Food Allergy Anxiety & ARFID: When Safety Fears Shape Eating & Family Life With Tamara Hubbard @foodallergycounselor

Can anxiety about food safety quietly shape the way an entire family eats, lives, and loves? In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast, Dr. Marianne Miller, LMFT, talks with Tamara Hubbard, LCPC, founder of The Food Allergy Counselor and The Academy of Food Allergy Counseling. Together, they explore how food allergy anxiety can affect both children and parents, sometimes leading to ARFID-like eating patterns and significant emotional distress. Tamara shares her journey from being a parent of a child with a peanut allergy to becoming a national leader in the field of food allergy mental health. She discusses how chronic fear and misinformation can cause families to become trapped in cycles of hypervigilance and restriction. She and Dr. Marianne also examine how therapy can help families move toward flexibility, autonomy, and connection at the table. Listeners will hear how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and values-based approaches support parents in balancing safety with freedom, and how addressing anxiety can improve both emotional well-being and quality of life. Key Topics Covered The difference between food allergies and food intolerances and why accurate understanding matters How food allergy anxiety can spread through families and mimic ARFID symptoms The role of parental fear in shaping a child’s own food relationship and daily life The risks of restriction-based medical advice, including some functional medicine practices How ACT and mindfulness tools can help parents tolerate fear and stay connected to their values Ways to calm the fight-or-flight response and reduce hypervigilance around food and safety Why collaboration between therapists and allergists creates stronger, safer support for families Who This Episode Is For This episode is for parents and caregivers who want to understand how food allergies, anxiety, and ARFID intersect in family life. It is also for therapists, dietitians, and healthcare providers who want to learn how to support families with evidence-based, trauma-informed, and values-driven care. Food Allergy Resources Mentioned Book: May Contain Anxiety: Managing the Overwhelm of Parenting Children With Food Allergies by Tamara Hubbard, LCPC (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2025) Website: The Food Allergy Counselor for educational articles, therapeutic resources, and directories of food allergy-informed therapists Organization: The Academy of Food Allergy Counseling for clinician training and professional community Article: Allergic Living Magazine Airline Allergy Travel Guide for details on how major airlines handle food allergy policies Advocacy Resource: No Nut Traveler by Leanne Mandelbaum, advocating for safer air travel for people with food allergies Therapeutic Framework: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for managing anxiety and values alignment Cultural Reference: We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle as a reminder of resilience and self-compassion Content Caution This episode includes discussions of allergic reactions, anaphylaxis, and eating challenges. Please take care while listening if these topics may feel activating or distressing. Learn More and Get ARFID and Selective Eating Support Visit ARFID and Selective Eating Course. This virtual program provides a compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming framework that helps families and clinicians create safety, flexibility, and understanding around food.