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Media Relations

Crafts can help the grieving process

Knitting, crocheting, quilting and woodworking all can be tools to help manage grief, according to Kathleen Gilbert, a professor in the Department of Applied Health Science at Indiana University Bloomington. Gilbert is currently completing a study on how crafts are used to cope with loss. "Crafts have a decided calming effect," Gilbert said. "The repetitive actions are physically soothing."

Any craft that is structured and uncomplicated can create this effect, Gilbert said. The end result doesn't have to be pretty or especially creative -- or even permanent. "I talked with one woman who always took apart what she made after it was finished. Once the activity has calmed you, you can put it away if you choose," Gilbert said. Some of the people in her study do keep their projects as a way to commemorate their loss or to affirm the healing process.

"Follow your inclinations," Gilbert said. "You can take up something you learned in Girl Scouts, whether it's stringing beads or working with clay. You don't need great skill to receive the beneficial effect."

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