When You Can’t Let Go of Control, Pottery Teaches You How

If control is how you cope—if you white-knuckle your way through life—pottery gives you a new option. One that feels safer, softer, and more human.

At The Clay Hole in Draper, Utah, we work with a medium that *cannot* be controlled fully. Clay has a mind of its own. And that’s what makes it so powerful for those of us who need everything to go “just right.”

You’ll try to center the clay. Sometimes it’ll cooperate. Sometimes it won’t. You’ll breathe. Try again. Laugh. And little by little, you’ll start to feel something deeper: release.

Why Pottery Helps You Loosen Your Grip

Control often shows up after trauma, stress, or loss—it’s how we keep ourselves safe. But it’s also isolating and exhausting. Pottery teaches you how to stay present *without* controlling every outcome. To work with mess. To adapt. To let go.

• Clay responds to touch, pressure, mood—inviting adaptability
• Every piece turns out a little different—on purpose
• Letting go becomes the path to progress
• The wheel teaches patience, rhythm, and surrender
• You learn to love the wobble instead of fearing it

According to research in positive psychology, learning to let go improves emotional flexibility, reduces anxiety, and increases resilience. Pottery offers all of that—in the most literal, physical way. See Membership Options & Prices

A Studio That Doesn’t Ask You to Be in Control

At The Clay Hole, you’re allowed to loosen your grip. You don’t have to manage every detail. You don’t have to impress anyone. You just have to show up and let the clay lead for a while. Our studio is a safe place to practice surrender, without fear of judgment.

• Weekly structure supports nervous system safety and rhythm
• Glazes melt, clay warps—learning to love unpredictability is part of it
• Instructors are gentle, not forceful—guidance without control
• Couches, cocoa, snacks, and room to just breathe
• Studio created by Dan Pearce, an artist who rebuilt his own life by learning to let go

“I’ve spent my whole life needing to control everything. Pottery taught me how to trust again—my hands, my instincts, and even other people.” — L.R.

*You don’t need to hold it all together here. The clay already knows how to hold you.*

Conclusion

Letting go doesn’t have to mean chaos. It can mean presence. Play. Progress. Peace. Pottery will guide you gently, rhythmically, back to that version of yourself—the one who knows they don’t have to control it all to be okay.

Join a Class and Let Clay Teach You to Let Go