Staying Sane In the Arts

Whether you are currently a working, aspiring, or student artist, you will find in Staying Sane in the Arts the special understanding and guidance you need to meet the challenges of a life in the arts.
Based on San Francisco therapist Eric Maisel's years of counseling actors, writers, painters, dancers, and creative artists in other disciplines, as well as on his own writing career, it offers a comprehensive look at the psychological and business issues all artists inevitably face. Going beyond the myths and stereotypes of the artist's life, Dr. Maisel presents insightful, thought-provoking analysis and many practical suggestions for enhancing the possibilities for an artist's thriving in his or her chosen field.
Topics covered include what lies behind the puzzle of the artistic personality, why the artistic personality often is prone to moodiness and depression, and what the artist can do to remain balanced, how artists become subject to a multitude of blocks, and what can be done to avoid or overcome them, how artists can better understand the world of business and develop personal strategies to succeed, and why artists must complement their need for isolation with a healthy dose of community-building.
Staying Sane in the Arts is the survival manual that creative and performing artists have long dreamed of. No art school education, even one bolstered by real-world experience as a working artist, is complete without the sensitive and informative advice found in this book. Its vision of the possibility to remain true to one's unique perspective while fully functioning in the common world will inspire artists at every level.