Lively Minds

Hosts Will and Ellie interview therapist and crocheter Olivia Dieterich about her book Random Acts of Crochet Kindness and the global movement she founded.After losing a friend, Natalie, to suicide, Olivia used crochet to cope with grief and set a 100-day challenge to crochet a flower each day and leave it for strangers with a note inviting them to take it home, sparking the hashtag.During lockdown, a found item was shared on a local Facebook group, leading to BBC coverage and the creation of a UK-based Facebook community now exceeding 350,000 members worldwide.Olivia discusses crochet’s grounding benefits, building self-esteem and purpose, supporting urges like self-harm, and creating “glimmers” of joy for others.The book offers beginner-friendly patterns, tags, guidance, and stories, and Olivia hopes to create a children’s version and more in-person meetups.Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.comFollow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at  https://www.bio.link/livelyminds 00:00 Welcome to Lively Minds01:07 How Crochet Kindness Began02:23 Crochet as Therapy05:09 Why Giving Helps You06:28 Going Viral in Lockdown08:10 A Global Kindness Community09:59 Small Joys and Glimmers0:53 Inside the New Book13:23 Mental Health Lessons15:14 Community and Connection16:39 Letting Go of Projects18:24 Whats Next and Wrap Up