded. We feel we haven’t the right to dream who we can be; that our work or creativity won’t be celebrated or appreciated.
Rachel’s own creative journey has been fraught, over the decades, with challenges. Now, she works with individuals and groups, writers and non-writers, artists, artisans—and anyone who craves self-expression but doesn’t know where to start.
Listening, for her, is an art form, one infused with an understanding of how we consistently but unknowingly suppress the joyful and best parts of ourselves—which, in turn, causes us to suppress the beauty of our creative offerings.
When it comes to creativity, Rachel believes that change only comes if we’re willing to engage our curiosity and explore the invisible parts we’ve kept hidden. Unmasking those parts in service of our creativity is a radical act of leadership. Only when we respond to the inner wisdom of who we really are can we begin the rewarding work of transformation that allows us, finally, to experience ourselves as more expansive, aligned and alive.
Rachel’s website
Rachel’s regular Substack column, entitled ‘Creativity Thesaurus’, which explores all things creativity.
Rachel’s LinkedIn
Rachel’s Instagram: @wordplay_coaching
Rachel keeps a few online slots available each week for making new connections and meeting up for virtual coffee—so if you’d like a (no obligation!) chat, you can book an appointment on her calendar here.
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