A patient at Seniors Transitions at Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado, IL, grieving the loss of their spouse, rediscovered a long-loved hobby of making “shovel birds” from old shovels, after sharing their story with the therapy group.

The patient had put hobbies aside for years to care for their spouse, but with encouragement from peers, returned to the workshop and brought in a tall, red-and-yellow bird named George, who became the group mascot. George’s spring neck, which bobbed up and down, made him “participate” in discussions, bringing fun and energy to the sessions. Soon after, the patient created a second bird, Gracie, with the group deciding her name and gender.

“This is just a small example of what therapy can do,” said Lauren Sanders, Program Director. “A person who was so overwhelmed and depressed didn’t have the energy to re-engage in an activity that they had enjoyed for years. However, after working just a few weeks in therapy, the person regained enough energy and hope that they were able to get out in their workshop and start building and engaging in their hobby that they had loved so much.”