Neurodivergence, Feeding Differences and ARFID

$1,097 or 3 monthly payments of $365.67

Neurodivergence, Feeding Differences and ARFID

A 10-week comprehensive program for healthcare and mental health providers supporting neurodivergent adults with feeding and eating challenges, including ARFID

This program is currently closed. The next cohort will start May 1st. Recordings can be purchased for a limited time.

Approved for 15 CPEUs by the CDR
7 x 2-hour live sessions, a lived experience ARFID panel (1.5 hours) and a 1 hour discussion session on Depathologizing ARFID
Bonus module with guest speaker Kris Scover, RD (they/them)
Bonus session with Shira Collings on depathologizing ARFID
All sessions are delivered live and will be recorded
Extended one-year access

This course is committed to doing justice to all bodies and brains and is offered through a weight-inclusive, trauma-informed and neuro-affirming lens. The material is challenging and is geared towards clinicians working from a social justice perspective.

This program is designed for dietitians and professionals like you who learn best in small-group learning environments and are passionate about offering affirming care to neurodivergent people with eating challenges and feeding differences. Space is limited!

Research demonstrates that the prevalence of feeding differences and eating disorders, including ARFID, is higher in neurodivergent people than in the rest of the population. This co-occurrence has been linked to several factors, including trauma, burnout, masking, sensory processing differences, executive functioning differences and anxiety, just to name a few. Even though eating challenges are common in neurodivergent people, many of us did not receive adequate education and training needed to offer neurodivergent-affirming care. Understanding how neurodivergence impacts our clients' abilities to nourish themselves adequately is essential to providing affirming care.

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Price: $1097 USD or 3 payments of $365.67

Our clients deserve to feel seen, and you deserve the tools and support necessary to feel confident supporting the humans you work with. Together, we can build liberatory practices and create a world that celebrates differences. One where all professionals working with neurodivergent people offer affirming care and a sense of belonging.

This course will help you:

Understand ARFID through a disability-affirming and neurodivergent-affirming lens.
Understand how masking and burnout impact food and eating skills and advocate for your clients.
Gain the skills needed to examine mainstream neuronormative modalities critically and thoroughly understand the Neurodiversity Affirming Model®.
Understand the barriers neurodivergent people face when nourishing their bodies and offer support to clients struggling with psychosocial functioning.
Feel more self-assured when supporting people with executive functioning differences and sensory differences, including decreased interoceptive awareness.
Implement accommodations by utilizing the spoon and fork theory and support people in eating more consistently.
Build a lived experience practice, learn from several advocates with ARFID, and understand their feeding and eating experiences to support your practice better.
Feel more confident supporting neurodivergent people with feeding challenges, expand your practice, and be part of a community of like-minded providers working towards dismantling neuronormativity and building liberatory care.

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Price: $1097 USD or 3 payments of $365.67

Want to know everything that will be taught in this course?

Module 1. Understanding neurodiversity-affirming practice

Presenter: Naureen Hunani, RD

Date: 05-10-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET

Part 1 focuses on the history of the neurodiversity and disability justice movement, the principles of the neurodiversity paradigm and the social model of disability. We will explore how different systems of oppression impact neurodivergent people and their relationship to food and their bodyminds. Participants will learn key principles needed to build a neurodiversity-informed practice.

Module 2. Exploring the intersection of neurodivergence, feeding differences and eating disorders

Presenter: Naureen Hunani, RD

Date: 12-10-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET

This session will explore factors that put neurodivergent people at risk for developing eating disorders. We will cover how neurodivergent traits impact food choices and eating. The session will allow participants to understand the overlap between neurodivergence, feeding differences, eating disorders and feeding challenges.

Module 3. Neurodivergent & disability-affirming approach to ARFID & Implementing the Neurodiversity Affirming Model®

Presenter: Naureen Hunani, RD

Date: 19-10-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET

In this module, participants will understand the importance of redefining ARFID through a disability and ND-affirming lens. Together, we will critically examine the DSM criteria related to ARFID and explore ND-affirming approaches to support people. Participants will be offered tools to implement the Neurodiversity Affirming Model® into practice.

