Two black-and-white portraits of Barney and Alisha Abramson are positioned in the foreground against a background divided into orange and black sections containing event text.

AIGA Baltimore

General Admission

Creatives are often taught how to improve their craft, build a portfolio and land their first opportunity. They are rarely taught how to navigate the emotional pressures that come with a creative career. Comparison, rejection, difficult feedback, imposter syndrome and the pressure to constantly prove yourself can begin long before graduation. Left unchecked, these patterns can shape an unhealthy relationship with creativity and eventually lead to burnout. In this honest and practical virtual session, creative leader Barney Abramson and licensed marriage and family therapist Alisha Abramson combine industry experience, mental health expertise and their own lived experiences to help emerging creatives prepare for the realities of the profession. Attendees will learn how to separate their self-worth from their work, receive feedback without losing confidence, establish healthier boundaries and pursue their ambitions without sacrificing themselves along the way. You are not just building a portfolio. You are building a life and career you need to be able to sustain. Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 7 - 8 p.m. | Virtual About Barney Abramson and Alisha AbramsonBarney Abramson and Alisha Abramson, LMFT, are the co-founders of Thriving Creatively&trade;, an education and consulting platform helping creative professionals build sustainable careers without sacrificing their well-being.Barney is an award-winning creative leader, mentor and speaker with more than 20 years of experience building brands, leading multidisciplinary teams and developing creative talent. He has been recognized as an ADPList Top 50 Mentor in Graphic Design and one of its 100 Most Influential Mentors. His work and lived experience have given him a firsthand understanding of the pressures creatives face, including burnout, imposter syndrome, difficult feedback and the expectation to remain endlessly productive.Alisha is a licensed marriage and family therapist whose work centers on emotional well-being, relationships, identity and personal growth. She brings a clinically informed perspective to the challenges creatives experience, helping translate complex mental health concepts into practical, compassionate strategies people can use in their careers and everyday lives.Together, Barney and Alisha combine creative leadership, lived experience and mental health expertise to facilitate honest conversations about what it truly takes to sustain a creative career. Through workshops, speaking engagements and educational resources, they help creatives establish healthier boundaries, strengthen their resilience and redefine success in ways that leave room for both ambition and humanity.Website:<a fr-original-style="" href="http://www.thrivingcreatively.com/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">&nbsp;www.thrivingcreatively.com</a>&nbsp;LinkedIn:<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriving-creatively" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriving-creatively</a>IG:<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/thrivingcreatively_/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">&nbsp;https://www.instagram.com/thrivingcreatively_/</a>Barney:<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/barneyabramson/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">&nbsp;https://www.linkedin.com/in/barneyabramson/</a>Alisha:<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alisha-abramson-rochester-ny/283409" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">&nbsp;https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alisha-abramson-rochester-ny/283409</a>

Creatives are often taught how to improve their craft, build a portfolio and land their first opportunity. They are rarely taught how to navigate the emotional pressures that come with a creative career. Comparison, rejection, difficult feedback, imposter syndrome and the pressure to constantly prove yourself can begin long before graduation. Left unchecked, these patterns can shape an unhealthy relationship with creativity and eventually lead to burnout. In this honest and practical virtual session, creative leader Barney Abramson and licensed marriage and family therapist Alisha Abramson combine industry experience, mental health expertise and their own lived experiences to help emerging creatives prepare for the realities of the profession. Attendees will learn how to separate their self-worth from their work, receive feedback without losing confidence, establish healthier boundaries and pursue their ambitions without sacrificing themselves along the way. You are not just building a portfolio. You are building a life and career you need to be able to sustain. Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 7 - 8 p.m. | Virtual About Barney Abramson and Alisha AbramsonBarney Abramson and Alisha Abramson, LMFT, are the co-founders of Thriving Creatively™, an education and consulting platform helping creative professionals build sustainable careers without sacrificing their well-being.Barney is an award-winning creative leader, mentor and speaker with more than 20 years of experience building brands, leading multidisciplinary teams and developing creative talent. He has been recognized as an ADPList Top 50 Mentor in Graphic Design and one of its 100 Most Influential Mentors. His work and lived experience have given him a firsthand understanding of the pressures creatives face, including burnout, imposter syndrome, difficult feedback and the expectation to remain endlessly productive.Alisha is a licensed marriage and family therapist whose work centers on emotional well-being, relationships, identity and personal growth. She brings a clinically informed perspective to the challenges creatives experience, helping translate complex mental health concepts into practical, compassionate strategies people can use in their careers and everyday lives.Together, Barney and Alisha combine creative leadership, lived experience and mental health expertise to facilitate honest conversations about what it truly takes to sustain a creative career. Through workshops, speaking engagements and educational resources, they help creatives establish healthier boundaries, strengthen their resilience and redefine success in ways that leave room for both ambition and humanity.Website:<a href="http://www.thrivingcreatively.com/" target="_blank"> www.thrivingcreatively.com</a> LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriving-creatively" target="_blank"> https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriving-creatively</a>IG:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thrivingcreatively_/" target="_blank"> https://www.instagram.com/thrivingcreatively_/</a>Barney:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/barneyabramson/" target="_blank"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/barneyabramson/</a>Alisha:<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alisha-abramson-rochester-ny/283409" target="_blank"> https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alisha-abramson-rochester-ny/283409</a>

AIGA Baltimore

Late Creates: Building a Creative Career Without Burning Out

General Admission

Free

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