DR MARIANNE MILLER

CARING EATING DISORDER TREATMENT IN SAN DIEGO AND THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND WASHINGTON D.C. FOR ADULTS & TEENS

How Family Therapy Can Help Your Child With ARFID: Working From a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned, Trauma-Informed Model
family therapy, ARFID therapy, ARFID in children, neurodivergent-affirming care, sensory-attuned care, trauma-informed care, parent resources for ARFID, consent-based care Marianne Miller family therapy, ARFID therapy, ARFID in children, neurodivergent-affirming care, sensory-attuned care, trauma-informed care, parent resources for ARFID, consent-based care Marianne Miller

How Family Therapy Can Help Your Child With ARFID: Working From a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned, Trauma-Informed Model

When a child has Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), family mealtimes can quickly shift into stress and worry. Parents may wonder whether to push their child to try new foods, follow their lead completely, or attempt structured strategies like food chaining. The truth is that ARFID does not look like other eating disorders. It is not rooted in body image concerns. Instead, it often comes from sensory sensitivities, distressing experiences with food, or neurodevelopmental differences.

Family therapy that is neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-attuned, and trauma-informed offers a path forward. It helps children feel safer with food and safer in their bodies, strengthens parent-child bonds, and moves toward making eating opportunities into moments of connection rather than conflict.

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The Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works
neurodiversity, neuroaffirming, neurodivergent-affirming care, sensory sensitivities, sensory-attuned care, trauma-informed care, trauma Marianne Miller neurodiversity, neuroaffirming, neurodivergent-affirming care, sensory sensitivities, sensory-attuned care, trauma-informed care, trauma Marianne Miller

The Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is one of the most misunderstood and often mischaracterized eating disorders, particularly when it presents in neurodivergent individuals. As a neurodivergent therapist specializing in ARFID treatment for both teens and adults in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and elsewhere, I’ve seen firsthand how standard treatment approaches often fall short. Models that rely on compliance, exposure, and fixed food goals frequently miss the root causes of food avoidance.

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