June 04, 2025

410. Creativity and Making Things with Kelly Corrigan and Claire Corrigan Lichty

1 hour 2 minutes

It’s easy to forget how much doing something creative can lift your mood. Whether you're painting, building something, or just doodling for fun, creating is good for your brain and your mental health!

In this conversation, Debbie interviews bestselling author Kelly Corrigan, along with her daughter and coauthor, Claire Corrigan Lichty. They talk about their new children’s book, Marianne the Maker, which highlights how creativity and hands-on making can support well-being for kids and adults alike.

Listen in to hear about Kelly and Claire's experience working together as a mother-and-daughter duo, and learn how to incorporate everyday creativity to lift spirits, spark connection, and bond families!

Listen and Learn:

How can engaging in small creative acts help restore mental clarity and emotional balance during times of stress or uncertainty?

Why is creativity not just a luxury but a scientifically backed, essential part of human well-being that can help both children and adults access better mental health?

Actively supporting children's creativity by observing their interests and making space at home that reflects and encourages those passions

Why is it valuable for families to create a home environment that normalizes creativity and engaged leisure, and how does this foster long-term cognitive and emotional development in kids?

The benefits of creative hobbies as a form of active rest highlight their role in reducing mental fatigue, enhancing focus, and providing a healthy escape from cognitive overload

How writing, even in imperfect or irregular ways, can serve as a powerful tool for mental clarity and emotional release during stressful times

The importance of unstructured time and creative making in fostering self-entertainment, well-being, and resisting cultural pressures to constantly be productive

The importance of sharing creative work for values-driven reasons rather than external validation

Resources:

Kelly’s website: https://www.kellycorrigan.com/

Podcast: Kelly Corrigan Wonders: https://www.kellycorrigan.com/podcast

Book: https://www.mariannethemaker.com/ https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9780593206096

Social Media:

Kelly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellycorrigan/

Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycorrigan/

Claire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claire.lichty/

Kelly’s TED Talk, To Love Is to Be Brave: https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_corrigan_to_love_is_to_be_brave

Kelly’s New York Times Op Eds:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/05/opinion/parenting-college-empty-nest-pandemic.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/well/family/advice-to-my-college-freshman.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/24/opinion/thanksgiving-family-forgiveness.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/22/well/family/college-applications-parents-children-advice.html

Your Brain on Art (book mentioned in this interview): https://bookshop.org/p/books/your-brain-on-art-how-the-arts-transform-us-susan-magsamen/18580097

If you want to write and could use some writing prompts and guided writing exercises, check out Debbie’s Guided Journaling Substack here: https://guidedjournaling.substack.com/

Debbie’s article on letting kids be bored: https://www.drdebbiesorensen.com/blogposts/2020/5/15/parents-get-ready-for-the-summer-of-boredom

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By Debbie Sorensen, Jill Stoddard, Yael Schonbrun, Michael Herold & Emily Edlynn

4.6

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