Episode Description
Text me what you think of today’s episode!
Some healing happens by talking, and some healing happens when your hands finally tell the truth your mouth can’t. We sit down with artist Devorah Brinkerhoff, creator of Soul Portraits, a mixed media process that helps people turn trauma, grief, and life transitions into art that feels like relief in the body and clarity in the mind. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not creative,” or you’ve treated creativity like a luxury instead of a tool for survival, this conversation flips that belief on its head.
Devorah shares what it’s like working in the gallery system for decades, why she refuses to create for approval, and how she realized creativity wasn’t just something she did, it was something that helped keep her inner world from “coming out sideways.” From her Oregon studio, she explains how Soul Portraits use the literal materials of your life like letters, photos, journals, and meaningful objects to honor the past, anchor the present, and reveal who you’re becoming. She also breaks down the three ways people work with her: guided workshops, a self-paced course, or sending materials for a commissioned piece when engaging the memories feels too intense.
We also explore worthiness and identity: how painful messages get learned early, how to trace where they started, and how creativity can build self-trust in real time. The big takeaway is simple and brave: what happened to you isn’t who you are, and you can peel back the layers until you feel that truth again.
If this resonates, subscribe or follow, share it with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a five-star written review. What’s one object from your past that still holds emotional weight for you?
Previous Guest Links from episode intro:
RESET Your Buttons with Mary Elizabeth Murphy, S1 Ep1
The Entities of the Emery Estate featuring Christy Parrish - Soulseekers Paranormal NE
Devorah's Links
Assorted Conversations Links
Assorted Conversations Facebook Page
- Stay up-to-date on podcast happenings and share them with your friends
Assorted Conversations Podcast Facebook Community
- A collaborative and supportive community for you to engage with us, our guests and other listeners
- Share your passion, network and connect as we all pursue what makes us happy.
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes content and info
- Special online events for community members
NOW on TikTok
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Instagram
Support Assorted Conversations on Buy Me a Coffee
Say hello or ask a question: aconvospod@gmail.com
Credits
Music Credit: True Living by Patrick Moore
Royalty free music license purchased at soundotcom.com