WHAT IS IT?

Bake & Bloom is a 8 week Online Teen Group for youth ages 14-18, to address anxiety, stress, social concerns and self esteem. It uses fun sugar cookie decorating activities to engage youth in a creative way- with the goal of changing patterns of thinking and behaviour.

WHEN IS IT?

The program runs online on Wednesday nights at 7-9 pm, from October 20th until December 22, 2021. Along with the 8 weeks of teen sessions, there is also 2 weeks of parent/guardian information sessions provided (one halfway through the program, and again at the end). The purpose of these Parent sessions is to update family members and caregivers about the strategies and concepts being taught in the program.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The program uses cookie decorating activities, and psychoeducational content and discussion to address low mood, self esteem and high anxiety.  The theoretical approach used is a combination of Expressive Art Therapy, Coginitive Behavioural Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Teens will meet online on Wednesdays from 7 pm- 9 pm for 8 sessions total. Prior to the beginning of the program, they will receive a Cookie Kit which includes: custom cookie cutters, recipe guide, rolling pin, decorating bags, icing dyes, scribe tool, edible markers, paint brushes and palette, practice guide and initial cookies & premade icing bags to get started.

Each week we will use the sugar cookies and icing to make creative expressions of the lessons learned in the group.  During the group we will discuss the lesson and concepts, while doing the cookie activity.
 
After the group, the online learning portal will provide information of what needs to be prepared for the next week's session. It will also post a review of what was learned in each session. A recording of the session will also be housed in the online platform in case youth need to miss a week- so they can review on their own time and at their own pace.

OUTCOMES:

Teens will gain a knowledge of baking and decorating sugar cookies using basic techniques like flooding, piping, drawing designs, wet-on-wet icing techniques, using edible markers, painting on cookies and making icing transfers.

Teens will also gain personal insight about feeling identification, communication and expression of feelings, mindfulness, identifying and challenging negative thought patterns, understanding and acceptance of imperfections, and addressing practical ways of challenging and reducing social anxiety.

COST:

The materials Cookie Kit is $165 plus shipping.
The cost of each session is $75 per week. Weekly fees will be billed after the group session each week.

Group sessions are eligible for coverage under most psychotherapy/social worker benefits by private insurance plans. Check with your insurance provider to ensure that Social Work (MSW) is covered. The group is led by Courtney Fuciarelli, MSW (Social Worker/Psychotherapist/Baker), a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and Owner of Fields & Flour Therapy.

SESSION DATES AND THEMES:

October 20, 2021- Introduction to Cookies and the Group
October 27, 2021- Patterns of Feelings (and on the cookies!)
November 3, 2021- Emoji Emotions & Communication
November 10, 2021- Self-care and Stress Relief
November 17, 2021- PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT (No Youth Meeting)
November 24, 2021- Thought Distortions
December 1, 2021- Name that Thinking Mistake
December 8, 2021- Taking Steps away from Perfection
December 15, 2021- Growing Confidence and Weeding out the Worries (Last Youth Meeting)
December 22, 2021- WRAP UP & PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT (No Youth Meeting)

*NOTE: YOUTH MUST BE A RESIDENT OF ONTARIO TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GROUP*

Please fill out the form below if you would like to sign up for the group. A brief intake consultation call will be scheduled upon receipt of completed form.

LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE (first come, first serve). Registration closes October 3, 2021. Once we receive your completed form, an email confirmation will be sent out to confirm your space in the group, along with an invoice for the registration fee (to cover the cost of the kit plus shipping $165).