Summer closure: July & August

The Feeding Therapist clinic will be closed for the summer.

We're taking a well-earned break and look forward to supporting your family again in September.

September & October bookings are now open

Does your child have complex feeding issues, such as ARFID or Paediatric Feeding Disorder?

Are mealtimes a constant source of stress and anxiety for you and your child?

Does your child have Autism and only eat the same few foods on repeat?

Has your toddler recently started to refuse all foods?

Do you feel like you have tried everything to make eating better for your child, but nothing has worked?

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You’re in the right place for expert support & practical strategies.

Our Gold Standard, Occupational Therapist led, specialist feeding services will help you and your child to move from anxious eating to secure and enjoyable mealtimes.

Work with me!
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I have worked as one of the leading children’s Occupational Therapists in Ireland for 17 years.

I specialise in helping infants and children who struggle with feeding and eating.

I’m a mum to three young children, one of whom has been an anxious eater for years. I understand the challenges of busy family life as well as the demands and anxiety that parenting a child with complex feeding difficulties can bring.

My qualifications:

  • MSc Occupational Therapy

  • Feeding Therapist

  • International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)

  • Member of the Association of Occupational Therapists in Ireland (MAOTI)

  • CORU Registered Occupational Therapist

Hi! I’m Teresa

Learn more about my approach
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Let’s work together

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HOW WE CAN HELP

Specialist clinical experience

At The Feeding Therapist, we have worked with hundreds of children and parents who are living with ARFID. We understand the struggles and trauma that can arise when parenting a child with this highly stressful diagnosis.

Some of the areas we can help with include:

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Sensory processing challenges

Oral motor skill development

Reducing anxiety and stress at mealtimes

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Tolerance of new foods

Environment and routine

(Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)

People with ARFID significantly limit the volume and/or variety of food they eat, but this is not due to concerns about body weight, shape, or size.

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What is ARFID?

Food intake is seriously restricted for any of these reasons:

  • Sensory sensitivity:
    (taste/smell/texture/appearance of food)

  • Fearful of consequences of eating: choking/vomiting/previous traumatic experience with eating

  • Lack of interest or motivation to eat

People at risk

  • Those with Autism, as well as people with ADHD & Intellectual disabilities

  • Children who experience serious picky eating or don’t grow out of the typical picky eating phase in childhood

  • Children who have a co-occuring anxiety problem

*(DSM-V; ARFID Awareness UK)

ONLINE COURSE

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ONLINE COURSE ⋅

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Magical
Mealtimes

Learn how to introduce new foods to your child’s life,
and make eating a fun experience!
For children and young people aged 3-16

Please note this course does not include information for children or young people who are tube fed currently.

Course fees are health insurance deductible: receipts are provided immediately with payment

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Bite-sized topics

Our carefully structured course is divided into 6 easy-to-digest sections. Complete them at your own pace, with the flexibility to fit your family's schedule.

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Quick summaries

Each section comes with a short and concise summary, for those moments when time is of the essence.

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Monthly group calls

Join Teresa and other parents like you in monthly group calls. This is your space to ask questions, share experiences, and receive support in a community that understands.

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Hands-on activities

Integrate learning with life through practical activities you can do at home.

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  • Learn how ARFID & other complex feeding challenges affect the child and whole family. We will also digest some core rules for helping a child with these issues.

  • Learn how to create empathetic & trusting feeding relationships while also making sustainable changes to eating

  • Create the optimal mealtime environment and routine to reduce mealtime stress and also help increase your child’s food intake

  • Your child’s sensory preferences has a huge impact on their food intake. This module will guide you on specific food to try based on their individual sensory profile

  • Some easy to follow feeding therapy strategies are provided here, so you can implement them with your child when they are ready

  • Strategies for success! Follow these core rules to reach your feeding goals with your child and most importantly, sustain the changes

See all modules
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Hear from parents who’ve transformed their child’s approach to eating

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  • “Since working with Teresa, we are so much more relaxed about exposing our son to new foods and just accepting his responses for what they are, with no pressure.”

    Parents of a 5 year old boy

  • “After one session with Teresa, we felt comfortable and brave enough to introduce some new foods to our Autistic son. To our absolute amazement, he accepted and ate a full pizza slice! There was no pressure and we ensured he was happy and regulated before inviting him to try. We are over the moon!”

    Parents of a six year old boy

  • “We have learned so much about ARFID and how it impacts our children after working with Teresa. We have had to change lots in how we do things! But we are already seeing the benefits of reducing the pressure and enjoying mealtimes again”

    Parents of two girls with ARFID

  • “Our feeding therapy sessions with Teresa have benefited the whole family. We have learned about the no-pressure approach and also to respect our son’s wishes when he says he does not want to eat something. We realise there are no quick fixes when it comes to food but using the strategies we have learned from Teresa has already resulted in him being more curious about food. We are learning to enjoy mealtimes together again”

    Parents of an eight year old boy with ARFID

  • We have just finished your course and we’re so grateful for it Teresa. We now have the practical tools and tips we needed to help our son. Dinners etc feel simpler and less overwhelming for everyone. We also have the confidence to eat out as a family together again, something we had stopped doing. Thanks again for developing this course

    Parents of a 6 year old boy

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No! This course is designed to benefit children who are:

    • Diagnosed with ARFID

    • Suspected of having ARFID

    • Presenting with problem eating/extremely picky eating challenges

  • This questionnaire will help you identify if your child is a problem eater or might be presenting with ARFID: https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/picky-eater-questionnaire-parent/

  • Parents and caregivers of children and young people aged 3-16

  • Yes! When you purchase the course, you will immediately receive a receipt which can be submitted to your health insurer.

  • You can! The course is designed to be watched in your own time and at your own pace.

    Each module contains a “Grab & Go” section at the end, which gives you the main points of information for when you are in a hurry.

  • No. This course has been based on several feeding programmes and approaches, including Responsive Feeding Therapy, Get Permission Institute and Ellyn Satter Division of Responsibility.

    All of the content is neuro-affirmative and trauma informed. An Occupational Therapy focus is used throughout to ensure all the information is practical and functional!

    In addition, the course has been designed using the latest scientific evidence regarding ARFID and complex feeding challenges in children.

Ready to make mealtimes magical?

We also recognise that you are the expert on your child.
Using the latest evidence-based techniques and clinical advice, we can help you reduce your child’s food anxieties and increase enjoyment of mealtimes. 

Please note this course does not include information for children or young people who are tube fed currently. Course fees are health insurance deductible: receipts are provided immediately with payment

✓ 6 bite-sized topics
✓ Quick summaries
✓ Monthly group calls
✓ Hands-on activities