The Creative Soul Podcast
The Creative Soul Podcast is a space to uncover your creative soul. We have conversations with inspiring creatives about the transformative magic of the creative process.
Your host, Leya Van Doren shares from the heart stories about her own personal journey, and will inspire you along your path where creativity and spirituality intersect.
We explore topics on healing, self-love, relationships, expression, travel, herbalism, astrology, ancestral healing, and tapping into your own unique creativity as a form of expressing your purpose and doing what lights you up.
Tune in to be inspired to pay attention to the callings from your creative soul.
Ready to embark on your own daily creative practice? Immerse yourself in The Creative Soul Practice, a 7-day guided writing meditation series, each session just 15 minutes long. Begin your journey here.
Connect with Leya:Instagram: @leyavandoren
Cover art by Torrence Browne
Intro song "Surf" by Vlad Gluschenko
- Update frequency
- every 11 days
- Average duration
- 50 minutes
- Episodes
- 160
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Ep 160: Celebrating 5 Years of the Creative Soul Podcast: Lessons on Creativity, Trust, and Following the Call
HAPPY 5 YEAR BIRTHDAY TO THE CREATIVE SOUL PODCAST! In this heartfelt solo episode, I reflect on five years of podcasting and what it takes to show up for your art - even amidst transition and change…
Ep 159: A Conversation with my Birth Doula, Elizabeth Beeker
I'm so excited to share this conversation I had with my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doula, Elizabeth Beeker! We talk about the role of a doula in birth and the spiritual aspects and elements of …
Ep 158: How To Make Your Life Feel Like Art
What if your everyday life could feel like art? In this creative minisode, I share a simple daily writing practice to transform the mundane into magic and help you reconnect with your creative soul. …
Ep 157: On Finding our Creative Soul's Purpose, Summer Abundance, and Honoring the Endings
In this solo episode, I share the magic of the summer season - from what I'm buying at the farmer's market, to reframing our creative purposes, to making our day jobs work for us, to balancing multip…
Ep 156: Trusting Your Creative Vision with Theater Director, Dalia Ashurina
Dalia is an Assyrian-American director and writer focusing on explosive theatricality and subverting existing narratives. She was listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood and Entertainment 2025. He…
Ep 155: Four Months Postpartum Life Update - Compassion, Spirituality, Birth Stories
In this solo episode, Leya shares her life updates being four months postpartum.
We talk about:
- The importance of honoring and processing our birth stories
- How you can reflect and honor your birth story…
Ep 154: ft. Lindsey Simcik of Almost 30 on Navigating Change and Embodiment in Motherhood
Lindsey Simcik is a creative force, entrepreneur, and media personality best known as the co-founder and co-host of the critically acclaimed Almost 30 podcast. Alongside her co-host Krista, she also …
Ep 153: How to Write Personal Stories Without Hurting Your Relationships
In this creative minisode, Leya provides tips on how to navigate this nuanced and complex topic for creatives:
📝 How can you write and share your personal story—especially in memoir or creative nonfic…
Ep 152: Reiki, Realness, and The Power of Letting Go with Maya Davis
In this deeply nourishing episode of The Creative Soul Podcast, I sit down with energy healer and spiritual guide Maya for a raw, real, and inspiring conversation about transformation, intuition, and…
Ep 151: How To Keep Going on a Creative Project When You Feel Uninspired
In this week's solo mini-sode, I answer one of YOUR questions - how do you keep going on a creative project when you feel un-inspired?
We talk about:
- Why the creative process is non-linear
- How to navig…
Ep 150: On Being a Viral Tik-Tok Content Creator and Writing a NYT Best-Selling Book with Kacie Rose
Kacie is a travel content creator living in Florence, Italy. After a life-changing solo trip and her own little ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ moment, she made the official move to Italy in January 2021. Thr…
Ep 149: The Birth Story of My Son, Alexander Boaz Henderson
In this special solo episode, Leya shares the birth story of her first son, Alexander Boaz Henderson who was born March 10th, 2025 at 11:22 pm.
Tune into get the full story of surprising twists and t…
Ep 148: ft. Amie McNee on Creativity as a Path to Self Love and Why We Need Your Art!
Amie McNee is an author, speaker, creative guide, and the founder of the popular Instagram account @InspiredtoWrite. She writes historical fiction novels and writing guides and is known for speaking,…
Ep 147: Entering the Birth Portal and Facing My Fears Around Motherhood
In this from the heart episode, Leya shares vulnerably how she's feeling as she's entering the birth portal.
We discuss:
- What fears and resistances have come up before entering motherhood
- Moving throug…
Ep 146: ft. Mari Andrew on Transforming our Personal Stories into Art
Mari Andrew is a New York Times bestselling author, artist, and speaker, who has gained an international reputation for joyfully philosophical illustrations and essays that meander between deep and l…
Ep 145: How to Make Creativity a Habit in 2025
In this solo episode, Leya shares how to make creativity a habit and how you can SHOW UP for your creative soul this year.
We discuss:
- How to value your creativity and prioritize it
- Cultivating a creati…
Ep 144: Pregnancy Updates and How I Chose my Birth Plan & Team
In this solo episode, I share my updates from week 35 of pregnancy!
We talk about:
- How I'm feeling at 35 weeks pregnant
- What prenatal care decisions I made and why
- How I chose my birth team
- Hiring a doul…
Ep 143: On Mythic Memoir and The Writer's Life ft. Elisabeth Sharp McKetta
In this episode, we talk about:
- Creating our creative soul projects
- Being in creative flow and getting "stuck" and how to move through
- Writing retreats
- Using myths and fairytales to tell our stories
- Publi…
Ep 142: Setting Intentions for the New Year (+ my 2025 Word of the Year!)
In this solo episode, Leya shares a letter from the heart on the final processing of 2024 and sets intentions for 2025. Tune into be inspired as you process on your own year and reflect on what 2025 …
Ep 141: Reflections & Lessons for my 30th Birthday
In this solo episode, Leya shares her reflections, lessons, and celebrations for her 30th birthday! We talk about:
- The importance of reflection on your birthday
- Highlights from her 29th year
- Being proud…