We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gabrielle below.

Gabrielle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

From my earliest days, my parents encouraged me to follow my creative passions, even when they seemed totally out of the box. They had both grown up in a time when their own parents had very narrow expectations for them especially career-wise and they wanted to do the opposite for their children. I was a child who loved to write and tell stories and they always provided opportunities for me to get books from the library, write in journals, see plays…whatever they could do to feed my imagination. When I wanted to study creative writing, they were enthusiastic…and also made clear that I would need to figure out how to pursue my creative path and earn a living I have no doubt that by setting that clear boundary with me, I was motivated to get my first paid writing gigs and to go after publishing my first books. When I work with clients as a spiritual director or as a creativity coach, we investigate what early messages they may have internalized about creativity. Often identifying those messages helps folks to break through fears or limitations. I am forever grateful that my parents recognized my creativity and valued it as the gift it is.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

If you’re seeking creative inspiration or a place to explore writing as a spiritual practice, you will be interested in my offerings!

Through ‘Feed Your Spirit Writing’, I lead circles where we use expressive writing to spark creativity, deepen self-understanding, and connect with spirit. Writing has been my lifeline—helping me live with a chronic illness for more than forty years, heal from breast cancer, and navigate life’s challenges with resilience. I love sharing that practice with others.

I also offer Spiritual Direction—monthly 1:1 conversations rooted in deep listening, tailored to your own sense of the sacred. Sessions may include poetry, reflective writing, dreamwork, or simply spacious conversation about what matters most. I work with people from all faith and cultural traditions and also with folks who are seeking a spiritual path. I love working with agnostics and curious atheists. As a writer, creativity is vital to my spiritual practice. My lived experience has taught me about vulnerability, sorrow, hope and magic: I’ve lived with chronic illness since age 10, met my mortality more than once facing cancer, parent neurodivergent kids and actively explore ancestor connections and healing. I love to laugh.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I started spiritual direction myself over 25 years ago, a few years before having my children. I always knew that I wanted to become a director myself, but my life circumstances were an obstacle for a long time. My older child has an intellectual disability and profound autism and during his early years, almost all of my energy went to finding the educational and therapeutic supports that he needed. While I was raising my children, I also went through breast cancer twice.

Five years ago, after finishing my second cancer treatment, I knew that the time to do my spiritual direction training had come and that nothing was going to stop me. It was time to put my needs first. In making the choice to pursue my dream, I unleashed the most vibrant, fierce and joyful part of myself!

I know work with clients to help them find their inner voice and wisdom and to notice the beauty and gifts in our everyday lives.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I have had a unique path forward and every step of my training, education and career choices have helped me to become the professional I am today. I started out studying both theater and creative writing and ultimately found that writing was my path. I have written across a variety of genres and worked as an educator with children, teens and adults. Now as a writer, creativity coach and spiritual director, I use all of my experience to help me tune in, listen and support my clients. For me, no experience has been wasted because I have learned from every twist and turn of my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gabriellekaplanmayer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabkaplanmayer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gkaplanmayer/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-kaplan-mayer-94827b39/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Gabriellekm