Hi, I’m Leya
Leya Van Doren is a creativity coach, podcast host, seeker, and collector of stories and seashells. She hosts creativity workshops to help creatives nurture their inner artist, break free of their creative blocks, and be in community and connection. To learn more, sign up for her weekly newsletter where she shares insights from the creative process & creative resources or find her on the podcast @thecreativesoulpodcast.
Why I’m Here…
I am here to uncover the jewels hidden inside of you.
I am here to unlock the ideas and stories you came here to express.
I am here to remind you that your creativity is a gift.
I am here to gently guide you away from perfectionism and expectation of the outcome and remind you to tap into the flow by following your joy.
I am here to remind you that when we share the jewels hidden inside, we shine a light upon others so they can share theirs too.
I believe that sharing and expressing ourselves is what will heal the world.
I want to explore every continent and am so inspired by different cultures and the places and stories they have to tell.
My favorite flavors are anything with ginger, lemon, mint, lavender or rose in it.
Washing dishes can be just as much of a creative act as writing your next book. It’s all about the daily practice and the way you infuse the ritual and sacred into your life.
I love reading memoirs and personal stories. Check out my resources for some of my faves (and fave books on creativity & spirituality)
I feel guided by the goddesses, Lakshmi (goddess of abundance) and Saraswati (goddess of creativity).
In a world that’s so outcome oriented, I’m curious how much we can learn to surrender and trust to the journey and allow it to surprise us.
Nature is my inspiration.
also a 2/4 Sacral Generator in Human Design and ENFP.
As a child, I was homeschooled with my 7 siblings and instead of traditional school was immersed in the world of theater, music, and dance. Creativity was my playground and I felt safest on stage, singing and dancing with my siblings. I studied musical theater in college with dreams of becoming a star on Broadway, and once I graduated was thrust in the real world, working a 9-5. Being stuck in an office all day, I felt like I had lost my creativity and my connection to self. I was overcome with imposter syndrome. I didn’t know where to start. I felt completely creatively blocked, lost, and stuck, in the endless routine and mundane of the everyday.
I wasn’t myself when I wasn’t creating. So, I tried a new approach. I reconnected with my sense of joy and started creating just for the sake of creating, without feeling like I needed to produce anything. I discovered what kind of things I loved and what made me, me. I allowed my heart and gut to discover my next creative idea.
This led me to self-publishing a poetry book in 2018 and writing and performing a one woman show in New York City in 2019.
After completing my 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training in India, I was inspired to offer nurturing spaces that combined mindfulness with creativity for others to reawaken their sense of joy, inspiration, and wonder.
You don’t have to create alone. All parts of you are welcome here. The messy, the raw, the scared, the playful, the inner child, the human, the artist. You deserve to nurture your inner creative.
Conversations with fellow creatives about their routines & rituals, process, and connection to spirituality.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter! I share messy stories from my own creative process (plus you get a free guided writing meditation when you sign up!)
Discover Your Creative Soul - a 6 week journey to help you discover your next creative idea.
- Cheryl Madeline, Actor, Singer, Dancer