Module 4. Lived experience ARFID Panel

Panellists: Sonny Jane Wise, BA, Kevin Jarvis and Ana Valentin, BA

Date: 02-11-2023

Time: 2:00-3:30 pm ET

This module offers a unique opportunity for participants to learn from advocates with lived experience and engage with them. We will cover topics such as treatment, masking, invalidation and moving beyond desensitization. There will be an extended Q&A session, which will allow participants to have deeper conversations with the panellists.

Module 5. Supporting sensory needs and executive functioning differences

Presenter: Naureen Hunani, RD

Date: 09-11-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET
In this module, participants will learn how sensory differences can impact food and eating. We will also explore techniques and tools needed to support people with decreased interoceptive awareness. Guiding clients with executive functioning differences and the impact of stimulants on food and eating will also be explored.

Module 6. Trauma, neurodivergent burnout and its impact on feeding, eating and ARFID

Presenter: Naureen Hunani, RD

Date: 16-11-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET

This module will cover how masking, trauma and burnout can make eating inaccessible for neurodivergent people. We will discuss ways to support ND folks with ARFID access to nourishment during times of high stress and exhaustion. We will also explore the usage of spoon and fork theory and discuss the importance of unmasking, stimming and experiencing sensory joy as a restorative practice.

Module 7. Depathologizing ARFID

Guest Speaker: Shira Collings, MS, NCC
Date: 28-11-2023
Time: 5:00-6:00 pm ET

In this session, providers will have the opportunity to discuss the de-pathologization of ARFID. Shira Collings will facilitate a discussion of how the neurodiversity paradigm can be applied to ARFID in order to facilitate accommodation and acceptance of this neurotype rather than providing treatments that can exacerbate disordered eating. Provides will explore ways they can work with clients with ARFID in a non-pathologizing way and learn practical strategies for affirming care.

Module 8. What ARFID Teaches Us: Case Studies & Lived Experiences

Guest Speaker: Kris Scover, RDN, LD

Date: 30-11-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET

Join Kris Scover, RDN, LD, as they explore the many things that ARFID can teach us about ourselves, eating disorder treatment, and the concept of recovery. They will highlight case studies and lived experiences (including their own lived experience) in an interactive presentation that will dig deep into the theory of ARFID, neurodivergence, and eating disorder treatment reconstruction.

Module 9. Treatment, accommodations, self-acceptance and fostering a positive neurodivergent identity

Presenter: Naureen Hunani, RD

Date: 07-12-2023

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm ET

This module will explore different ways providers can help clients implement accommodations so they can nourish their bodies guilt-free and shame-free. We will challenge mainstream ideals around recovery and lean into the neurodivergent eating and feeding experience, the power of validation and self-acceptance.

About the Instructor

I’m Naureen Hunani, a multiply neurodivergent dietitian with over 18 years of clinical experience. I specialize in feeding disorders, including ARFID, and I’m particularly interested in the intersection of neurodivergence and feeding differences. I’m incredibly passionate about helping dietitians and helping professionals build neurodiversity-informed practices.

Even though feeding differences are commonly seen in the neurodivergent population, not many of us were trained in how to support this population in a way that is affirming and trauma-informed. I love to support pro-justice, HAES®-aligned professionals who are striving to build liberatory practices.

To learn more about RDs for Neurodiversity, click here.

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Price: $1097 USD or 3 payments of $365.67

Meet Our Guest Speakers and Panelists

Guest Speaker

Meet Shira Collings, MS, LPC (she/they)

Part 7. Depathologizing ARFID (Interactive session)
Date and time: 28-11-2023 from 5:00-6:00 pm Eastern Time

Shira Collings, MS, LPC (she/they) is a pre-licensed therapist in Philadelphia. She received her Master’s in Counseling and Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Troy University and her Bachelor’s in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. She specializes in working with clients with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image distress. Their therapeutic approach is rooted in the Health At Every Size paradigm and body liberation, and it is also informed by mad studies, disability studies, feminism, and queer and trans liberation. They are passionate about integrating social justice into the therapeutic process. In addition to their clinical work, Shira presents and consults on weight inclusive and neurodiversity affirming approaches to eating disorder care.

Description of this session:

In this session, providers will have the opportunity to discuss the de-pathologization of ARFID. Shira Collings will facilitate a discussion of how the neurodiversity paradigm can be applied to ARFID in order to facilitate accommodation and acceptance of this neurotype rather than providing treatments that can exacerbate disordered eating. Provides will explore ways they can work with clients with ARFID in a non-pathologizing way and learn practical strategies for affirming care.

