It’s time to focus on creating a rich way of living – in creativity and in mind, body, spirit, relationships, and bank account – not from a place of push, force, hustle, and desperation,

But from a place of being deeply centered, relaxed, powerful – A place that is truly creative, truly you!

I think one of the things that has been the biggest a-ha moment for me in the Art School is that there’s a different way of working that can also be successful. I’ve always had this go-to way of being successful, and there is a little bit of sacrifice. I used to think that has to be part of it. Like a little bit of pain that you have to put that in to deserve the reward. And this idea of pushing through it is something that has gotten me sick, that I actually got viral meningitis and was in the hospital because I was worn out from pushing through. Now I’ve learned a way to be successful, without the push.

I encourage anyone who has a dream to check out www.leahcb.com. The fall Art School or the Art School Mastermind are coming up and they will be amazing. I am just dipping my toe in her summer series and cannot wait to see what happens when we really dig deep in the mastermind. And guess what – Leah teaches you that if you are going to make a financial investment in something, create a plan for how you want that investment to grow. And let’s just say, it has blown my mind at how I have already seen a return on my investment and we truly haven’t even started yet. I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

Before working with Leah I was feeling very overwhelmed with all that needed to happen to be a professional sculptor.

I tried other on-line groups but felt they were too harsh and not supportive. My concerns before signing up were rather or not I would get enough individual attention to help me with my personal issues.

One of my biggest takeaways from working with Leah was realizing that confusion and overwhelm are just another state of mind that I have utilized to stay stuck and disempower myself. I know now that as Leah so eloquently pointed out during a coaching session, that when I interject the word BUT into a sentence it’s my warning that the big cover up is underway. “I am doing well BUT I’m still not sure what I’m suppose to be doing”. Being aware of this has helped me to move forward and not believe this false thinking.

I would highly recommend Leah to a friend. She is a perfect balance between sensitive yet direct. She has a very old, wise soul. She listens with her heart and her feedback is on target. I felt very seen and understood in spite of being part of a group. She spends allot of time on the written forum where allot of coaching takes place. I firmly believe you can get as much out of this class as your willing to put in. Being coached in a group setting can seem intimidating but the more I was willing to put myself out there the more I took away! And, Leah was the perfect coach to make it worth the effort!

In my first session of Art School and coaching with Leah, I finished a book I started nine years ago (yes, nine!). You can imagine how happy and empowered I’ve felt ever since — and that’s a big understatement. THEN I did a second round of working with Leah… and finished a book I started one and a half years ago!

The best news is that I didn’t accomplish these creative goals by forcing myself into a grim grind but rather while (and, according to Leah, “because”) I was living the way I want to live, feeling the way I want to feel. This “extraordinary way of being” that Leah helps clients cultivate is probably why I incidentally — without thinking about it — lost ten pounds, got happily addicted to super sweaty cardio workouts, lost an intense caffeine addiction, and developed some mental and spiritual habits that will serve me for the rest of my life. These are some of my most easily-measured milestones. What I can’t quite describe is how solidly good and free that extraordinary way of being feels.

Leah is exquisitely skilled as a coach because of her extensive training, experience, conscious effort, fundamental kindness and, for lack of a better word, intuition. When you’re working with her, the result feels exactly like magic. It’s remarkable. I can attest that working with Leah is worth every penny and way more.

Working with Leah has been an epic journey for me. I feel like every coaching session with her is a game changer for my life. With Art School she brings together all of her teachings into a 12 week program that is seriously life changing.

She teaches how to trust and relax into your creative potential, how to access your own power to work toward your dreams, and how to do it without getting burnt out in the process. She also teaches how to find and live the excitement of your dreams now instead of waiting for something to happen in the future in order to feel good.

Working with Leah is a joy. I can just feel her love and caring each time I talk to her. She has this wonderful combination of gentle grace and fierceness. She is so wise and insightful! Not only does she have your back, but she teaches you how to have your own back and to acknowledge your worthiness. Joining the Art School is by far the best thing I have ever done for myself. This isn’t just about art. It’s about life. Leah is pure magic!

Cultivating creative community creates momentum and fire that passes from one person to another- no matter the diversity of goals and dreams. When we come together to encourage each other, lift each other up and show up to celebrate with one another through the journey, then, in the moments when we’re feeling discouraged or losing forward motion, we’re surrounded by fellow dreamers willing to help you up and inspire you to keep going. The myth of the lone wolf really is just a myth. Truly, we gain energy and inspiration from one another and I’ve loved experiencing that magic first hand in The Art School.

