Have you ever thought something like, “if I accept this, that means I’m resigning myself. I’ll be stuck here forever”? I disagree with that belief. Let’s talk about it.

Join us for season 2 of Talk Terracotta, a podcast about finding your authentic, imperfect joy.

If you’re anything like me, you’re entranced by movies and how they’re made. This week on the podcast, I get to be a fangirl and talk with Chana Studley, who has an amazing history in Hollywood productions. But our conversation goes beyond my mere fascination and delves into deep themes, including how to not be paralyzed at the end of a project, be willing to transition if dreams no longer fit for you, and how to take our thoughts less seriously. Since leaving Hollywood, Chana’s work has transformed to helping people move past chronic pain. While this conversation takes a different approach to creativity than many previous episodes, I hope you find it as intriguing and inspiring as I did recording it.

You may have heard the quote “play is the work of the child,” and while that rings very true, it is sometimes difficult for parents to know how to engage with their children’s play. What do we do around video games, stressful scheduled activities, and boring open-ended play? Whether your kids or grandkids are toddlers or teens, our guest today, Roya Dedeaux, can help you find joy and passion in playtime.

Have you ever considered moving to the middle of Alaska, living in a 280 square foot cabin with your spouse and two children, and truly learning what you’re made of? Our guest Kyle Loveridge did just that, and what he and his family learned during that experience has set the foundation for their strong family culture. Join us today as we talk about creating intentional experiences, living our values, and utilizing creativity to teach our children they can do hard things.

Jessie Mccloskey has been a dancer since childhood, but when her dance company stopped performing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jessie opened herself up to new forms of creative expression, and what she found has changed her life.

How many times have you heard the term “self-care” in the past five years? The concept has blown up all over social media and the self-help section of the bookstore, but if you’re anything like the rest of us, it probably feels impossible to actually implement. On this episode of Talk Terracotta, guest Jordan Boehler lets us in on the secret to actually doing the actions that make us feel rejuvenated and creative as parents (and just as humans in general!). Jordan also provides a hands-on technique to try in communicating with your child and teaches us how to use the word “should” in a way that is actually useful.

As we’re on our journey through creativity in parenting, how do we share our growth with our spouse? What do we do when a partner transforms and we need to create a new normal? How do we integrate creativity into our journey as a couple? On Talk Terracotta, I aim to merge the creative, the personal, and the mental health worlds. Our guest today is an expert in the latter, as a licensed professional counselor who specializes in creating strong couples, integrating creative expression, and healing future generations.

So you have a genius idea. Your hands are just aching to get started at your new art piece, or a new business, or new story, but you just need to double check no one else has done it first. You do a quick internet search… and end up starting into the abyss wondering if you can ever create anything truly new. We’ve been there, too. In today’s episode, guest Rian Gordon joins me to talk about building off the creativity around us, the vulnerability of sharing our creative works, and the surprising joy of model trains.

What do you do when one version of your creativity does not fit into this season of life? How do you transform it and let it grow into something new? This week I’m talking to Kaelie Stout about her musical theater background, how she transitioned that love into motherhood, and how she uncovered unexpected passions along the way.

When we think back on our childhoods, many of us have our first memories from around the preschool age. Preschool teachers are some of the first non-family adults who love us and help us interact with the world. What can parents learn from the way preschool teachers interact with children, how do you find the balance between the teacher-self and the mother-self, and why do Disney movies mean so much? This week I’m joined by guest Lindsey Bills, a preschool teacher, to talk about all this and more.

How long is 3600 hours? About 4 months. When photographer Sara Weir calculated the amount of time it would take to do all things related to pumping milk and feeding her baby daughter for a year, she was overwhelmed by the number: 3600 hours. Faced with this immense mountain to climb, she made the choice to integrate creativity. That single choice transformed the experience for her, and it is one I invite all of us to consider as we face our own mountains.

When I see online commentary about parenthood, it often surrounds the struggles and sacrifices (with a bit of joy tossed in on the side). But there is another piece of parenthood which often gets overlooked: pure silliness. Today I talk with Christian Sagers, father extraordinaire, about creating as a “non-creative,” letting our children– and ourselves– be artists, and embodying full silliness.

In the midst of all the business of motherhood, how do you find inspiration? Studio artist Jaime Arlene tells us how she captures moments of creativity throughout the day (hint: the answer has to do with being a little like Taylor Swift). In this episode, you’ll also learn about: capitalizing on challenges, being a co-artist with your spouse/partner, and using creative problem solving to address parenting challenges.

I had a marvelous time interviewing Jaime, and I know you’ll feel the same while listening to this episode– Jaime is a refreshing breeze in your hair on the weekend. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

Have you ever had a wave of inspiration and stayed up all night making a Halloween costume for your child? Or maybe just the opposite– you know that a holiday or birthday is coming up, but all you feel is dread because you imagine huge expectations for whatever you create. On today’s episode, guest Kara Olsen joins me to talk about honoring wherever she is on the creativity inspiration spectrum, how she finds moments of creativity in everyday experiences, and creating one epic baked potato.

How do you bring creativity into parenting? How is your creative practice deepened by parenting? That's what we're going to explore this season on Talk Terracotta.

I'm Kimberly Sagers, a mental health therapist in the Dallas, Texas, area. While I specialize in the intersection of maternal mental health and trauma, I am deeply curious about what it is to create a beautiful life. Join me in Talk Terracotta to explore and laugh together as we figure it out (as much as we can, anyway!).