We recently connected with Olivia The Creative and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Olivia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I am a born risk-taker. I believe firmly that if you leap, the net will appear; of course if you are doing so responsibly and with good intentions. When I was in my early twenties, I was living in New York City, working at Buzzfeed, making a great salary in what many would consider successful. The truth was, I was working in software support, which was about diagnosing problems and maintaining systems; the furthest thing from my creative, generative mind. After working with a women’s life coaching program focused on creative entrepreneurship, I decided to quit my cushy and stable job at Buzzfeed, to explore my passions and travel. I didn’t have much money saved and I still had a lease for my NYC apartment. I sublet my place, and signed up for a conference for musicians focused on positive music and booked a few flights. As I leapt into the unknown, a 7 week trip from Florida, to North Carolina, to Northern California all way to Southern California unfolded. I stayed at hostels, with family friends and with new friends. I wrote music and a script for a children’s program, put my feet in the Pacific Ocean, and spoke with people from different socio-economic backgrounds living on the beach. Above all, I connected with myself on a deeper level than ever before, I leaned into my creativity and began to trust the process of life to lead me to the right people and events. Taking this risk, set the groundwork for my refusing to settle in an unfulfilling job that doesn’t use my passions and talents. This risk set the stage for me exploring and trying different jobs and careers, moving around the United States, before ultimately finding my passion and return to school for Expressive Arts Therapy.

Olivia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Olivia Avanzato, Expressive Arts Therapist, and Creative Entrepreneur. I founded my business Olivia The Creative LLC to package my offerings as an expressive arts therapist, author, and choreographer. I facilitate group experiences using creative modalities to support teams, families and individuals. Recently, I opened a new venture under Olivia The Creative LLC. mPower studio is a physical space in Oneonta, New York, geared towards in person therapeutic and creative groups and individual sessions using movement, music, meditation and art-making. I am also the author of two poetry books focused on mental health and emotional addiction recovery. Follow my work at oliviathecreative.com or @m_powerstudio on instagram.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

When I began my journey of seeking a way to live an aligned life to my creative values, I began reading a lot of self development books. Two books that have changed my life and perspective are This Time I Dance, by Tama Kieves and The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Both of these books gave me the permission I was seeking to create a life outside of the ordinary, that society told me was the way to success and happiness. The Artist’s Way, in particular, created tangible practices to connect with my inner artist and reclaim it.

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

After a tumultuous, 7 year relationship ended, I became severely depressed; so much so, that I had to quit my job as a Counselor and move home with my parents to recover. This depression was both mental and physical, I struggled to get out of bed in the morning. I knew that the longer I stayed in it, the harder it would be to get out. So I made myself dance every day to one song and I wrote poetry to process my feelings. It was difficult, but slowly, I began to recognize myself, and see the spark in my eye that made me who I am. These processes not only led to my own healing, but I was able to write poetry books and create a movement program for those struggling with similar issues.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oliviathecreative.com
• Instagram: oliviathecreative m_powerstudio

Image Credits

Alexa Tumberello