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Gavin HamnettMS, LMHC
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For people who make things

Therapy for working artists, writers, musicians, and makers in the Hudson Valley and across New York.

Request a free consultation
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Who This Is For

I didn't set out to work with artists. They found me anyway: painters, writers, musicians, designers, and makers, people whose work is their living and also something closer to who they are.

What they bring in usually isn't a lack of talent. It is anxiety that crowds out the work, long dry spells, an inner critic that never takes a day off, or the strain of making a living from something you love. Some are well established. Some are just starting out. Either way, the pressure is real.

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What Artists Bring In

  • Creative block

    Weeks or months when the work won't come, and the worry that it won't come back.

  • The inner critic

    A voice that edits every idea before it has a chance to breathe.

  • Money and the work

    The strain of earning a living from something that also carries your heart.

  • Highs and lows

    The lift of a good stretch, and the drop when a project ends or a show comes down.

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How I Work With Creative People

Creativity, as I see it, is part of who we are underneath. When people feel far from themselves, the work often dries up too. So I don't treat a block only as a productivity problem. We look at what has come between you and the Self you make things from.

Hakomi suits a lot of creative people, because it works with sensation, image, and feeling, not only with explanation. We notice what happens in your body when you think about the blank page or the unfinished piece, and follow it with curiosity. Psychodynamic work helps us find out whose voice that critic really belongs to.

More about my approach
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What Sessions Look Like

  1. A free call first

    A complimentary 20 minute phone consultation to talk about where you are and what you want.

  2. A steady hour

    55 minute sessions, weekly or every two weeks, in person in Rhinebeck or Hudson, or by telehealth in New York State.

  3. Bring the work in

    If it helps, we can talk about a specific piece or project and what comes up around it.

What Can Shift

What I hope for is that making things feels less forced and more like you again. In my view, coming back to what I call the Organic Self brings more presence and more creativity, a sense that the work is coming from you instead of being squeezed out.

If you are an artist feeling stuck or stretched thin, a free 20 minute phone consultation is a good place to begin.

Rates in Brief

Sessions are $160 for 55 minutes. The first step is a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation.

Rates
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Questions People Ask

Do I have to be a professional artist?

No. Anyone whose creative life matters to them is welcome, whether or not it pays the bills.

Will therapy take the edge off my work?

It is a common worry. The aim isn't to smooth you out. It is to help you feel more like yourself, which is where the work comes from in the first place.

Do you work with musicians and writers too?

Yes. Visual artists, writers, musicians, performers, and makers of all kinds.

Can we meet by telehealth?

Yes, anywhere in New York State. In-person sessions are in Rhinebeck and Hudson.

Related Pages

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Creative Block and Self-Doubt

Therapy for artists and makers in New York stuck behind self doubt or a long creative dry spell.

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Quieting the Inner Critic

Therapy for adults in New York who are tired of being their own harshest judge.

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Therapy in Hudson, NY

In-person therapy for adults in Hudson and Columbia County, with telehealth available anywhere in New York State.

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Start With a Free Consultation

Send me a short message and I'll set up a free 20 minute phone call.

Request a free consultation (845) 532-8336