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Lifting Depression

by Kelly Lambert

visit her website

I am a crochet-er and have been for years, so when I heard a woman talking about how the hand-mind connection was a treatment for depression (on NPR's To the Best of Our Knowledge last fall), I perked up. She discussed how our society has worked so hard to automate things, when we actually need to do hand work to keep a healthy mind. Okay, that was my first exposure!

I attended the Delta Kappa Gamma Southeast Regional Conference this summer in Little Rock - and there she was, talking about depression and the need for people to work with their hands. Kelly discussed her book and the effort-driven rewards system. She explained that making things for others made us feel good. Well, maybe I have always known that! I hardly sit down without a project in my hands!

Her book is a joy to read, and can really help each of us deal with down times and maybe understand those who live in depression daily. I have decided that I will read this book to my crochet class - I read while they crochet. They don't know this yet.

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