As a young substance abuse counselor I was taught there is a “golden thread” that should run through my notes with a client. Someone (like an auditor) reading their chart should see moments of healing, growth and insights along the way. If that golden thread isn’t there the auditor can come in and take back funding. Your clinic may not stay open. You may no longer be able to help your community. That golden thread holds a heck of alot together and it better be there.

All threats from auditors aside, the golden thread was about being able to tell a good story. It was about highlighting the impact of your relationship with a client and showing you made a difference.  But more on the golden thread later. 

My husband and I moved back home to West Virginia in 2020 after a very challenging exit from New York City during covid. I was working 40 hours per week from our bedroom seeing psychotherapy clients online. Everyone was in a panic and we needed to find a way to get out of there with our sanity. 

After we landed safely in West Virginia, found a home and settled in, I took up quilting with mom to overcome the stress of the pandemic. One day I signed us up for a quilting class at the Beckley Art Center.

Being a therapist I was blown away by the intimacy that happened almost instantly when we started sewing together. Within twenty minutes these women were sharing the joys and losses that had taken place over the past year. 

I wasn’t the only one who left that class crying.  

Being in that space reminded me again of the idea of the golden thread. What is it that holds a community together? Could a sewing project do that? Is there something about a golden thread that can actually get people to heal?   

According to the CDC West Virginia has the highest death rate in the country not by a little bit but by a landslide. West Virginia also has ranked last in workforce participation for the past fifty years. These two indicators are directly connected. We know that health and meaningful employment go hand in hand. 

But what does this have to do with sewing? 

Well two things: 

First, sewing is a great practice in focus. And with the average attention span of young adults in the US being 8 seconds (because of social media use), a practice that increases focus is probably something to consider. Practicing focus reduces other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Plus the added benefit of creating something beautiful has many therapeutic benefits including increased self esteem and feelings of mastery. 

And second, sewing is a skill that can lead to employment. But where will someone work with a sewing skill in WV? 

You may not know it yet but West Virginia is in the midst of a manufacturing Renaissance. 

Yes you heard me correctly. 

A manufacturing renaissance. 

And a small part of that will be in the textile industry. Over the next few blogs I will be sharing with you the exciting initiatives and opportunities the state has in store for economic opportunity in our state. I will also be sharing my insights as a therapist and the many benefits of slowing down, picking up needle and golden thread and making beautiful things.