The Syncreate Podcast: Empowering Creativity
Welcome to Syncreate, where we explore the intersections between creativity, psychology, and spirituality. Our goal is to demystify the creative process and expand the boundaries of what it means to be creative.
Creativity. It’s a word we throw around all the time, but what does it really mean? On the Syncreate Podcast, we share stories of the creative journey. We talk to changemakers, visionaries and everyday creatives working in a wide array of fields and disciplines. Our goal is to explore creativity in all its facets, and to gain a better understanding of the creative process – from imagination to innovation and everything in between.
The Syncreate Podcast is hosted by Melinda Rothouse, PhD. She helps individuals and organizations bring their creative dreams and visions to life through coaching, consulting, workshops, retreats, and now, this podcast. She's written two books on creativity, including Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Teams, and Communities (winner of a Silver Nautilus Award for Creativity and Innovation), with Charlotte Gullick. She's also a musician (singer-songwriter and bass player) and photographer based in Austin, Texas.
Episodes
81 episodes
Syncreate Podcast Episode 80: Creative Spark Series - Narrating the Syncreate Audiobook with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this episode of our Creative Spark series, Charlotte and Melinda share the experience of narrating the audio version of our Syncreate book, including our flubs, insecurities, and humorous moments, the highs and the lows, warts and a...
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Episode 80
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12:09
Episode 79: The Magic of Improvisation with Improv Teacher, Performer, and Author Jessica Arjet
As our guest, Jessica Arjet, describes in the episode, “one of the fundamental promises of improv is that you’re collaborating and working together to create something." It’s about being in the moment, saying yes, collaborating with others, and...
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Episode 79
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40:17
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Episode 78: Creative Spark Series - The Art of Impermanence with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this episode of our Creative Spark series, Melinda shares insights from her recent Art of Impermanence Retreat, an annual contemplative arts retreats she leads each January in Patzcuaro, Mexico with her colleague Jake Lorfing. The Art of Imp...
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Episode 78
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14:00
Episode 77: Collaborate, Innovate, Advocate with Beth Sundstrom, PhD
Beth Sundstrom, PhD, MPH, is a professor of health communication at the College of Charleston, where she is the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) and the Founding Director of the Women’s Health Rese...
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Episode 77
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43:24
Episode 76: Creative Spark Series - Developing a Consistent Creative Practice with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
Many of us aspire to a consistent, even daily, creative practice, but other life priorities and distractions make it difficult. So how can we commit to a regular practice in a way that feels sustainable and fun? We can begin by setting longer-t...
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Episode 76
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11:08
Episode 75: Asheville's Story Parlor with Erin Hallagan Clare
Erin Hallagan Clare is the Founder and Artistic Director of Story Parlor, a narrative arts space in Asheville, NC. Erin studied film and theatre at Temple University, as well as psychology / creativity studies at Saybrook University, where she ...
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Episode 75
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44:42
Episode 74: Creative Spark Series - Living a Creative Life with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
What does it mean to live a creative life? What meaningful steps can we take to infuse creativity into our day-to-day experience? We often tell ourselves stories about how we’re not creative, but the reality is that we’re all using our creativi...
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Episode 74
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9:50
Episode 73: Theatre, Storytelling, and The Labor of Creativity with Marcus McQuirter, PhD
Marcus McQuirter, PhD, is the Chair of the Drama Department at Austin Community College, where he teaches Voice, Acting, and Introduction to Theater. A storyteller at heart, he’s also a director, novelist, and podcaster. Dr. McQuirter holds a B...
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Episode 73
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44:03
Episode 72: Creative Spark Series - Creative Community with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
How do you cultivate a sense of creative community? We believe that community and connection are vital to the creative process, especially for those of us who tend to create in solitude. For the new year, our Creative Spark series focuses on se...
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Episode 72
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9:34
Episode 71: Acting Out of Character with John Cane, PhD
How can acting and improvisation training improve your interpersonal and communication skills? We explore this question with John Cane, PhD, actor and integrative wellness psychologist. John is the Founder of Acting Out of Character, a training...
