Episode Details

Air date: April 16, 2018

Guests: Jess

Runtime: 35 minutes, 21 seconds

Summary: This episode is a bit heavier than most. This week, Jen’s friend Jess joins her to talk about using the act of making as a way to cope with depression. They discuss the things that stand in their way when undertaking a new project and the challenges of starting a brand new hobby.

Links of Interest:

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
Cinnamon Roll recipe
This is You Brain on Crafting by Jacque Wilson

What I Made This Week:

From the transcript: “And now I’d like to tell you about something I made this week. Many weekends, I wake up with a desire to make a specific breakfast pastry. But somehow, in my 32 years on this planet, I’ve yet to make cinnamon rolls. Until this past weekend! I found a recipe that had lots of rave reviews, and set to work. I mixed, kneaded, waited, sprinkled, rolled, and baked for about 2 hours. And in the end, the result was everything I’d dreamed it would be. And I made enough to store a few extra uncooked rolls in the freezer so I can have fresh-baked rolls at a moment’s notice!”

Episode Transcript

Introduction

Hello and welcome to “How to Make a Memory,” the show that explores the items we make for one another and how they impact our relationships. My name is Jen Tierney and this week I’ll be sitting down with my friend Jess to talk about something that we have in common. We both use the act of making as a way of coping with anxiety and depression.

Depression can be a huge hurdle for a maker, but we’ve both found that once we get into the flow of creation, we find tremendous relief. Harnessing the purpose and pride that comes from making something can be a powerful way of shutting down depression, if only for a little while.

Conversation

[Transcript forthcoming]

Conclusion

Having a conversation with Jess about the personal benefits of making provided me with some important insights into my own motivations. It further solidified for me the integral role that creation plays in my life and how it sustains me during moments when depression comes to visit. Crafting, baking, and imagining all help me to give my mind a break from its worries. Knowing that Jess and others like us reach for their paintbrushes, knitting needles, and whisks makes me feel a camaraderie when depression would prefer that I feel isolated.

And now I’d like to tell you about something I made this week. Many weekends, I wake up with a desire to make a specific breakfast pastry. But somehow, in my 32 years on this planet, I’ve yet to make cinnamon rolls. Until this past weekend! I found a recipe that had lots of rave reviews, and set to work. I mixed, kneaded, waited, sprinkled, rolled, and baked for about 2 hours. And in the end, the result was everything I’d dreamed it would be. And I made enough to store a few extra uncooked rolls in the freezer so I can have fresh-baked rolls at a moment’s notice!

Well, that brings us to the end of this week’s episode. Thank you to Jess for joining me and for having such an open conversation about a difficult personal topic. You can find “How to Make a Memory” on Facebook at How to Make a Memory, on Twitter @How2MakeAMemory with the number 2, and on Instagram @howtomakeamemory. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please consider heading over to iTunes to rate, review, and subscribe. “How to Make a Memory” is a member of The Geekend Legion podcast network. Our logo is by Becky Carpenter, our music is by Chuck Salamone, we get system admin support from Greg Thole. Now, go make something for someone you love.

How to Make It Through Depression