A multi-sensory therapeutic experience grounded in mindfulness and the therapeutic relationship

No matter where we’re from or where we’ve been, we all have a relationship with or a memory around food.

A cozy living room with a yellow sofa, patterned pillows, and a large indoor fig tree near a window.

Culinary Art Therapy combines psychological theories, occupational therapy insights, nutrition, senso-motoric therapy cooking techniques and culinary traditions into a systematic method.

— Dr. Ayelat Barak-Nahum

A person cooking outdoors with fresh vegetables and lemons on the counter, including parsley, green beans, and a frying pan in the foreground.

No need to be an expert in the kitchen! “If an individual burns something and grows frustrated” it becomes a therapeutic processing point. How can we use this experience to process and learn from other past mistakes in life?

— Michael Kocet, Ph.D.

A minimalist indoor scene with a white desk, a potted green plant, a white desk lamp, and a wall clock showing approximately 3:24 on a plain white wall.

Culinary Art Therapy (CAT) involves an exploration of an individual’s relationship with food and how food impacts relationships, psychological well-being, behaviors, and functioning.

— Michael Kocet, Ph.D.

Shrimp and noodle stir-fry garnished with chopped green onions and cherry tomatoes in a skillet.

CAT utilizes all aspects of the cooking process to teach lessons on mindfulness, perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking, as well as providing a relationship-building, multi-sensory therapeutic experience.

Stefanie Burke, LCSW

A young woman with wavy, light brown hair and light-colored eyes, smiling at the camera. She has sunglasses resting on her head and earrings, and is wearing a black top. In the background, there is a wooden shelf, a plant, and a white wall.

Texas Culinary Art Therapy (TCAT) owner and therapist, Stefanie is a long-time fan of cooking shows and all things food! She has been cooking for over a decade, starting with baking and ultimately falling in love with the whole culinary process. Experimenting with recipes and immersing herself in the mindful process, she always hoped she could marry the concepts of cooking and therapy. Having graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with her BSW and MSSW, she is a licensed clinical social worker and an EMDR-trained therapist who utilizes mindfulness, relational therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and a plethora of other evidence-based therapeutic techniques in her practice.

Stefanie has been a social worker for 10 years and in private practice for 5 years, working with individuals 18+ on a wide array of issues involving neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, trauma, perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking, eating disorders, family issues, life transitions, relationships, and LGBTQIA+.

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