Who is this course for?

What is Neurodiversity Affirming Care & What is ARFID: introduces the foundations of neuro-affirming and trauma-informed care, including exploring the importance of the neurodiversity paradigm in practice. It breaks down what it means to be neuro-affirming, the power of language and terminology, and why these approaches matter for building trust and delivering respectful, person-centred care. This week also includes an introduction to ARFID—what it is, what it isn’t, we will go through the DSM Criteria and limitations. We’ll review what the evidence says about traditional  ARFID "treatment", discuss what it means to de-pathologize ARFID, and explore why a neuro-affirming lens is essential for truly understanding and supporting individuals with ARFID.

The initial appointment: we move from the foundations into the clinical space, focusing on how to approach the initial appointment in a neuro-affirming and trauma-informed way. This session explores how to build rapport, establish relational safety, and adapt our assessment frameworks to be flexible and inclusive. We’ll reflect on our own strengths, challenges, and biases as clinicians, and practice core counselling skills like active listening, validation, and holding space. The aim is not to change how you conduct assessments, but to consider how we can adapt our approach to centre curiosity, autonomy, and collaboration—laying the groundwork for a strong therapeutic relationship and meaningful ongoing support.

Towards the end of week 2 we will have a live group call, a time to reflect and ask questions. It will be recorded for those who may not be able to make the live.

Assessing for ARFID: focuses on what to look for and how to screen for ARFID. We will explore how you build a comprehensive assessment picture plus how to identify nutritional deficiencies, when further testing may be needed, and the role of allied health professionals in assessment, support and diagnosis. This week also looks at differential considerations such as what else might be going on if it’s not ARFID—including sensory processing differences, Pervasive Drive for Autonomy (PDA), and Paediatric Feeding Disorder, with guidance on when and where to refer on.

ARFID & Feeding differences Support Strategies: introduces a framework for supporting individuals with ARFID in a safe, individualised way. It emphasises emotional and sensory safety, centering client autonomy, and using strengths-based, trauma-informed, neuro-affirming approaches. This week also considers when it may be appropriate to explore new foods and when the focus should remain on nourishment through safe foods, supplements and supporting the relationship to food and body. 

Towards the end of week 4 we will have a live group call, a time to reflect and ask questions. It will be recorded for those who may not be able to make the live.

Follow up consultations: explores how to hold space for clients while supporting progress over time. It covers strategies for checking in and monitoring change—looking at mealtime experiences, nutritional adequacy, and client reflections on what’s working and what’s not. You’ll learn approaches for collaborative goal setting, motivational interviewing, and how to respond when progress feels slow or stagnant, while considering factors like sensory processing differences and fluctuating daily capacity. This week also emphasises celebrating successes, big and small, and brings everything together through a practical case study.

A pre-recorded panel interview with guest practitioners, all with their own lived and professional experience of ARFID.

We have these wonderful people joining us below:

• Cody Robinson from New Leaf social work

• Lumen Gorrie from Brains beyond Binaries

• Bri Thomas from The Psych Hive

• Gabriel Lubieniecki-Maynard from Swan Centre
  
  More to come on this!

A group space for practitioners to bring their case studies, reflect and ask any final questions.