Baking Therapist Recommends Carbs to Process Feelings

We’re all doing our best to cope with stress and anxiety these days and one psychotherapist has a suggestion to help us deal: baking. Jack Hazan, known as New York City’s baking therapist, says there’s a “therapeutic aspect to baking bread.” He practices what he preaches and even sells loaves of his challah bread online.

“Baking has taught me how to embrace change through the power of transformation,” Hazan explains. His baking breakthroughs have inspired him to develop a “flour-powered therapy program.” He’ll be teaching his carb-filled coping strategies for working through issues in his new baking therapy practice beginning this summer.

Hazan’s sharing a few ideas specifically for the times we’re living through based on what you’re feeling:

• For grief and loss - Challah. He says no matter whether you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or the loss of your regular life, making this bread will help you work through it. “This recipe is safe,” he explains. “It’s not going to require that much … we don’t have that mental energy to give anymore, so we need something easy.”
• For anger - Banana cream pie. Hazan points out this recipe involves a lot of physical work, crushing the graham crackers, whisking the cream, and beating the eggs, so it’s a “constructive way” to deal with pent-up energy and frustration.
• For self care: Devil’s food vegan mug cake. Having a tough time making time for yourself these days? This easy, single-serve dessert could be the fix. “You’re enjoying it by yourself,” Hazan says. “You don’t need to worry about anyone else.”

Source: New York Post