HARKER HEIGHTS, TEXAS – The heartbreaking loss of her 3-year-old daughter Sarah to Tuberous Sclerosis left Laura Winckel reeling with grief and non-combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) until she discovered quilting.
“Quilting saved my life,” said Winckel. “It’s powerful medicine for me. After 30 years in the quilting world, I’ve seen it have similar effects on my clients. Anything you make with your hands can help you mend your heart and ease your mind.”
Today, Winckel is a transformational speaker, award-winning heirloom quilter and owner of Quality Quilts by Laura based in Harker Heights, Texas. Known as “America’s Quilt Angel,” she helps people memorialize their loved ones, cope with mental illness and mend their hearts after traumatic life events.
Winckel said her newest transformative seminar “Thriving Through Quilting: Mending Your Heart and Boosting Your Mental Health With Your Hobby” is designed to help military service members and spouses, veterans and business owners experience the healing power of quilting and other hand-based hobbies. In addition to sharing her own story and challenges with mental illness, Winckel also creates a healing space for audience members to share their experiences openly, receive validation for their feelings and witness the challenges of life without judgment.
