The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

Feeling stuck, numb, overwhelmed… or just weirdly “off”?

In this episode of The Spark File Podcast, Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien explore the brain’s four major feel-good chemicals — dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin — and the surprising ways creativity helps activate every single one of them.

What starts as a conversation about burnout and anhedonia turns into a hopeful deep dive into creativity, connection, movement, laughter, art, and the science of feeling better. Along the way, Susan and Laura unpack “cheap dopamine,” creative flow states, the power of community, and why your right amygdala might be the unsung hero of your emotional well-being.

A neuroscience-meets-creativity episode for anyone who could use a little more wonder, possibility, and joy right about now.

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What if the people in our lives came with warning labels, gift receipts or invisible instruction manuals?

In this episode of The Spark File Podcast, Laura and Susan explore the invisible “rule books” we all carry — the hidden needs, sensitivities, communication styles, expectations, and emotional landmines that shape our relationships and creative collaborations.

From feedback preferences to friendship dynamics to the phrase “I might cry, but I still want you to tell me the truth,” this conversation gets honest, funny, vulnerable, and unexpectedly practical.

Because maybe a little more clarity and awareness about who we are could save us all a little heartbreak.

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What if the muse isn’t something you wait for, but something you meet?

In this episode, Susan and Laura explore the evolution of the creative muse — from ancient Greek mythology (yes, daughters of Zeus included) to modern-day metaphors like demons, geniuses, broccoli, and even… a monkey driving a speedboat.

Along the way, they unpack a powerful truth: The most creative people aren’t waiting for inspiration, they’re showing up – consistently – so inspiration has somewhere to land.

Featuring insights from Stephen King, Elizabeth Gilbert, Anne Lamott, and more, this episode reframes creativity as a practice, not a lightning bolt strike.

Plus, you’ll get a simple, doable way to build your own creative ritual – just 10 minutes a day – that can transform how you experience your creativity (and yourself).

Because the key isn’t waiting for the muse to visit you, it’s visiting the muse.

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What if the reason you can’t stop obsessing over that one random thing… is actually because something in your life is going really right?

In this episode of The Spark File Podcast, Laura and Susan dive into Expansion Anxiety – the sneaky psychological pattern that shows up when you’re leveling up creatively, professionally, or personally. Just as things start to expand, your brain tries to pull you back into familiar (and often unhelpful) loops: rumination, distraction, overthinking, or fixation on problems that suddenly feel urgent.

Laura shares her own real-time experience with this phenomenon and breaks down:


Why your brain prefers predictability over possibility


How old emotional loops disguise themselves as “new problems”


The powerful practice of naming the pattern (hello, cognitive defusion)


A simple 4-step method to get out of the spiral and back to what matters

If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling right when things are getting good, this episode is your roadmap back to your creative center.

Because sometimes the discomfort isn’t a sign you’re off track – it’s proof you’re expanding. 

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What’s the difference between a teacher who changes your life… and one who almost shuts you down for good?

On this week’s episode of The Spark File Podcast, Susan brings a spark from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn — a story about a young writer learning the difference between truth and storytelling, and the teachers who shape (or try to silence) her voice. From a compassionate mentor who helps Francie harness her imagination, to a misguided teacher who literally tells her to burn her work, this episode explores the lasting impact of creative guidance — both good and bad.

Along the way, Susan and Laura swap their own stories of teachers who saw their potential…  and those who didn’t. The result? A powerful reminder that you get to choose whose voice lives in your head — and who gets a firm “die, vampire, die.”

If you’ve ever been encouraged, underestimated, or creatively crushed (and who hasn’t?), this one’s for you.

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