How Woodworking Can Change Lives
by Robert Johnson
The field of woodworking as a therapy is not extensively researched, but in the past 15 years, a small number of observational studies have shown that woodworking can be helpful in improving the quality of life, especially to people with trauma histories.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. PTSD can develop at any point in someone’s life and it is caused by experiencing stressful and traumatic events once or over a period of time.
For those experiencing PTSD or CPTSD (complex PTSD), it is known that the process of cure is not simple and smooth. It is slow and devastating, and usually takes making one step forward and two steps back. What is the most important, besides finding the right psychotherapy, is also a doctor who will be supportive during the treatment period.
When there is a will, it can be useful to change some habits and try to improve the quality of life. One of the ways to do that is finding a hobby that can help release stress and anxiety, express emotions and keep the brain busy and away from difficult emotions and scenes.
In the PTSD recovery field, woodworking has proven to beneficial in improving self-esteem, in finding a purpose and retrieving motivation. The help of woodworking in recovery efforts is shown in the example of 3 people who found an anchor in processing wood.
Here’s their story: How Woodworking Can Change Lives.