by: Karsten Friske

The recent strikes of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) shook the entertainment industry to its core. In the same way, creatives involved in these industries were also shaken by the sudden loss of their livelihoods and regular work patterns. Now that the strike has now been resolved and normalcy slowly inches back, how do we navigate this post-strike world and what do we take away from the experience of the strike? As a member of SAG-AFTRA and therapist here at The Pursuit Counseling, here are some reflection questions to consider as we navigate being creatives in a post-strike entertainment industry. 

1. Your Worth Is Not Strikeable: Even though the entertainment industry can ebb and flow at any point, your worth is a person does not. Regardless of what is happening in the industry, remember that your basic worth as a person does not change. Even though the direct applications of your creative talents were not easily utilized during the strike, your perseverance is a talent in and of itself. 
2. Honoring Unintended New Talents: The strike brought with it challenges of survival and advocacy at the same time. You surviving this complex personal and public environment shows your skillset is adaptable and ever-growing. What are some skills you learned that can be transferable into your work? In other words, how can the pain of having to forcefully adapt your life be used as fuel for your next project?

3. Remembering Your Why: Moments like the strike can be powerful reminders for why you entered into this industry and the work you do. What draws you to this work despite the hostile environment of the industry? If you could have any job, would you still pick this one and why? Reflecting on these questions can help bring clarity to your purpose as an artist.

4. Being an Advocate: There is no doubt that the entertainment industry will continue to change in years to come. How do you want to advocate for the next generation of artists? How can your advocacy impact your work? Preparing the way for upcoming artists can help improve industry both in the present and the future. If the strike taught us anything, it is that creatives have the tenacity and grit to inspire change for the industry at-large.

5. Personal Growth: How did you grow as a person during the strike? Is there growth that you still want to see happen? What does it look like for you to grow as an artist? All of these questions point toward tuning your instrument (whether figuratively or literally) as a creative. The best tool you have at your disposal is yourself, and taking care of yourself is an investment in your work as a creative. 

If you would like to invest in yourself further through therapy, please reach out to us at the Pursuit Counseling! Conveniently located in close proximity to Trilith Studios, our therapists are equipped to help you along your journey to personal growth as a creative and a person in general.