North House Folk School

What does craft have to do with grief?

When hearing the word “craft,” some people envision a mere hobby—something that’s entertaining when you have the time for it, but ultimately isn’t very important. However, a growing body of research shows that craft is more than a lighthearted pastime: it can also be a path to connection and healing during the most difficult times of our lives.

Beth Carter Gausch is a metalsmith and North House instructor who teaches several jewelry-making classes at the folk school each year. An experienced artisan, craft was a regular part of her life. However, that all changed three years ago with the passing of a close loved one. Carter Gausch’s world turned upside down, and her craft came to a standstill. 

“I had no desire to make,” Carter Gausch said. “My creative process was fully blocked.”

As she processed such a significant loss, Carter Gausch decided to enroll in a jewelry-making course. As it happened, the class was full of people who were dealing with major life transitions, including recent losses. As she sat beside other people experiencing grief and got to work learning new fabrication skills, she found a new purpose and connection in an otherwise lonely and chaotic time. 

“It opened my eyes as to how working with our hands can reengage our minds,” Carter Gausch said.

Craft and Well-Being

Craft has long been associated with well-being; ask people why they knit or carve wood, and many will say they find the process relaxing. Indeed, a growing body of research shows that working with the hands—and doing so in community—helps people process difficult things.

Dr. Anne Kirketerp shares this research in the book Craft Psychology: How Crafting Promotes Health. Kirketerp says that grieving or stressed people are often told to, “Go home, relax, and do nothing.” However, “doing nothing,” especially in isolation, activates the brain's default mode network (DMN), where stressful thoughts can proliferate. Engaging in a meaningful activity—like craft—is different. It breaks the mind out of rumination and promotes positive feelings like competence, autonomy, and relatedness, all of which are helpful during stressful times. 

This idea that craft can promote well-being is something that Carter Gausch experienced firsthand. After the class, she continued crafting jewelry that reflected her mindset at the time. It was a cathartic process, and when she wore the pieces she made, people asked about them, opening up new connections and conversations about grief.

“In our society, there are few ways to process loss, and it’s difficult to find community when you are grieving, as it is such a personal experience,” Carter Gausch said. “I’ve come to believe it takes a village to get through the tough stuff in life. It does not have to be a big village, but we all need people to hold us up when life, loss, and grief knock us down.”

Healing Through Craft

After returning to metalsmithing, Carter Gausch also returned to teaching, but with a greater emphasis on process and connection. She developed a new course called Healing Through Craft: Jewelry Fabrication, which will take place at North House Folk School in April 2025. In the course, students who have experienced any sort of loss or difficult life transition will learn to fabricate jewlery, with a focus on finding their voice and expressing their experiences through craft.

“I think North House Folk School, with the emphasis on creating a safe space for all, is a great place for this workshop. While this course is not intended to be a therapy session, it is intended to foster a connection between our heart, head, and hands while learning basic metal fabrication skills,” Carter Gausch said. “I hope you’ll join us in this unique creative and social experience, expressing and processing grief through metalsmithing.”

Healing Through Craft: Jewelry Fabrication will take place April 3-6 at North House Folk School, and registration is open now. Learn more about the course or register here.