In this next chapter of Gail McMeekins 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women she is talking about the issue of creative collaboration, and I realized as I was reading this that my professional creative life has been one long journey of collaboration.

I really couldn’t be where I am today without the various partnerships that I have been involved with as part of my creative path. I suppose that sharing the journey is not for everyone, and there are definitely scary things associated with working closely with another person to birth something into the world. But I have been very lucky .The people who I have partnered with are not all still in my life but the time we did have together was more often than not filled with mutual respect and support.

So I would like to make a gratitude list of those people who have been my allies, my friends, my compadres and compatriots on the creative path.

I want to thank Eileen Crean for being a soul sister and friend as well as a co-facilitator of the very first workshops and retreats that we led all those many moons ago with 70’s titles like “Embracing The Beloved” and “Healing The Inner Child” . We laughed and cried and fought and made up and helped each other to gain confidence as powerful, professional women leaders as we put our creative gifts out in the world …… together.

I want to thank Jeanine Mamary who is now a teacher in the Ridwhan School for being another friend who was an inspiration and a beacon of dauntless courage and for finding that incredible,affordable, office space in the best neighborhood in Oakland, CA which proved to be such a safe haven for our many students and clients. As well as being a place where we were able to grow our therapy practices and support each other to become wildly successful women entrepreneurs .

I want to thank Robin Densten for her wonderful wackiness, her endless energy and overflowing creativity and her willingness to just say “Why not! What have we got to lose?” as we started our first Artists Way class in that crazy, old, Energy Arts warehouse. The class that was us saying “YES” to our gifts as creative mentors and that eventually turned into Creative Juices Arts which is now the vehicle that supports my creative work in the world .

And finally my sweet and amazing husband, who will remain unnamed, because he is incredibly shy and introverted and would not be too happy to have his name being blasted out into the blogosphere. He is not only my muse but also a very practical and down to earth support in helping me take my work and business to the next level and the next and the next. He is an artist and a poet of the heart but also knows how to keep my computer running, design my marketing materials and keep my data base in good working order. I know that I would not be where I am today without his unfailing faith in me and my creative vision.