Meet an expert: Dr. Anne Kirketerp
The originator of "Craft Psychology" and new advisor to Practice (!)
You know that weird feeling when you learn a new word, hear an interesting story at a dinner party, or buy a blue car—and suddenly, that word, story, or car seems to show up everywhere? This “frequency illusion” (also called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon) is a cognitive bias where new awareness of something makes it feel more common, causing us “to see patterns that aren’t actually there.”
When you start a company, I’m pretty sure that phenomenon intensifies. You become…let’s just say hyper-aware. Suddenly, every book, article, or casual observation feels connected to your idea.
That’s how it felt a few months ago when my co-founder, Ben, serendipitously discovered the work of Danish psychologist Dr. Anne Kirketerp. He found her quoted on a prominent textile craft supplier’s website, and at first, we chalked it up to Baader-Meinhof. But as we dug deeper into Dr. Kirketerp’s work—and her groundbreaking field of Craft Psychology—it became clear this was more than seeing a blue car on every street corner.
In fact, it’s something very connected, real, and exciting. And Dr. Kirketerp is now Practice’s first strategic advisor! But, more on that in a bit.
Craft Psychology: a book report
Dr. Kirketerp is the author of Craft Psychology: How Crafting Promotes Health (recently made available in English—get it here).
Her book explores the health benefits of craft, backed by clinical research and empirical data. It’s the culmination of nearly a decade of psychological research and decades more of expert-level crafting (before becoming a psychologist, Dr. Kirketerp trained as a craftsperson and teacher with a focus on weaving and knitting).
She was initially inspired to explore this area based on her experience as a weaving teacher, when she “repeatedly witnessed people, who were in the midst of a life crisis, suddenly finding the spark of life again and the energy to change direction, as they worked passionately and experienced all the effects of crafting.” Now, as a psychologist, she has “managed to identify and describe this phenomenon scientifically” and does so in her book.
If you’ve been following along on my journey co-founding Practice, that may sound familiar. While I wasn’t in a technical “life crisis” when I found dollhouse making last year, I definitely was burnt out, and crafting helped me find a serious spark. A fire, even. Ben too! We found ourselves wondering: “is there something here?” beyond our anecdotal experience. So Dr. Kirketerp’s work immediately piqued our interest.
Especially because this is how she describes her field of study:
Craft psychology is the psychology of why people craft. It identifies how craft activities have positive effects on our physical and mental health. It can be used intentionally to effectively promote well-being. (p. 15)
It’s as if this is a book about why we should start Practice, that we just so happened to find 2+ months after we started the company. Definitely not just a Baader-Meinhof scenario.
More insights and ~synergy~
So, yeah, I had a blast reading this book. My dog, Pinto, was less enthused. I kept startling him from his peaceful naps with excited little shouts every time I read a passage that felt particularly synergistic or affirming.
Case in point: this excerpt from page 37 had me practically yelling.
When we complete a successful craft project, we gain a bit more confidence to embark on new and more challenging projects. Experiencing the improvement that practice brings can spark new hope, which in turn can stimulate the desire and interest to delve into something new and even more challenging.
(emphasis mine)
Yes, Dr. Kirketerp! Hence the Practice flywheel of joy!
Every page had nuggets like this—backed by empirical data and psychological studies. She covered:
How craft can be used to combat stress, depression, and anxiety
Ways to tailor craft activities for different people based on their unique needs and abilities
The history of craft and its role in human culture
The psychological theories underpinning why craft has such a profound impact on our well-being
and more!
This is one of those books where, if I’d had a highlighter in my hand, I would have colored in entire pages. Each page I turned made me even more excited about the work we’re doing at Practice.
So, yeah, I highly recommend it. If you’re interested in giving it a read, you can grab a copy here. (FYI this isn’t sponcon or anything, just an earnest recommendation!)
Shooting my shot
I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the weird side effects of being a founder is that it suddenly feels like you have permission to do things you wouldn’t have done otherwise. So, after discovering Dr. Kirketerp’s work, I decided to shoot my shot and reach out to her. I fan-girled a bit, gave a 2 sentence pitch, and asked if she’d be open to chatting about Practice.
I had low expectations that I’d get a reply to my cold email and meeting request. But, I DID! (Cue more excited little screams—sorry, Pinto. And Sorry, Ben, for sending you like 10 all-caps Slack messages.)
That reply led to a few conversations. It turns out that we have a lot of shared vision. Dr. Kirketerp and her team are doing incredible work educating people on the health benefits of crafting. They’re also lovely people.
So, I’m thrilled to share that Dr. Anne Kirketerp has agreed to be a strategic advisor for Practice. 🎉
She’s already shared brilliant insights about hobby-matching, project types, and how to support people as they grow their creative practices. We have big dreams for Practice, and are excited to have input from an expert like Dr. Kirketerp as we prepare to launch our MVP, and we work towards a future where creative making is self-care for all.
We’re always eager to learn from experts. If you or someone you know would be a great advisor for Practice, I’d love to connect. You can reach me at erica@practicemaking.com