COOKING THERAPY TOOL FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING: A NEW METHOD TO FIND YOURSELF

The objective of Cooking Therapy protocol is to build a tool within the reach of children, adolescents, adults and the elderly who could rediscover well-being in the kitchen of their home.Combined with specific psychological techniques, it can be used by psychologists as a complementary therapy.Following studies and research in various fields of psychology combined with the skills acquired as a psychologist and psychotherapist of relational systemic training; sharing the theoretical assumptions and some techniques of Mindfulness in 2017 the Cooking Therapy protocol is developed.The protocol is based on the premise "I'm sick so I cook", which has now become "I cook to feel good".Through 7 main stages of preparation: fastening the apron, reading the recipe, weighing the ingredients, kneading, seasoning, decorating, sharing, Cooking Therapy acts on four dimensions of the person: physical, cognitive, social, intra-personal.Each session sees the participation of a small group, lasts 90 minutes and occurs twice a week.It sees the preparation of 5 basic recipes that will be modified to achieve specific objectives.The pandemic and the lockdown have changed the way of conducting and participating from face-to-face to online and later mixed, allowing the protocol to be known and used throughout Italy and other countries.From the growing demand, from the constant participation especially of children, from the attention paid by professionals to the protocol and training, we can deduce a sufficient interest useful to continue using the tool and to build protocols useful for the management of specific discomforts or disturbances.