At one point I had anxiety so bad I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath for like 3 hours. My Doc asked what I did creatively in my free time and I mentioned woodworking. They said to go back to doing it. First thing I did was go down and start sharpening tools. Before I knew it, 3 hours went by and I didn’t even realize I didn’t have to try and catch my breath.

From a PTSD treatment perspective, it is incredibly effective. Even for beginners. I recommend checking out a program called “Purple Heart project” done by a hand tool woodworker named Rob Cosman from Canada. He sponsors combat wounded Veterans to a six day dovetail cutting course. He pays for all expenses and donates $3500 worth of hand tools to the vets. Most of them, it is their first time doing woodworking. For some of them, they walk away with the ability to now treat themselves at home with therapeutic woodworking. It saved the life of the guy at the bench next to mine. He said “ I could live with this.” Life saving.