ARFID Dietitian Treatment
Evidence Based ARFID Diagnoses & Support
Clinically experienced Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Dietitians providing safe, evidence based treatment and nutrition support for children, teens, and adults.
ARFID Diagnosis to understand your sensory triggers, expand safe foods, and feel calmer around meals via telehealth, Australia wide.
Join 1,000+ People On Their Recovery Journey
Bite Into Freedom
Accredited Practising Dietitians
Your First
Session Includes
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Evidence Based Eating Disorder Care
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Private And Confidential Consultations
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100% Private Telehealth Sessions
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CBT-E, FBT & Intuitive Eating Informed
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Compassionate, Judgement Free Support
Accepting New Patients Australia Wide
The Initial
Consultation Blueprint
We know the first step is the hardest. Our initial sessions are designed to provide immediate clarity and a clinical path forward, with you feeling heard and validated from the first session, creating a safe, judgement-free space to begin recovery.
Clinical Assessment
We conduct a comprehensive assessment of your medical history, relationship with food and body image, and the origins of your eating difficulties to understand your unique experiences and current challenges.
Eating Pattern Analysis
Identifying disordered eating behaviours such as restriction, binge–purge cycles, excessive exercise, compensatory behaviours, and other patterns influencing eating behaviours.
Practical Recovery Strategies
You’ll begin learning practical tools and strategies designed to support change in unhelpful eating patterns and guide progress between sessions.
Clear Next Steps & Ongoing Support
We outline the next steps and how we can continue working together to guide your recovery moving forward.
What ARFID
Actually Feels Like
ARFID is not simply "picky eating." It is a complex eating disorder driven by intense sensory sensitivities, fear of aversive consequences, or a genuine lack of interest in food.
The Sensory Overload
That moment when the texture, smell, or appearance of a new food triggers an intense, involuntary physical response. Your rational brain might want to try it, but your body’s alarm system takes over and refuses.
The Fear of Eating
The anxiety surrounding eating due to fears of choking, vomiting, or an allergic reaction makes mealtimes a source of deep dread. It’s not stubbornness; it’s your nervous system trying to keep you safe from perceived danger.
"I wish I could just eat
like everyone else."
We understand the specific toll ARFID takes on your social life, physical health, and self-worth. Our role is to identify the underlying sensory and fear-based patterns restricting your eating, and provide the clinical tools to safely expand your diet.
Sensory Processing
Heightened sensitivity to taste, texture, and smell makes many foods physically intolerable, requiring specialised sensory-based nutrition therapy.
Neurodivergent Care
We identify how ADHD or Autism interacts with your eating patterns, providing neurodiversity-affirming strategies to manage food avoidance.
Pace-Led Exposure
Sustainable recovery isn't about forced eating. It happens when we gently build safety, predictability, and confidence around new foods.
Need further resources?
Whether you're waiting for your first consultation or simply want a self guided option to start, get immediate, practical frameworks with our clinical tool.
Builder
Nicole Brekalo
Accredited Dietitian
"Eating doesn't have to be a battle. This builder gives you the exact clinical framework to nourish your body safely."
The ARFID Meal Builder
A clinical system designed specifically for the ARFID brain. Stop staring at the fridge feeling overwhelmed, and start using the foods you already tolerate to give your body what it needs.
What's Inside The Framework:
Frequently Asked
Questions
Addressing common clinical and logistical questions regarding ARFID treatment and recovery support.
What does recovery look like, and how does a dietitian help?
What does recovery look like, and how does a dietitian help?
A specialist dietitian helps address nutritional gaps while gently guiding safe food expansion. Recovery is a gradual process that starts with understanding your current safe foods and triggers. Progress looks different for everyone — it might mean safely trying one new texture, eating comfortably in a social setting, or simply feeling less anxiety at mealtimes.
Will I (or my child) be forced to eat unsafe foods?
Will I (or my child) be forced to eat unsafe foods?
Never. Effective treatment is collaborative and pace-led. We use gentle, systematic, and age-appropriate exposure therapies that build safety and predictability. We deeply respect your current "safe foods" while slowly building confidence to explore new textures and tastes at a pace that doesn't overwhelm the nervous system.
Do you provide support for children and families?
Do you provide support for children and families?
Yes. We work extensively with children, teens, and adults. For younger clients, we involve families in the treatment process to create a supportive home environment, utilizing gentle exposure strategies and coordinating directly with your child's GP or paediatrician.
Is your treatment neurodiversity-affirming?
Is your treatment neurodiversity-affirming?
Absolutely. We recognize that ARFID frequently co-occurs with Autism and ADHD. Our clinical care is neurodiversity-affirming, meaning we actively accommodate sensory processing differences, executive dysfunction, and masking exhaustion rather than trying to "fix" or suppress neurodivergent traits.
Can this be effectively treated online via telehealth?
Can this be effectively treated online via telehealth?
Yes, and in many cases, it is preferable. Specialised online sessions allow you to practise food exposures directly in your own kitchen using your familiar utensils and safe foods. Many clients find this familiar environment much less anxiety-provoking than a traditional clinical setting.
Do I need a GP referral to start treatment?
Do I need a GP referral to start treatment?
No, you do not need a referral to book your Initial Consultation. You can access specialist support immediately. However, if you wish to claim Medicare rebates, you will eventually need an Eating Disorder Management Plan (EDP) from your GP. We can seamlessly guide you through this process during our first session together.
How do Medicare rebates work for ARFID?
How do Medicare rebates work for ARFID?
Under an Eating Disorder Management Plan (EDP), eligible patients can access up to 20 rebated sessions per calendar year with a specialist dietitian. We process your rebate instantly after your session, ensuring the funds are back in your account within 24-48 hours.
Still have questions?
Our experienced intake team is available to help you find the right clinician for your unique needs.