What does it mean cooking therapy, and how is it executed?
There are types of cooking therapy that go beyond one type—all types do cooking therapy. Cooking therapy, however, entails a patient and therapist preparing a meal. Doing something that the clients enjoy, there are high chances that they will open up, if not immediately, at some point. explains Hillary Ammon, Psy.D., who practices as a psychologist at the Center for Anxiety and Women's Emotional Wellness.
During the cooking session, Ammon explains that the therapist will use questioning in a supportive, active way, which is beneficial for the mental state of the patient. Cooking therapy CCC addresses her parents issue. Apart from factors concerning mental health, cooking therapy changes the client's perception about cooking. She further elaborates.
Comprehensively, please analyze the problem of cooking from the perspective of a mental health concern. Cooking can serve both purpose and pleasure, she adds. 'It is a hobby that can, for instance, give some a sense of purpose in feeding themselves or someone else, or it is thoroughly enjoyable;' she says, adding, 'And along with some of the fundamentals of depression treatment within psychotherapeutic practice, inclusive of such objectives for patients as pleasurable and purposeful engagement in activity over a time period.'
What aspect of mental health does cooking therapy focus on most?
"Looking at cooking from different angles, I suspect that it might be effective for several groups of disorders. Not only people suffering from anxiety or depression and bereavement, among others even psychosis or schizophrenia, but research also affirms that cooking is good to use as a hobby for everyone, most especially patients," she says.
What need is there for cooking therapy?
According to Farmer, cooking therapy, or making patients do some cooking activities, is a new and emerging therapy. "It may have potential value in facilitating discussion or helping the therapist to understand their client," she explains. Cooking can be, as Farmer puts it, "something else" that the people engage in during a therapy session that is not as direct as sitting down to talk. Instead, this activity in itself may be treated as a means of less direct interaction.
How often should cooking be done for the therapeutic effects to be attained?
This is not something for which Farmer is prepared to give an unequivocal recommendation at this stage. For some people, cooking may be beneficial right away, and for other people, activity in the kitchen may last longer periods of time, which are cumulative, she argues.
Some individuals may benefit from cooking one new recipe from scratch weekly, while others, she asserts, might consider a different duration more suitable. "What do you think is enjoyable about this activity? "Is it cooking? Is it cooking with friends or family? Is it a particular type of food or some unique ingredient one wishes to try? Or is it the enjoyment of sharing the food with people later?" she explains.