Specialist Therapy for ARFID

If you or your teenager has ARFID (which means avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder), you might be confused or not know how to get help. Or you’ve been restricting food because it feels too hard to manage sensory challenges or you just don’t have the appetite to eat on a regular basis.

You have come to the right place.

I’m Lori, an occupational therapist also practicing psychotherapy, and who specializes in ARFID. I work virtually with individuals (depending on their age) and their families to navigate this tricky eating disorder. 

What is avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)?

According to the DSM-5 (the manual used by most Western health care institutions, written and updated by the American Psychiatric Association), ARFID is an eating disorder characterized by the person limiting their food intake by amount and/or variety of foods. This selective eating is based on three reasons (often combined):

A lack of interest in food, a low appetite and/or feeling full easily.

  1. Sensory sensitivities to certain foods (e.g. aversion to a food’s smell, taste or texture). 

  2. A fear of aversive consequences of eating (e.g. choking, vomiting or becoming ill).

A female teenager eating a piece of pizza while sitting cross-legged on a bed

Those with ARFID typically don’t have body dissatisfaction or a desire to lose weight like those who have other eating disorders. They do, however, often have nutritional deficiencies and their growth can be stalled.

Therapy for ARFID

Unlike picky eating, where someone will typically be selective about food in phases and it resolves as they mature, those with ARFID usually do not get better without specialist intervention. 

Therapy is tailored to the person: depending on why they are experiencing aversion to food (see above), interventions will be based on exactly what they are struggling with. This may involve psychoeducation about ARFID; learning strategies to manage anxiety, distress and discomfort around food; exploring sensory sensitivities; introducing foods in non-threatening ways; and slow and gradual exposure to new foods.

My services are always neurodiversity-affirming, whether you have a diagnosis of autism and/or ADHD or you identify as neurodivergent. 

Woman in black long sleeve shirt sitting at a wooden table cutting up a meal with vegetables, garnishes, and sliced almonds on a white plate.

The format for sessions

For those 14-18 years old:

I will meet with the parents/caregivers first for an assessment (1 hour). Sessions after that are usually a combination of teen-only sessions, with parents joining sometimes or having their own sessions, depending on progress and need.

I will meet with the parents/caregivers first for an assessment (1 hour). Sessions after that are usually a combination of child-only sessions, with parents joining sometimes or having their own sessions, depending on progress and need.

For adults:

I will meet with you for an initial assessment (1 hour) to go over what you are struggling with, your past therapy (if any) and what your goals are. We agree on what we will work on together and then meet at an agreed on frequency, depending on need. 

My rates

Initial session (first appointment for a teenager - 1 hour): $200 CAD

Initial Parent(s’) session (1 hour): $150 CAD

Follow up sessions (50 minutes): $150 CAD

Follow up parent(s’) sessions (25 minutes): $85 CAD 

Follow up parent(s’) sessions (50 minutes): $150 CAD 

More information about extended health benefits and autism funding can be found on my Rates page.

Please contact me if you’d like to speak further. I offer a free, 15-minute phone call to go over logistics and answer any questions you may have. Otherwise, you can always email me to book your first appointment. 

Contact me