ARFID Eating Disorder Treatment: Expert Care for ARFID Recovery
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is more than just picky eating. It is a serious eating disorder that affects people of all ages and can cause significant physical and emotional distress. At Nutrition Braved, our expert dietitians provide nutrition counseling to individuals with ARFID. With their support, you can feel on the road to establishing a healthier relationship with food and regain control.
What is ARFID?
ARFID is characterized by restrictive food intake that is not associated with body image issues or weight management. Individuals with ARFID tend to experience food avoidance due to their texture, taste, smell, or fear of negative experiences. This restrictive eating can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies, significant weight loss, and interference with daily life. For more information about ARFID, signs and behaviors, and causes and impacts, feel free to check out our page on Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and learn how to rediscover joyful eating.
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Our Approach to ARFID Eating Disorder Treatment
At Nutrition Braved, our approach to ARFID eating disorder treatment is based on compassion and individualization. We tailor sessions with each patient to best address their specific needs. We believe that dietitians play a key role in helping individuals overcome the physical and emotional challenges of ARFID, guiding them step-by-step through their recovery journey.
1. Comprehensive Nutritional Assessment
A comprehensive nutritional assessment is the first step in our ARFID treatment. An assessment allows us to understand your dietary patterns, nutrient intake, and the impact ARFID has had on you and your health. Our dietitians then use this information to provide you top notch care that addresses both your physical and emotional needs.
2. Individualized Care Plans
No two people are the same! Which is why our dietitians work closely with each patient to develop personalized care plans that work towards gradual improvements. These care plans focus on your unique nutrition needs, food preferences, and challenges. This ensures every step of your ARFID recovery journey is tailored to you. So, whether you’re struggling with food sensitivities, aversions to textures, or other food related fears, our customized approach provides the support you need to achieve sustainable progress.
3. Exposure-Based Nutritional Therapy
At Nutrition Braved, we use exposure-based nutritional therapy, more commonly known as food exposures, to help clients expand their diet, interest in food, and reduce anxiety around eating. Our dietitians will slowly and safely introduce new foods and work with you to overcome those fear food thoughts. This approach is gradual to create a positive experience with food and fosters long-term changes in eating behavior.
4. Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies
ARFID often leads to significant nutrient deficiencies, which can negatively impact your overall health and well-being. Our dietitians are experts in ensuring your individual needs are met nutritionally while ensuring your recovery is sustainable. To do this, we incorporate various strategies to address any deficiencies and promote optimal health overall.
5. Ongoing Support & Education
We believe that knowledge is a powerful tool in ARFID recovery. At Nutrition Braved, we provide ongoing care to help you understand the role of nutrition in your health and recovery. Our dietitians are with you every step of the way, offering continued support and encouragement as you build a healthier relationship with food.
Why Choose Nutrition Braved for ARFID Eating Disorder Treatment?
- Experienced Dietitians Only: We are a team of dietitians dedicated exclusively to treating eating disorders, including ARFID. Our clinicians average ~8 years of experience in nutrition counseling for eating and feeding Thus, our focus and experience enables us to most effectively guide clients through the nutritional and physical aspects of the recovery journey.
- Local ARFID Expert: Jenn Sapko, our clinical supervisor, is a local ARFID expert in the Chicago suburbs. She has dedicated her career to treatment for adolescents with a specialty in ARFID. Jenn has provided ample presentations to other professionals in the area and has shared her in depth knowledge on ARFID to all the members of our team.
- Higher Level of Care Experience: While we provide services in an outpatient setting, we feel strongly in understanding all levels of care to ensure our dietitians provide the highest quality of care through a holistic lens. Therefore, each member of our staff has prior higher level of care experience with at least one the various eating disorder treatment facilities in the area.
- Customized and Compassionate Care: Every patient’s experience with ARFID is unique, and our personalized treatment approach reflects that. Our dietitians will start by understanding your eating disorder behaviors and tailoring the care to your specific challenges and goals.
- Safe and Gradual Approach: We take a gentle, step-by-step approach to reintroducing foods and expanding your diet. This ensures that each step of recovery feels manageable and safe.
- Ongoing Guidance: Our support doesn’t end after a session. Our platform for nutrition counseling sessions allows for interactions and the ability for you to track your snacks, meals and food thoughts in the moment. Our dietitians may provide brief responses but will utilize your comments to discuss and help you overcome food-related challenges and maintain progress.
Frequently Asked Questions About ARFID Eating Disorder Treatment
Common signs include food selectivity, fear of eating due to past negative experiences, and nutritional deficiencies caused by limited food intake.
Our dietitians use specialized meal planning, exposure-based therapy, and nutritional counseling to address the underlying issues of ARFID and help individuals expand their diets.
Yes, ARFID can affect individuals of all ages, including adults. We have dietitians that specialize in treatment for adolescents and others for adults struggling with ARFID.
Even though dietitians play a crucial role in addressing the nutritional aspects of ARFID, collaboration with a therapist is an essential piece to recovery. If you are looking for recommendations on therapists that treat ARFID, just let us know, we’d be happy to point you to one.
While family involvement is not required, it is highly encouraged. Support from loved ones can play a crucial role in the success of treatment. Check out our article on Parental Support in Eating Disorder Recovery on tips for parents.
Learn more regarding Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Treatment
For more information about how Nutrition Braved provides ARFID Eating Disorder Treatment, please call 630-474-5321. There, you can speak with one of our registered dietitians. They can answer your questions and can discuss your needs in more detail. If you would prefer to send us a message instead, please fill out the form found on this page, and we will contact you as soon as possible.
