The Sanctuary KitchenCreative | Therapy | Food
The Sanctuary Kitchen is a social organisation which runs workshops for students, teenagers, families and adults. Mandala-shaped impression-makers inspired by art therapy techniques and colouring books create an outline on a piece of homemade soft bread that can then be coloured in with a selection of specially made food inks. The workshop is based around the five senses, and includes a bread preparation step, a meditation time, followed by the colouring of the breads. During the workshop, each participant prepares the finished creation for another person in the group, encouraging communication and collaboration. The aim of The Sanctuary Kitchen is to bring people together, help them share their feelings and to learn to relax in the company of others. Health & Wellbeing School, university, work and even home are places where we build and develop our social skills, but this can sometimes be harder for some. Meeting new people, trying to fit in and dealing with stressful exams or deadlines can have strong influences on our wellbeing. It is also hard to take action if you realise that there is a problem. Stress, anxiety and even depression, are issues which many young children, teenagers and students face every day. Physical and internal symptoms are both complex, and everyone has different ways of dealing with them. One of the most important ways to improve your wellbeing is to work on your relationships with your family, friends and community. Connecting with others has proven to “increase feelings of happiness and self-worth” (NHS). The Five Senses There are so many qualities about food that can be used for therapy. As a three-dimensional material, it combines all five senses. Developing and using these senses can improve our daily wellbeing and happiness. Preparing food and baking also helps us feel in control of our actions, enhancing our feeling of self-confidence. The Sanctuary Kitchen aims to help people develop a sense of connection, getting people to focus on someone else, sharing and relieving them from their own problems even just for a few hours. |
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