Cooking Therapy & Mental Health Workshops

Nourishment in both senses of the word... It's all a bit of fun really!

There's a particular kind of calm that comes from cooking — the rhythm of chopping, the heat of the pan, a task that uses your hands and lets your mind settle. It's one of the oldest, gentlest forms of therapy we have, and yet most of us have quietly stopped doing it in favour of what's quickest.

At RP Therapies we run small-group Cooking Therapy workshops — half-day and full-day sessions where the act of preparing a meal becomes the therapy itself. No pressure, no "cheffy" performance, no competition. Just a handful of people, simple food, good conversation, and a few hours to remember how it feels to slow down and feed yourself properly.

What is Cooking Therapy?

Cooking Therapy — sometimes called culinary therapy or therapeutic cooking — is the use of simple food preparation as a structured wellbeing activity. It draws together:

• Mindfulness — paying full attention to what you're doing, in your senses rather than your head

• Gentle movement — chopping, stirring, kneading, all low-intensity and grounding

• Conversation with boundaries — a naturally flowing social setting, without the intensity of "talking therapy"

• Self-care as a practical skill — walking away with meals you can actually cook for yourself at home

Research is increasingly clear that cooking supports mood, confidence, and a sense of agency — especially for people who have lost the habit through stress, depression, grief, or long working hours.

Who our workshops are for

Our small-group workshops are open to adults (18+) of all cooking abilities. They're particularly helpful for:

• People recovering from burnout or a difficult season

• Men who want a low-pressure wellbeing space that isn't "sit in a circle and share"

• Those living alone who've lost the joy of cooking for one

• Empty-nesters recalibrating their meals and their lives

• Anyone rebuilding simple daily habits after illness or change

• Couples wanting a warm, shared wellbeing day

You do not need to be a confident cook. You do not need any special dietary knowledge. You only need to be willing to come along and get your hands a bit floury.

What a workshop looks like

Workshops are run at our purpose-built therapy centre (or at a partner kitchen space for larger groups). A typical session runs roughly:

• Arrival, tea, and a grounding sit-down — short breathing practice, introductions, and a clear sense of how the day will flow

• Simple preparation work together — chopping, prepping, with optional music and plenty of natural conversation

• A mindful cooking section — a slower, quieter pass where we pay attention to smell, sound, texture, and breath

• Eating together — sitting down to the meal we've made, without phones!

• A soft close — a few minutes of reflection, a simple takeaway card of recipes, and (optional) a short Reiki-style closing pass for anyone who'd like one

Everything is paced for calm, not performance. You can't fail a Cooking Therapy workshop.

What you'll leave with

• A full, nourishing meal, friendships and memories

• Two or three simple, confidence-building recipes to take home

• A quieter nervous system than the one you arrived with

• A sense that daily cooking is doable — not a chore or a talent, just a rhythm

• New, calm connections with the other people in the workshop

Workshop details

• Format: Small groups (typically 4–6 guests)

• Duration: 3 hours (half-day) / 5 hours (full-day, includes a longer shared meal)

• Location: RP Therapies centre, or a suitable kitchen space for larger groups

• Investment: From £20 per person for 3 hours / £30 for 5 hours — includes all ingredients, recipe notes, food and drinks

• Bespoke bookings: Available for small private groups, friend groups, wellbeing teams, and partner organisations

• Dietary needs: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-aware options available — please flag when booking

Honest scope — and when to see someone else

Cooking Therapy workshops are wellbeing workshops. They are not clinical treatment for eating disorders, severe depression, or any diagnosed mental-health condition, and they are not a substitute for care from your GP, a clinical psychologist, or a registered dietitian.

If you live with a diagnosed eating disorder or complex relationship with food, please talk to us before booking — we may be appropriate, or we may kindly signpost you somewhere more clinical.

About your facilitator

Cooking Therapy workshops are facilitated by Richy ("Dickie") Parton, holistic therapist, Usui Reiki Master, and founder of RP Therapies. The sessions bring together Dickie's experience of slow-paced therapy work combined with Mental Health awareness, with the simple, everyday enjoyment of cooking.

Ready to book?

If this sounds like exactly the kind of afternoon you've been quietly needing — we'd love to have you.

Cooking Therapy workshops at RP Therapies are wellbeing activities and are not clinical treatment for any medical or mental-health condition.