Nutritional Wellness
HopeWay promotes lifestyle choices and behaviors that can be maintained for the long term and integrated into an everyday routine. One way this is achieved is by delivering nutritional information, healthy recipes, and cooking tips through group sessions in the Learning Kitchen.
What is Nutritional Wellness?
Nutritional wellness is the celebration and education of cooking and healthy food choices, emphasizing its impact on mental health, and exploring the physical and emotional relationship humans have with food.
Our Registered Dietitians offer a comprehensive curriculum that explores clients' relationship with food and uses cooking as a new experience to foster innovation and joy. They discuss the interaction of nutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, with our body and brain. They also cover the emotional reaction we have to food. For instance, how the smell and/or taste of food can evoke memory, as well as physical and psychological reactions. In addition to nutritional wellness groups, our dietitians also provide individual nutrition counseling and education for those with specific nutrition needs. These activities enable clients to make knowledgeable choices, both during their treatment and when they return to school, work and life.
Nutrition and Wellness
"In the Learning Kitchen, clients can prepare and share food as a group. This act of gathering around food is something innate within us that promotes social connection. Consider your own life. Where do relationships form? Where do we gather with loved ones? Where do we celebrate life occasions? Likely, all of these are over a meal. As clients focus on the task at hand (measuring ingredients, mixing, tasting, etc.) casual conversation flows, connections are made and trust is formed, all of which can be carried over into their next therapy groups."
- Sarah Craig & Kristen, Health and Wellness Specialists
"The cooking class was AMAZING!" - Justin
"The Health & Wellness specialist met one-on-one with me multiple times to help me figure out ways to change my home diet, and I'm grateful for her guidance." - Sarah
"Meeting with the Health & Wellness specialist multiple times to do exposure work was super helpful by exposing me to my fears. She was more than accommodating." - Nicholas
Mindful Eating
Nutritional Wellness Resources
Learn more about our nutrition therapy at HopeWay
Learn about orthorexia
Learn about the impact of carbs on mental health
If you are in crisis, please call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline