Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheets

What is Trauma and PTSD?

Trauma is any deeply distressing or disturbing experience that negatively affects a person’s coping capability. Traumatic events vary, but some common ones include violence, abuse, accidents, natural disasters, and witnessing one experience trauma. When one witnesses or experiences trauma, they can develop PTSD or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The likelihood of them developing such disorder increases if they have a genetic predisposition, have been previously exposed to traumatic events, lack social support, or have brain chemistry imbalances.

manifests itself in multiple ways, like nightmares, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks of the event, adverse changes in moods/thinking patterns, hyperarousal, avoidance of the situation, and heightened vigilance. People experience and exhibit different PTSD symptoms even if they have experienced the same traumatic event.

Treatment of PTSD is usually a combination of medication and therapy. Examples of therapy that a mental health practitioner may use are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Both are meant to help clients manage their symptoms, process their traumatic experiences, and develop effective coping strategies.

How to use the Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet:

Step One. Access and Download the Template

Access and download the printable and digital version of the “Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet” template by:

• Clicking the “Download Template” or “Use Template” button or
• Searching for “Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet” on Carepatron’s template library’s search bar on the app or website.

Step Two. Do the Exercise

Once the client has the worksheet, they can follow the step-by-step guide to cooking and eating slowly.

Step Three. Fill the Template

After the Slow Cooking and Slow Eating exercise, the client must reflect on their experience and answer the questions provided on the worksheet. You must remind the client that they should answer it immediately after eating and assure them that they may answer it however they wish as long as it’s understandable.

Step Four. Discuss

You may discuss the client’s answers so that you have an idea of the effectiveness of the exercise or give tips on how to help with their concern about over or undereating.

Step Five.

The worksheet must be stored at a secure physical location or on Carepatron, a HIPAA-compliant EHR that securely keeps electronic patient records because it contains sensitive information on a client.

When would you use this Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet?

Clinical social workers, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, or any licensed and experienced mental health professional can use the “Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet” when their client has any eating-related symptoms or concerns or needs to know how their trauma affects their eating habits. Healthcare professionals may also use the template if their client wants a healthier relationship with food.

As for what specific point in their recovery journey you should give them the worksheet, we’ll leave it up to you and your expertise. After all, you know the client best and can determine if and when the worksheet will be effective.

What are the benefits of using this Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet?

Improved Self-Awareness

The exercise of slow cooking and eating will require the client to take it slow and notice their food and themselves as they eat. Through this exercise, they will hone their self-awareness skills to complete the exercise effectively.

Positive Habit Forming

Aside from improved self-awareness, the client will learn to form positive habits such as managing eating-related symptoms through slow cooking, slow eating, and writing down that experience until it comes naturally.

Track Progress

You may use the worksheet multiple times to get insight into the client’s condition and track their progress as they form a healthier relationship with food.

Digitally Accessible

Even if our free “Slow Cooking and Slow Eating PTSD Exercise and Worksheet” is a printable file, it’s best used as a digital file that you and your client can access, customize, and complete on a PDF editor or Carepatron on any gadget you have access to. This will make it easier for your client to open the file and answer it as soon as they finish eating to write their experience immediately.