I am LOVING The Art School. Seeing you weekly has me wondering why I didn’t do this so much sooner? Also, the 90 minute weekly workshopping is an oasis. It certainly felt today like an *X marks the spot* for my muses — and I suspect it will only be more satiating and serving from here on out! THANK YOU for creating this space for us to curate and cultivate and condition our souls — I am beyond a 5-year old’s excitement on Christmas morning!

When I listened to your podcast, it was like I was called home. There was something in your voice, in the way you expressed yourself about how this part of us is calling us home always and the way you used poetry and storytelling and all of this.

I was in the lowest season in many ways, as a mother, as a woman with my self-esteem, and also as a creative and as an artist I was losing faith of what I could do because being in another culture, living in a different place in the UK from Columbia, I was challenged at many levels in how I could express my potential.

And also, the fact of being a mother and also falling pregnant of a new baby and not knowing how to bring everything together was when you started to resonate so strongly. But as I heard your voice and as I was part of this first journey through Art School, these things in my brain just started opening up, new pathways of understanding how I could discern the negative voice and be bigger than that. And you also keep reminding us in the Art School how we can be bigger than what our voices are saying. And that was something that just completely started to change my understanding. A feeling that I remember you inviting us to feel, that everything was falling into place. And that falling into place experience could be happening now, not necessarily only when that future experience as the ultimate experience is. Like, you could actually invite that ultimate version of you to be somehow awake now.

With that, I decided to transform somehow a second stage of my understanding of who I can be as I mother and as I create. And that allowed basically this new portal of creative projects to start to bloom. And that’s where I am at now. Just not losing faith is something that happened after being in this group of amazing Art Schoolers that we feel we can do it and that it’s possible. And whatever we, as each other, mirror different aspects of our creative journey, we see in the others amazing things and you believe in what you can do as well.

I hadn’t realized just how much judgement and heavy expectations I’d wrapped around my creative dreams. You nailed it when you said my creativity has come to feel like a burden and work. In fact, that’s exactly what I’ve been telling myself: that making art is really hard work. I sat with this over the past few days, and I found a few more thoughts wrapped up with that one, which you also so perfectly hit upon in your response. Not only do I think making art is really hard work, but I also expect that no matter what I do — or how hard I work — I’ll never be any good at it, and nothing will ever come of my attempts. In fact, I realized that I expected my result to be… well, a whole lot of nothing.

I couldn’t see there being anything in it for me. So when I presented my brain with two options: 1) Go to the studio, work my ass off, and get “nothing.” 2) Sit on the couch, nap, or read a book, and get “nothing.” Well, the choice really became a no-brainer. Just seeing it in this way was so powerful! The awareness of what I’d been doing to myself… well, that alone has been worth the price of Art School. I had so much resistance around saying, “I am an artist,” like you suggested. I immediately wanted to rephrase it to, “I am an artist in training,” or “I am an art student.” I’ve been painting for about 8 years, and in all that time, I could count on one hand the number of original works I’ve created.

Most of the art I create is based on tutorials and online classes. I tell myself I’m learning, that I’m not yet good enough, skilled enough, to attempt to create something of my own. But the results of the tutorials I attempt are never on part with the person teaching them, and so I get stuck in this spiral of disappointment. I’m not good enough > I have to take a class > I attempt the lesson, and I’m disappointed > I tell myself I’m not good enough. And the cycle repeats, again and again. Then I wonder why I think creating art is hard work or why I believe I’ll never “get there.”

Again, this has all been running in the background for so long. I wasn’t aware of any of it until I came to The Art School for coaching. The awareness alone has been mind-blowing. I’ve decided that what I want to do is fall in love with the process. I’ve never been able to do that. It’s always been about the outcome, and the outcome has consistently fallen short of my expectations. I also did the homework you suggested. Here are the thoughts that came up: – I’m not very good – I don’t have a unique style – Everything I produce looks so amateurish – I’m embarrassed by my art – I wish I was a good artist – I want to be skilled – I want to be proud of what I make – I need to spend a few more years taking courses – I should find a mentor – Making art is such a waste of time – I could be doing more productive things – There’s no point in any of this – It’s so self-indulgent – I’m ashamed of the results I produce

The above are all thoughts that come up for me before and during my time in the studio. But afterward, my thoughts shift a bit: – I really loved the act of pushing paint around – I loved that color combination – Maybe this thing I made doesn’t totally suck (I find myself sneaking back into the studio and sneaking peeks at what I created) – I should do this more often. The last time I felt a genuine desire and spark to create art was about two years ago when I decided to create a large portrait of my daughter. I loved the subject matter, I had lots of time (I was just starting my business then, and my daughter was in school), and I loved seeing and documenting my progress on that piece. The painting hangs in my daughter’s room, and it’s a constant reminder that I CAN create original, soulful, meaningful art. It’s one of maybe 3 pieces I’ve ever created “on my own.” This whole activity has been so eye-opening. I can’t thank you enough!

I was at a bit of a crossroads in my life and knew I didn’t want to be the person I had been, and had been listening to The Art School podcast for a while and felt that Leah was the right person to help me take the next right step.

What I enjoyed about The Art School were other perspectives, whether it was Leah’s or someone else from the group. Getting out of my own head and hearing what others had to say about something I’d been thinking about was helpful for me to change my own process of approaching “problems.”.

The Art School helped me feel more centered and confident about where I’m heading, and gave me the tools I need to handle bumps along the way. I think pointing out that everything is a choice and cementing that idea in was the most helpful. It’s an easy thing to forget or abdicate (which is also a choice). The general shift in perspective on some of the things that felt like conundrums to me have made me less worried about those things, which is liberating. Not only that, because I’m thinking differently, even now that Art School is finished, I’m still having aha’s when I come across ideas/information that dovetail with what Leah shares in the Art School. It’s a nice ripple effect.

I really looked forward to every Tuesday and Thursday and those times when I posted to the forum because I knew I was going to get something in return that would be helpful, useful, or unlock something I needed

Thank you so so much for creating a community that is incredibly welcoming and truly magical. I’ve high fived the goals I wanted to meet when I started. I’m not the same person I was and I’ve actually done art I love making. Your guidance and insights and humor and support have meant the world to me. So thank you for everything and more. My toolbox runneth over!

What attracted me to The Art School was the energy. I had a new goal and couldn’t decide if it was something I really wanted or if I was fooling myself. Because it was a big step, I wanted to explore my motives. And since the usual rational methods didn’t work for me, and since Leah uses a creative, intuitive approach that speaks to me very much, The Art School was a logical choice.

In The Art School,  I enjoyed the use of the power of imagination and the use of the unusual. I also loved the consequent imprint of small-but-big-impact changes and fresh perspectives.

The Art School helped me tremendously. It all was subtle but very powerful. I could gain the clarity I wanted, and discovered that my goal was a goal that came from my soul. It also gave me lots of useful insights and techniques that I integrated in my life. Doing something 12 weeks long helps greatly to form new habits.

Being immerged in an intuitive energy with the space for the impossible was very enriching experience. I still am integrating the insights and discoveries I gathered.

I was attracted to The Art School because I felt I did not have the kind of support I needed to develop a creative backbone and pursue my work with consistency. I felt I could really benefit from coaching around my creative work. I loved Leah’s podcast, and felt a connection to her kind, wise, and courageous nature.

I loved the coaching calls on Tuesdays, and the forum was really SO helpful because I could revisit those posts. I’m also a writer, so being able to write out my experiences, and receive Leah’s responses on the forum was very helpful to me.

The Art School helped me stay focused through my crowdfund. It helped me clarify my goals (this is a work in progress). I’m still digesting so much of the amazing guidance I received during the program.

So grateful that I was able to experience this! I’m sure I will work with Leah again.

I’m ready for the “after Art School” effect that I see in so many women — the energy and beauty and self-reflecting creativity. It’s the missing piece I’ve been looking for.

Without any doubt, knowing you knowing your work, having experienced your process, the way that you teach has been incredibly important for me at this stage in my life. I really appreciate it.

Leah does such a spectacular job of showing up impassioned and totally committed to her student’s growth. Her unwavering enthusiasm and laser-focused coaching give students deep insight to their limiting beliefs, and she provides incredibly powerful tools to support the journey to creative empowerment.

I was encouraged, yet not pressured, to get to know my true self throughout The Art School program. At 31 years of age, I am just now understanding that my thoughts are not my genetic make up; I have the ability everyday to choose how I think, what I think, and manifest my future. As someone who has struggled with a low self-esteem, I left each session feeling empowered and in more control of who I am.

I understand that things happen in this world outside of what we can predict; however, how important for us as individuals, those we love, and the people influenced by our work, is our reactions to such incidents. It was an honor to hear the vulnerability of other people, and genuinely learn from each of their stories. I am not a singer, a novelist, or a doctor, but I took so much from what my classmates with such backgrounds had to say. The course is something my heart ached for, which I only became aware of while going through it.

At times I was critical of myself: “I should be doing more.” “I should know this by now.” However, Leah is a consistent encourager gently reminding each of us that not only are we whole as we are, but that we are receiving exactly what we should receive; She does this all while she providing the tools to help make our goals tangible, and it is such a gift feeling as though someone is rooting for you. One of our last sessions we went over the concept of gratitude being more than and idea. Gratitude is a feeling, gratitude is a way of life, and I will be forever grateful for the the course and all it entailed. Thank you Leah, for giving of yourself in such a loving and beautiful way. I needed this.

