ARFID THERAPY
Fear or sensory discomfort do not need to limit your enjoyment of food, if you want to experience food freedom and introduce a wider range of delicious and nutritious food, enjoy eating out and socialising, have more choice around what and where you can eat, then it is time to overcome ARFID.
You may have already sought therapy for ARFID, CAMHS or Talking Therapies offer therapies such as CBT-AR or perhaps family based therapy, some times exposure therapy is suggested. NICE guidelines do not currently include ARFID treatment, this leaves a huge gap in the treatment of ARFID. Many approaches to ARFID create more anxiety and loss of control and take a long time (roughly 20-30 sessions)
Private therapy is more accessible and you have the option of who you work with and the approach they take, it is important that you choose a therapist that understands ARFID and how to help and has had appropriate training and supervision.
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The therapy I offer is a combination of CBT, SFBT, NLP, Hypnotherapy and EFT, this may not mean much and as I want you to be sure it is the right approach for you I am happy to have a free call to answer and questions and discuss how it works. The approach I take is typically much faster and creates more progress early on due to working with subconscious patterns and irrational fears in a relaxed and self-controlled way.
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What is included in ARFID Therapy?
I always have a consultation session, this is where I ask you lots of questions to get a full history and picture as to what is going on. Even if you have a diagnosis I still need to make sure I understand the presentation and find out more about you. It is important to note I am unable to give clinical diagnosis or medical advice. I can however support you if you feel that you have been dismissed or mis-diagnosed and would like to follow this up with a GP or mental health service (Information on this is available in the resources section). During the consultation I will explain the therapy I think is most suitable for you and how that would work. I will also talk about what is contributing to and maintaining ARFID.
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After the consultation process we will start working together, the session will involve some talking and goal setting, relaxation, hypnosis and EFT (where appropriate). You will learn techniques to help you enter self hypnosis which you can practice at home, this will improve the work we do in sessions.
The work we do will be based solely around your personal goals and what you want to achieve, this might include trying a new food or eating a meal with a combination of foods, it could be trying a food that in the past has made you feel anxious or nauseous.
The goals you set are yours to decide, your own commitment to the therapy and process and willingness to try and practice the techniques we use will be extremely important in the outcome you achieve. That is not to say that if you feel too anxious you are not committed enough, far from this, it just means you need to create enough trust and belief to feel confident you can do this, which is what I am here for and to guide you when we need to take a different approach.
Because of this it is impossible to say how many sessions you will need, some people are ready to tackle multiple goals after one session, others need more time to work on techniques and feel more comfortable before they start.
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You will get resources to use in between sessions and if I think it would be beneficial I may suggest a personalised recording (at £40) but this is optional.​
What is ARFID Therapy?
ARFID FAQ
Who is ARFID Therapy suitable for?
I work with children aged 9 and over and adults with either an official diagnosis of ARFID or those with a limited range of food and symptoms of ARFID.
Where are the sessions held?
I work online so sessions can be done in the comfort and safety of your own home. Alternatively face to face is available in Stamford, Lincolnshire.
How long are the sessions?
For children I recommend a 50 min session as they can struggle to hold attention for longer, the sessions are interactive and very engaging so 50 mins is usually fine. For Adults we can achieve more but I recommend no longer than 90 mins as it can be a little overwhelming.
How many sessions will I need?
We can discuss this at the consultation after I have taken a full history, I recommend planning for 3-4 sessions, however this can vary greatly depending on the readiness and level of change needed. Many clients see immediate shifts in their anxiety but this is a gentle and non=pressured approach and I will not force you to try food or eat in a session, in fact I never ask you to bring food in or if you have tried food in between sessions.
How much do sessions cost?
For young people aged 9-18 the sessions are £65, for adults 60 mins is £80 and 90 mins is £120. If you have co-existing issues a 6 session package is available for £420.
This can be paid by bank transfer or via a payment link.