Cooking and couples therapy with Dr. Racine Henry
My interview guest this week is Dr. Racine Henry, LMFT. Dr. Henry is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in New York. She operates Sankofa Marriage and Family Therapy, a private clinical practice aimed at treating communities of color, and teaches at Northcentral University.
She is also the creator of “A Palate For Love,” an innovative approach to couples therapy using cooking. Through the use of cooking techniques and eating meals, Dr. Henry guides couples through interventions to help them achieve their treatment goals.
I spoke to Dr. Henry about where the idea came from, how it works, and what advice she has for therapists who want to practice a more “out-of-the-box” approach. Enjoy!
Where did you get the idea for A Palate for Love?
I’ve always loved food and cooking. I went to Valdosta State University in Georgia for graduate school and I didn’t know anyone, so I spent a lot of time cooking. It felt therapeutic to me and I wanted my therapy to have the same environment.
In every culture, food is a way to connect. It brings people together. So I wanted to find a way to combine my two passions.
How does it work?
The session happens in two formats: a typical office space and a cooking space. Depending on the couple, there are different variations of exercises that focus on communication, problem solving, and working together.
I want it to be culturally competent. Each partner prepares a recipe that is important to them and asks the other questions like, “Who taught you this recipe? Why is this important? Who were you able to ask and why?”
Do you offer it remotely?
I began offering it in-person. I’m working on how to translate it into a virtual format to make it more teletherapy friendly.
Do you have a favorite recipe or dish?
One of my favorite things to cook is a vegan butternut squash soup. I’m not vegan but everyone else in my family is, so it allows me to connect with them. I learned to make it for my mom.
I also have a favorite sandwich recipe I make for my husband. It’s our love language.
Do you sell products?
I’ve published a cookbook, A Palate for Love: The Cookbook. Each section has four recipes and four exercises to facilitate therapeutic interventions and the natural environment of eating and cooking to get to know people around you better.
Do you have a big vision?
I definitely want it to grow and become a thing. I’d love to develop a workshop to train other therapists. I could also see it as a reality TV cooking show format. I think it’s something people would connect with.
What advice would you give therapists who want to practice a more “out-of-the-box” approach?
Go for it. Think about how you’re feeling and what you can translate those experiences into for a client. How can it be a problem solving tool? How can it be part of the process that creates change?
Not everything is therapy, but a lot of things can be therapeutic. We need more innovative and accessible approaches for people who don’t respond to the typical office setting.
Thank you to Dr. Henry for sharing with us. Learn more about her services on her website and connect with her on Twitter and on Instagram.