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Episode 71
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47:36
Episode 70: Creative Spark Series - New Year's Creative Intentions with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
Happy 2025, Everyone! To kick off the new year, we encourage you to consider your creative intentions and aspirations for the next 12 months. We focus on three main areas, including your creative practice, process, and products. Creative practi...
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Episode 70
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11:42
Episode 69: Creative Spark Series - Reflecting on the Year with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, as we approach the new year, we discuss the benefits of taking time to reflect on our creative lives over the last year. It’s helpful to review the events of the year and projects we’ve e...
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Episode 69
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10:39
Episode 68: Wonders of Creation with Dr. Ladan Akbarnia
This episode explores the theme of wonder as it relates to art and science in the Islamic world, as well as the role of museum curator. Dr. Ladan Akbarnia is Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art at the San Diego Museum of Art and a Commission...
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Episode 68
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43:54
Episode 67: Creative Spark Series - Moving Through the World with a Creative Eye with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, we discuss what it means to move through the world with a creative eye, to be a creative traveler, as it were, and how this approach can help us stay connected to our creativity in every ...
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Episode 67
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12:28
Episode 66: Finding Ease Through Body Awareness with Jennifer Roig-Francoli
As creatives, and as humans more broadly, we can find ourselves holding habitual tension and pain in our bodies by virtue of our work, whether it be playing a musical instrument, performing physical labor, or simply sitting at a desk all day. J...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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50:12
Syncreate Podcast Episode 65: Creative Spark Series - Creative Flow with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, Charlotte interviews Melinda about her creative habits and daily practices, including meditation and journaling. Melinda is a musician, writer, and photographer, as well as a leadership a...
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Episode 65
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12:33
Episode 64: Synesthesia, Consciousness & Creativity with Zoe Martell and Archie Frink
Synesthesia is defined as a blending or mixing of the senses. It can take many forms, such as tasting colors, seeing visuals when hearing music, and s on. It’s said to be experienced by only about 3% of people, but it is highly correlated with ...
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Episode 64
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48:34
Episode 63: Creative Spark Series - The Writing Life with Charlotte Gullick & Melinda Rothouse
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, Melinda interviews Charlotte about her writing life, creative practices, and how creativity has made her a better person. Charlotte is a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, as well as ...
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Episode 63
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9:34
Episode 62: The Neuroscience of Creativity with Dr. Indre Viskontas
Dr. Indre Viskontas is a woman of many talents: an opera singer and director, a neuroscientist, a professor, host of the Inquiring Minds podcast (and several others), and the current president of the Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity. ...
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Episode 62
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43:45
Episode 61: Creative Spark Series - Isolation vs. Solitude with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, we explore how isolation and solitude can show up in our creative process, how to distinguish between the two, and how to work with both. When we feel isolated, it’s important to reach ou...
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Episode 61
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11:20
Episode 60: Intuition & Creativity with Intuitive Medium and Spiritual Director Steven Ross
Steven Ross is the Co-Founder of Wisdom Pathways, co-host of The Way to Go podcast, and host of the Intuition Radio podcast. He is a gifted intuitive medium, ordained interspiritual minister, wellness facilitator and teacher of traditional yoga...
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Episode 60
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49:24
Episode 59: Creative Spark Series - How Creativity Opens Doors with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, we discuss how creativity opens doors, and how saying yes to our creativity also helps to build connection and community. We each share our own experiences of creative connection, and how...
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Episode 59
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12:29
Episode 58: Creative Problem Solving with BEST Robitics Executive Director Michael Steiner
Michael Steiner is the Executive Director of BEST Robotics, an annual student robotics competition for middle and high school students that facilitates experiential, complex creative problem solving within the science, technology, engineering, ...
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Episode 58
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51:07
Episode 57: Creative Spark Series - Accountability Partnerships with Melinda Rothouse & Charlotte Gullick
In this installment of our Creative Spark mini-episodes, we share our insights and best practices on accountability partnerships for our creative work. Accountability partners help us move more quickly and effectively toward our goals. We can f...
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Episode 57
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12:36
Episode 56: Asking the Questions with Broadway Stereophonic Cast Member Chris Stack
Chris Stack plays the role of Simon in the current Broadway sensation Stereophonic, winner of a Tony award for best play, and the most Tony-nominated show of all time. Stereophonic f...
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Episode 56
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49:32