Community makes me feel like I’m no longer marooned on an island. Suddenly I’m stepping into a larger ocean of possibilities, with the added breadth of our collective experience giving me a glimpse of some vast, as-yet-uncharted creative waters. When some of us are uplifted, we all rise in that wave so we can’t even feel the ground anymore– we’re floating together and it feels like some kind of flying. And when the tide draws back and goes low, we can circle and remind each other that the waves come and go, and that we’re here because we love to swim in open water, we love to feel that creative force swirling around and through us. And none of us are going to sink to an irretrievable depth, because we’ve got ahold of each other and see each other’s best selves, and remind each other of that every day. Being part of a community is like a trip to the beach. It’s fun.

Leah, all my expectations have indeed been exceeded. Thank you and thank you to everyone else in The Art School community — a lot of this is because every.single.time one of the others opens up and gets coached, it’s as if they’re asking a question I needed to ask (and sometimes didn’t even consciously realize it). It’s a remarkable phenomenon — like watching myself getting coached. {And without, dare I admit it, the bravery or awareness required to do so!) Just as importantly, I feel all of everyone’s good vibes and goodwill for the whole group and it is so powerful. How else to explain getting movement so quickly and immediately in so many parts of my life (my creative work and also, truly, everywhere else) where I’ve been stuck for years?!

The Immersion was a time of introspection for me and I had to sit with some uncomfortable decisions, but that was good, because it helped me to move! I’ve started to let go of some responsibilities that weren’t supporting me, so change is in the air. I truly appreciate the energy that Leah pours into her work. She is thoughtful in her responses and takes time to give motivating feedback.

Her coaching questions are excellent and made me stop and dig to find better and better answers to help me build my dream life. I discovered ideas that I’d been thinking about for a long time, and had been pushing them to the side, not really letting them come into my consciousness. AHA! I’m grateful I was able to take the course to help me focus more clearly and give myself a boost to start 2021. Leah is an expert at understanding human behavior and urging one to get to know herself better! Thank you for the positive experience.

Deborah Bowen

I have been listening to Leah for over the last year on every single one of my daily walks. I can’t recall what podcast interview I first heard Leah’s full heart and wisdom, but I fell in love immediately and have been devouring every last word she’s shared with YES! me too! and oh, sooooo much gratitude to hear someone who so radically speaks my language!

When she shared on her podcast that she was offering the Immersion and that I could watch via the recording, I signed up immediately. I’m still steeping in everything Leah shared during the week, taking prolific notes and letting everything fill me up with ideas and gratitude and love and oh, yes, sooooo many possibilities!!!

I have to pare down the serious AHA’s I have had, but there are so many, it’s hard to, lol! Still soaking up ALL the juiciness! I feel really good. AND know that all I learned is still working its way into my being. These Immersion days have filled me up and reminded me that more can be a good thing when it is rooted in love. Ambition is something new for me and I realized that my really good life, was holding me back from my 100% magically and wonderfully abundant life…. So I’m getting out of my own way more and more and truly allowing what is essential to me to become sacred and what is sacred to me to become essential.

I take A LOT of classes/courses and these were some of the most stellar hours I’ve ever experienced. Divine timing and all… AND absolute Leah magic.

Shannon Horne

I liked the short “let’s try it out” option and also had a bunch of personal life events that led to the decision to dive in and spend a bunch of hours on the topic.

I liked the structure. The order of the topics worked out well logically and personally as well. I liked that questions could be asked and got answered. Seeing other people’s struggles and issues is helpful too and a lot to learn from.  This gave a nice overview of the “The Art School” and allowed a glance of the philosophy, the main message, the main guideline.

The covered areas already provided a ton to work on and look into, therefore it was a good start for both groups of people, i.e., the ones enrolling to TAS and for those who don’t.

Leah was generous by working on the questions “off” time, which was not advertised at the beginning. The total hours spent on the personal part of the week was very impressive and inspirational as well. It was powerful and provided more than I expected. Also, it is very generous to provide the class replays forever. I’m sure all days will have a new meaning after a while.

Edit Varga

How I’d rate The Immersion? I say it’s big, fat 10*! 💃 What attracted me to Immersion was a previous podcast by Leah where she talked about impotent goals. And since the topic of potentiality is dear to me, and I resonated very much with Leah’s talk, the Immersion was a logical next step.

It was truly a marvelous experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The challenge brought me lots of inspiration, new perspectives, and aha’s (that I’m busy applying now). I love art, innovative thinking and experimenting, and Leah’s approach feels very much like coming home. What I especially appreciate in Leah’s approach is her professionalism, efficiency in technical stuff (providing the links each day, answering the emails, and that kind of thing).

The Immersion was worth every second of my time!

Laura van den Berg