One of the core beliefs behind Maker Therapy is that creativity belongs to everyone.
The activities and mindfulness exercises here are free, because the tools for healing and growth should never be out of reach. The recommended books and resources reflect what I return to again and again in my own work — some have a cost, but all are worth knowing about. As with everything in Maker Therapy, take what is helpful and leave the rest.
Recommended Reading
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Duenyas, D. L., & Perkins, R. M. (2024). Creative counseling: Empowering health through makerspace innovation. Cognella Academic Publishing.
Gladding, S. T. (2021). The creative arts in counseling (6th ed.). American Counseling Association.
Kottler, J. A., & Hecker, L. L. (2002). Creativity in therapy: Being struck by lightning and guided by thunderstorms. Journal of Clinical Activities, Assignments, & Handouts in Psychotherapy Practice, 2(2), 5–21.
May, R. (1975). The courage to create. W. W. Norton.
Moustakas, C. E. (1977). Creative life. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.
Rogers, N. (1993). The creative connection: Expressive arts as healing. Science & Behavior Books.
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Hanson, R. (2013). Hardwiring happiness: The new brain science of contentment, calm, and confidence. Harmony.
Luke, C. (2026). Neuroscience for counselors and therapists: A culturally responsive approach to integrating therapy and the science of the brain(3rd ed.). Cognella Academic Publishing.
Siegel, D. J. (2010). Mindsight: The new science of personal transformation. Bantam.
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Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness (revised ed.). Bantam.
Treleaven, D. A. (2018). Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for safe and transformative healing. W. W. Norton & Company.
Santorelli, S. (1999). Heal thy self: Lessons on mindfulness in medicine. Bell Tower.
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Dougherty, D., & Conrad, A. (2016). Free to make: How the maker movement is changing our schools, our jobs, and our minds. North Atlantic Books.
Hatch, M. (2014). The maker movement manifesto. McGraw-Hill.
Websites & Online Tools
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Mindfulness Center, Brown University - https://mindfulness.sph.brown.edu/
Greater Good Science Center - greatergood.berkeley.edu
Mindful - mindful.org
Dharma Seed - https://dharmaseed.org/
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Make Magazine — makezine.com
Instructables — instructables.com (free project tutorials, no-tech to high-tech)
KiwiCo — kiwico.com (maker activity kits for all ages)
Brown Dog Gadgets - https://www.browndoggadgets.com/ (STEM education kits)
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Canva — canva.com (free design and illustration tool)
ScratchJr — scratchjr.org (free coding app for children)
Procreate — procreate.com (drawing app for iPad)
Tinkercad — tinkercad.com (free 3D design tool, beginner-friendly)
