Solutions for Actors, Comedians and Stage Performers
Solve Stage Problems © Martyn Carruthers

Online Coaching & Training

Many health professionals and patients use drugs as a substitute for change.
Self-medication with alcohol, nicotine or anti-depressants and stimulants are easier than applying intelligence, focus and analytical skills to complex relationships.

Enter Stage Right

If you are a professional actor, singer or comedian, you are probably unique and brilliant. And you may have unique and brilliant relationship problems, anxiety, depression, fear, self esteem, loneliness and financial issues. Like many performing artists, you probably have to cope with a rapidly changing life.

"They say that my smile is as bright as ever. Can't they see the pain in my eyes?"

Many professional actors, singers, dancers and comedians live difficult lives. Life on the road or even at the studio is rarely easy. You are faced with constant change, living away from home and having to please directors, producers and audiences. This can add stress and uncertainty. Not many survive.

Enter Stage Fright

Effective actors and comedians are experts at identifying with roles, and expressing the emotions of those roles. This can lead to confusion. Perhaps you over-identify with certain character types - and perhaps you cannot reclaim your own identity when the curtains close. You can get lost in a role, especially if your own personality feels less interesting or less compelling than your act.

We can coach you to sort out your issues and get you back on your feet and ready to go. We can help you sort out many emotional issues and relationship habits - for you and for your family.

Within many successful performers are creative, playful children; still dressing up in their parents' clothes. Your performance represents your creativity and your playfulness - the same qualities that can sabotage your relationships and your career.

Although a stage or TV set can be stressful, you can control your stress and its consequences. Acting can be hard work, and its demands can suck you dry. How well do you know your limits?

• Can you say "No"?
• Do you criticize yourself without mercy?
• Do you have time for everyone but yourself?
• How do you balance preparedness and stage fright?
• How do you create and maintain stable relationships?
• How do you handle the uncertainties of a performing career?
• How do you deal with going on location, touring and starting new shows?

False Identities

Understanding identification can help actors enormously. Identification describes a model of consciousness that we use in our coaching. Identified people can more easily and express enter other models of reality. Identifications can help actors identify with their roles. Many actors can easily see and feel other people's points of view - but they may lose track of or forget their own points of view. They may get lost. They may lose access to their own identity.

Many people behave as if they have partially identity loss. ("I don't know what came over me" ... You probably learned many life skills by identifying with your family members.) Identified people may feel normal, just and right, even when behaving in ways that other people consider abnormal, unjust and deeply wrong.

Identifying with another person is how a person (usually as a child) tries to makes sense of life; and how actors adopt other personalities. Personality identification follows systemic rules, and can be readily recognized with systemic diagnosis. Three common types of identity loss are:

• Chronic conflict is typical of identity conflict
• Chronic anger and rage are typical of identification with a victim
• Chronic fear and anxiety attacks are typical of identification with a hero
• Chronic sadness and melancholy are typical of identification with a dead person

The symptoms are often easy to perceive. A victim identified person is generally suspicious and may annoy or torment people; a dead person identified person is generally melancholy and may be obsessed with death; and a hero identified person is generally anxious and may avoid change.

An identified person may describe an inner experience of rightness in a wrong world. Although identification is an essential acting skill, getting lost in an identification can lead to addictions, depression and psychosis.

Addiction . Depression . Anxiety

Happy Families

You are part of a matrix of relationships that spans countless generations. Your life patterns are probably dedicated much to repeating or resolving deficiencies or injustices that you perceive in your family. Within your family matrix, you experience the consequences of the behavior of other family members, as bonds, fixations and emotional incest.

Are you attempting to carry the emotional baggage of your family? Are you trying to complete the unfinished business of your ancestors? You might die trying. And for what? For applause?

We help people resolve emotional enmeshments, limiting beliefs and identity loss. If your children have problems, see:

Learning Disabilities . Children of Divorce . Parent Alienation

Systemic Solutions

If you are an actor, comedian, adult trainer or performing artist, you can benefit from our systemic coaching or workshops on role identification, and on coming back after the curtain falls. We can help you improve your roles ... and regain your sense of life.

As most actors and stage professionals are used to being in touch with their feelings, our systemic coaching may be perfect for you. Our online coaching can nurture you, no matter where you are, and help you deal with and solve some of the problems associated with your career and your success.
 

Enhance your joy of performing. Did you think that you had lost it?

Online Coaching & Training
 

Plagiarism is theft. Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 1996-2012 All rights reserved. Soulwork Systemic Coaching was primarily developed by Martyn Carruthers
to help people dissolve emotional blocks and improve relationships to achieve their goals. These concepts and strategies are for general knowledge only. Consult a physician about medical conditions and before changing medical treatment. Don't steal intellectual property ... get permission to post, publish or teach Martyn's work.