Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lynn Cukaj, Founder of Creative Expressions Consulting, LLC, located in Katonah, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is art therapy and counseling. For me, art has been a way to break down roadblocks and was a tool I enjoyed and often used during difficult times. My fascination with the impact of art-making on my personal development led me to study Art History professionally. It was during undergrad that I learned how influential an artist’s mental health was in their creations. I decided on Art Therapy as a profession after my sophomore year in college when I read an article on how the process of art helped Vietnam Veterans deal with their PTSD symptoms. I became a double major in Art History and Psychology with a minor in studio art. My undergraduate thesis studied the human figure and assessing anxiety in those projective techniques.
Tell us about yourself
I took a year off before returning to school for my graduate degree. During that time, I worked full-time as a mental health worker in a psychiatric hospital and volunteered in a woman’s shelter working with children. I went to graduate school at the College of New Rochelle on a scholarship, which helped me to be able to volunteer and complete my degree in two years. Both my master’s in art therapy and my master’s in education focus on different aspects art can play in the assessment of an individual’s functioning and learning.
Today I work with children and adults through the creative process of art therapy. Throughout my twenty years of working, I have often found that anxiety, fear, and pain are roadblocks to an individual’s growth. These feelings seem to work against the individual and cause negative thoughts and behaviors, which become barriers to change. My way of working is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where clients can feel at ease to begin exploring their personal roadblocks. Oftentimes, what is not being said becomes the focus of the session. The artwork becomes the voice of the client, and interventions are built around that experience. My unique approach of using the process of art making is a way for the client to connect with themselves and then with the world. My focus is on client strength, unconditional positive regard, and a non-judgmental approach. Therapeutic goals are focused on freeing oneself from the roadblocks and barriers that anxiety, fear, and pain have caused. This allows clients to go on to live a life filled with joy and hope with tools and coping skills to better navigate the ups and downs of everyday life.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Helping those along their journey to self-discovery.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Marketing!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have support from family and friends.
- Network.
- Stay focused and true to your goal.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.creativeexpressionsconsulting.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-cukaj/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.
