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Gavin HamnettMS, LMHC
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When you can't get to the work

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

Request a free consultation
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Who This Is For

You know the feeling. The studio is right there, the idea is half formed, and somehow the day ends without you touching it. Or you start, judge every mark, and stop. Over time the block can start to feel like a verdict on whether you are really an artist.

Professional artists and makers often find their way to my practice. What I notice is that the block is rarely about talent or discipline. More often it is fear, self criticism, or exhaustion dressed up as procrastination.

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What We Work On

  • Self doubt

    The voice asking who you think you are to make this.

  • Perfectionism

    Ideas that never leave your head because they can't be perfect yet.

  • Fear of being seen

    Holding work back from shows, clients, or the public.

  • Running dry

    Feeling empty after years of making to deadline or for money, and missing why you started.

An adult walks beside a sunlit blue river beneath green trees and a clear blue sky.

How I Work With Creative Block

I believe creativity is part of the Self that was there all along, so I don't treat the block as laziness to push through. With Hakomi and somatic work, we notice what happens in your body as you think about the work: a tightness, a pulling away, a sudden tiredness.

Those reactions often carry an old belief, maybe that being seen is dangerous or that your work has to earn your worth. Psychodynamic work helps us understand where that belief started. As it loosens, the work often has more room to come through.

More about my approach
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What Sessions Look Like

  1. A free phone call

    20 minutes to talk about what is getting in the way and whether I am a good fit.

  2. Weekly or every two weeks

    55 minute sessions, in person in Rhinebeck or Hudson, or by telehealth anywhere in New York.

  3. Bringing the work in

    We can look at what happens when you sit down to make something, and notice it together.

What Can Shift

What I hope for is making that feels unforced again: work that comes from who you are rather than from pressure or fear, and a little more play in the studio.

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 you only work with artists?

No. I see adults doing all kinds of work. Artists and makers do find me often, and creative work is something I care about.

Will therapy take the edge off my work?

It's a common worry. I don't aim to smooth anything away. The hope is that you can reach your material with less fear in the way.

What if I haven't made anything in years?

That is a fine place to start. We don't begin with the work itself. We begin with you, and with what has been in the way.

Can we meet by telehealth?

Yes. I offer telehealth to adults anywhere in New York State, which can be easier around a studio schedule.

Related Pages

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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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Somatic Therapy

Somatic therapy in Rhinebeck, Hudson, and by telehealth in New York for stress you feel physically.

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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