We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Robin Burgin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Robin , appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

It’s a question I’ve pondered often, and the answer is both simple and complex. As cliche as it sounds, I’ve always known. Yet, like many of us, I was influenced to pursue a more traditional career path.

Art has been a constant companion throughout my life. It’s a space where I’ve explored, experienced, and expressed myself freely. Through art, I’ve developed a deep connection to my intuition, reflected on my boundaries, and navigated significant personal losses. The power of art to offer new ways of exploring, experiencing, and expressing myself has been invaluable. It’s a tool that allows for profound self-discovery and transformation, guiding me toward healing in ways that language cannot.

While I’ve always been drawn to the arts, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I fully embraced my creative calling. I’d worked in corporate roles as a graphic designer, brand manager, and director of marketing innovation, where creativity was always a central component. However, these positions often felt like a compromise between passion and practicality.

A turning point came about two years ago when I realized that my corporate job, while fulfilling in many ways, wasn’t fully aligning with my deepest desires. It was during this time that I began to truly listen to my body and my intuition. I realized that I yearned for a more authentic and meaningful path.

About a year later, I made a conscious decision to leave my corporate job and pursue Somatic Experiencing and the sensorimotor arts. This marked a significant shift in my life, allowing me to dedicate myself to helping others find healing through embodiment and creative expression.

I believe that art is innately somatic, tapping into our past experiences and allowing us to renegotiate, re-pattern, and repair trauma and wounds. My own art practice serves as a visual vocabulary of my lived experience. I paint what wants to be said but words cannot express.

Today, It is a privilege to call myself an Artist and a Somatic Experiencing (SEP) & Sensorimotor Arts Practitioner. I’m living my dream, and I’m grateful for the journey that led me here.

Robin , 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’ve always dreamt of being a Creative Director, not just of my own life, but also of helping others craft their ideal existence. Today, I’m proud to say that dream has become a reality. As an Artist and a Somatic Experiencing (SEP) & Sensorimotor Arts Practitioner, I specialize in guiding individuals towards a life that is rich with creative expression, bodily awareness, and childlike wonder.

My personal art practice is a visual reflection of my inner world, a tangible manifestation of my felt sense. Through bold, vibrant markings, I explore the spectrum of sensations that arise in my human experience, articulating a rhythm and fluidity that mirrors the evolution of my self-understanding. Art is my sanctuary, a space free from rules and limitations. Each mark on the canvas is a moment of pure connection, a dance between calm and excitement, fear and courage.

As a practitioner, I offer healing through embodiment and creative expression. I work primarily with those who hold space for others: healers, therapists, healthcare practitioners, caretakers, and parents. Through one-on-one sessions and group workshops, I provide tailored Somatic Experiences designed to help these individuals break free from unwanted behaviors and patterns so that they can reclaim their power and tap into their vitality!

Many of my clients are deeply knowledgeable about trauma healing, yet they struggle to apply their knowledge to their own lives. Despite their understanding of various modalities and spiritual practices, they often find themselves caught in self-sabotaging behaviors. By accessing the body’s language through Somatic and Sensorimotor Arts, we can bypass the limitations of traditional therapy and thoughtwork. Trauma often impacts the brain’s language center, making it difficult to fully articulate deeply embedded experiences. Through creative expression, we can release what’s stored in the body and unlock true healing.

I’ve walked this path myself. For years, I was an empathetic leader in the corporate space who prioritized the needs of others at the expense of my own well-being. It was through Somatic Experiencing and my natural creativity that I discovered the profound connection between art and Somatic healing.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is driven by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of art and embodiment. I envision a world where adults can fully embrace their creative potential, not just as a hobby or pastime, but as a means of healing, self-discovery, and experiencing life to the fullest.

I firmly believe that creative expression is innate in all of us, a fundamental aspect of our human experience. Our nervous systems are wired for healing and repair, and through creative exploration, we can reconnect with this innate capacity. By relearning the language of our bodies and embracing our unique forms of self-expression, we can unlock a profound sense of well-being and agency.

As humans, we learn by doing, by experiencing things for ourselves. Just as we learned to walk, we didn’t simply think it into existence. We gradually mastered the skills of crawling, pulling ourselves up, and finally taking a step through trial and error. Art, in a similar way, allows us to bypass the chatter of our minds and truly learn what we need through the language of our bodies. It provides a space between us and our experiences, allowing us to step back, gain a broader perspective, and confront our past hurts, traumas, joys, and more.

Somatic Experiencing, in conjunction with creative expression, provides a powerful framework for this journey. By accessing the body’s wisdom and releasing stored trauma, we can break free from limiting patterns, behaviors and beliefs. So that we can cultivate a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Through my work, I aim to empower individuals to rediscover their creative voice, heal from past wounds, and embrace the full spectrum of human experience.

My ultimate goal is to challenge the prevailing cultural narratives that often diminish the importance of art and creativity in adulthood. I believe that by fostering a greater appreciation for the transformative power of artistic expression, we can create a more compassionate, resilient, and vibrant society.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is witnessing the transformative power of expression. As an artist, I have the privilege of accessing a full range of expression that allows me to move through what is stored in my body. Through the sensory wisdom of art making, I’ve seen firsthand how individuals can be deeply frustrated and stuck by traditional forms of therapy. When they join me in a workshop or one-on-one session, art unlocks a new language that shows rather than tells their story.

Being a witness to my own journey and the journeys of those I work with is truly awe-inspiring. I’ve observed time and again how we are all seeking to be seen, held, and heard. Art is a powerful vehicle that can allow us to move beyond words and reach a place of feeling that is truly somatic, therapeutic, healing, and nourishing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://robinreneburgin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinreneburgin/

Image Credits

Headshots:Micaela Malmi – https://micaelamalmi.com
Canvas Paintings: Inge Flinte – https://www.ingeflinteart.com/