Sharon explains that when your nervous system thinks it is under attack, creativity exits the building. Start by tending to your feelings, then ease back in with music, journaling, or playful, no-goal making. Renee reminds us that pressure strangles ideas, every time.
When creativity feels completely out of reach and you're struggling with feelings of emptiness, it can seem impossible to find your way back to that spark. This deeply personal question touches on something many creatives experience but rarely discuss openly—the intersection between mental wellbeing and creative expression.
This question was answered by Sharon Draper, a psychologist with 13 years of experience who specialises in helping people understand their emotional responses and build authentic connections with themselves, and Renee Hyde, client and agency leadership expert at Howatson+Company who has worked with major brands globally and understands the pressures creatives face in high-stakes environments.
Before attempting to force creativity back, Sharon emphasises the importance of addressing the underlying emotional state: "I would focus on the feeling first. I understand you want your creativity but we've got to look at the feeling first because feelings will influence everything."
She encourages exploring what might be causing that "dead inside" feeling—whether it's burnout from being overworked, loneliness, feeling lost without purpose or community, or a sense of hopelessness. "Just having more of an understanding of why you might feel this way can really help manage the feeling a little bit more and look at solutions," Sharon explains.
Sharon introduces the concept of polyvagal theory to explain why creativity becomes impossible during certain emotional states. She describes the nervous system like a ladder with three states: the bottom state (dorsal vagal) where we feel "hopeless and depressed and numb or dead inside," the middle state (sympathetic) involving fight-or-flight responses, and the top state (social engagement) where we feel "grounded in ourselves and connected to people."
"When we are creative, you can't be in a survival state," Sharon notes. "Creativity is only possible if you're in a present, mindful, grounded state." This explains why forcing creativity when feeling emotionally shut down simply doesn't work.
Sharon offers several concrete strategies for moving from that shutdown state back towards creativity:
Pressure kills creativity
Renee adds valuable insight about how pressure affects creative thinking, referencing HBDI profiles used at her agency: "Very few people go more intuitive or more into the creative realm under pressure. People go either analytical, give me the facts, or process driven, or emotional."
She reinforces Sharon's point about environment: "Creativity doesn't thrive in that space, so be aware of it. If you're feeling under pressure trying to break out of that space and kind of refresh, reset your environment."
Both experts acknowledge that sometimes these strategies may not be enough. Sharon notes: "If none of those really are helping, there might be a deeper issue and maybe seek support from a therapist."
Getting back your creativity when feeling emotionally depleted isn't about forcing inspiration—it's about creating the right internal conditions for creativity to naturally return. By addressing the underlying feelings first, allowing for rest, embracing playful experimentation without pressure, and gently reconnecting with yourself and others, you can begin to move from that shutdown state back towards the grounded presence where creativity thrives. Remember, acknowledging these feelings takes courage, and seeking support—whether through these strategies or professional help—is a sign of strength, not weakness.
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Renee is responsible for client and agency leadership at Howatson+Company. She specialises in running large, integrated clients both locally (Allianz, Samsung, CBA) and globally (Marriott International, IBM, Microsoft, Google) having worked in leading agencies in Australia and New York like M&C Saatchi, CHE Proximity and Anomaly. Renee has a unique skill set having worked in various capacities including consulting, media, customer experience and communications. She has birthed, built and grown brands and is at her best with complex challenges to solve. Renee is also a mentor at the Trenches, a qualified Mental Health first aider and has been recognised by Campaign Asia as a Woman to Watch and by B&T on their Women in Media Power List. As a mother of two young girls, Renee is a passionate advocate for diversity of all forms and is constantly tired.
For the past 13 years, Sharon has worked as a Psychologist, aiming to authentically connect with people to help them feel safe and heard. She believes, if we can gain insight into why we might think, feel and behave a certain way, we can make more sense of our current lives and then, with a growth mindset of self-compassion instead of a fixed mindset of shame, we can consciously implement positive change. Sharon has a holistic approach, she is informed by Existentialism, Neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory and Attachment Science. Sharon believes if we can accept that the behaviours we developed as children were necessary for our survival and if we can understand that all the emotions we feel provide insight into our deepest values, we can live purposeful and meaningful lives. Sharon is currently working on an online program called Taking Up Space. The program empowers women who tend to default to people pleasing behaviours. The program focuses on building insight into ones behaviours, developing emotional competence (learning how to regulate and learn from all emotions we feel) as well as building courage to integrate these insights into our everyday lives so that we can live more authentically. Sharon is also a contributor to Newspaper articles (Sydney Morning Herald), Radio (ABC) and TV (Sky News, Channel 7 Sunrise), and is the Psychologist for eHarmony Australia.
Andy Wright is happiest in a well‑worn baseball cap. As founder of Never Not Creative, he rallies a worldwide community determined to make the creative industry kinder and fairer. He also steers Streamtime as CEO and co‑chairs Mentally Healthy. Different titles, same purpose: brilliant work should never cost anyone their wellbeing. Never Not Creative was born when Andy decided it was time to stand up and make the industry a better place. What started as one person calling for change has grown into a movement that shares research, sparks honest conversations, and builds practical tools that help teams thrive. Andy’s rule of thumb: protect the humans and the great work will follow. Picture a studio cat giving you a gentle nudge to stretch, breathe, and log off before the midnight oil even thinks about burning. Off the clock, Andy is dad to three energetic kids, husband to one exceptionally patient partner, and a loyal Everton supporter (character building, he insists). Whether he is championing healthier workplaces or cheering the Toffees through a tense ninety minutes, Andy believes creative success should leave everyone standing a little taller, not lying flat from exhaustion.
