HEALTH
Julie and her daughter in the kitchen
Therapy with a
Twist Culinary Art Therapy taps into cooking to make connections. ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I
t’s traditional therapy with a twist. By combining cooking with talk therapy, Culinary Art Therapy gives people a chance to boost their wellness through a fun and creative outlet. Founded by West Bloomfield-based therapist Julie Ohana, 42, Culinary Art Therapy was an idea she developed about 17 years ago while attending the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in New York City. She wrote about the unique approach in her master’s thesis, explaining how cooking can be healing and cathartic in the therapeutic process. “I remember knowing that this is what I wanted to write about, and this was something I very much believed in,” Ohana explains. Shortly after graduating, her friend helped her put together a website using the information from her thesis. But then Ohana got married, had two children and the idea was put on hold while she focused on her family. Three years ago, she decided to return to it. “Now’s the time,” she recalls thinking. Her kids were older, and she had more space in her life to move forward with the
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idea of Culinary Art Therapy. As a lifelong cook, it’s something she didn’t forget about. “The time was right for me personally,” Ohana continues, “but the world was ready for this idea.” She explains that we’ve become a culture centered around food, where looking at food on Instagram and Pinterest didn’t exist at the time of her thesis. “I think with the creation of these sites came an awareness and a desire for people to be able to consume this practice,” Ohana adds. “There’s inspiration everywhere, and inspiration is motivation but it’s also connection.” Through food, she aims to help people make connections with one another, themselves or the world around them. “I work with a wide range of people on a clinical basis and also people who are looking to participate in an activity that feels good, that brings people together,” Ohana explains of her approach to therapy. “They’re working on life skills and different habits that are just good for you.” Each session is tailor-made to a client’s needs and can be done individually or in
COURTESY OF JULIE OHANA
COURTESY OF JULIE OHANA
a group. Ohana starts with a questionnaire similar to an intake form that asks people about their goals, intentions and of course, the type of food they enjoy most. She factors in allergies and other dietary needs when developing a course of action that combines cooking with therapy. “I ask people about their memories, the foods they recall that they have a positive continued on page 50