Guest Speaker

Meet Kris Scover

Part 7. Title: What ARFID Teaches Us: Case Studies & Lived Experiences

Kris Scover, RDN, LD (they/them)

Kris is a registered dietitian and public speaker who specializes in working with neurodivergent, gender-expansive, and queer clients who are seeking an agentic approach to eating disorder care. Kris is queer, trans, non-binary, and multiply neurodivergent, and their work is shaped by these identities and their desire to improve access to inclusive eating disorder care. They are particularly passionate about changing the way ARFID is conceptualized and treated in eating disorder spaces, a passion born from their own personal experience with ARFID as well as the experiences of their clients. Kris practices from an anti-diet, fat-positive, trauma-informed perspective at their private practice, NourishedED.

Description of their talk:

Join Kris Scover, RDN, LD, as they explore the many things that ARFID can teach us about ourselves, eating disorder treatment, and the concept of recovery. They will highlight case studies and lived experiences (including their own lived experience) in an interactive presentation that will dig deep into the theory of ARFID, neurodivergence, and eating disorder treatment reconstruction. They will also address the complex intersection of ARFID with various eating disorders, neurodivergences, and chronic health conditions. Attendees will learn about the long-lasting damage that "gold-standard" eating disorder treatment has on ARFID clients and the way that ARFID treatment reconstruction can drive larger eating disorder treatment reconstruction.

Lived Experience ARFID Panel

Presenters: Sonny Jane Wise, BA, Kevin Jarvis and Ana Valentin, BA
Date: 02-11-2023 Time: 2:00-3:30 pm ET

Building a neuro-affirming practice starts with learning from people with lived experience. Due to epistemic injustice, the knowledge and experiences of people with ARFID are often excluded from education and training. Mainstream ARFID support often reinforces neuronormative ideals around eating, which can be incredibly harmful to neurodivergent people and can be a barrier to healing. We are here to change that! People with ARFID are the experts in ARFID!

All three panellists identify as ND and have lived experience with ARFID and look forward to sharing their expertise, experiences and insights with you so you can build a more affirming and liberatory practice.

Meet Sonny Jane Wise, BA (they/them)

Panelist

Sonny Jane is disabled, non-binary and multiply neurodivergent advocate or more specifically, an Autistic Bipolar ADHDer living with ARFID. Sonny is an internationally recognised speaker, author, consultant and creator as well as the founder of the Drop In Care Space.

Sonny was diagnosed as a child and grew up only hearing a deficit narrative about their neurodivergence. Since then, they have gone on to build an audience of over 100, 000 people online, wrote The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills, the upcoming book titled We’re All Neurodiverse due to be published November this year, and has worked with organizations around Australia to help change the narrative on neurodivergence and challenge neuronormativity.

Meet Kevin Jarvis (they/them)

Panelist

“Kevin is a disabled, mad, and queer artist from Western Massachusetts located on Pocumtuk land. Kevin's art and activism speaks to their lived experience with mental health in an unfiltered way. They exhibit a passionate effort toward making the world a more accessible place for everyone. And their lifelong struggle with things like ARFID, mental health, chronic illness, etc fuels this passion”.

Meet Ana Valentin, BA (she/hers)

Panelist

Ana Valentin is a multiple neurodivergent (AuDHD) queer educator currently based in the PNW and originally New Jersey. She received her Bachelor's in Early Child Education with a focus on Teaching Students with Disabilities from William Paterson University. Though late diagnosed she has always had a passion for lifting up voices that need to be heard. Ana coaches in home based early intervention strategies with the emphasis being on neurodivergent and queer affirming care. While new to the space of feeding therapy, she has been devoted to informing her cohorts and families she works with on ways to affirm and support over "ignore and force" the child into neurotypical standards of eating. As someone who experiences feeding differences herself she aims to lead from the space of understanding, curiosity and acceptance.

Save these dates:

Orientation:

October 3, 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern Time

Regular Classes:
12:00-2:00 pm Eastern Time

October 5, 12, 19

November 9, 16,

December 7
Modules with guest speakers:
November 2, 2:00-3:30 pm ET
November 28, 5:00-6:00 pm ET
November 30, 12:00-2:00 pm ET

Sign Up Today

Price: $1097 USD or 3 payments of $365.67

Course Delivery

Here's What You Can Expect

7 x 2 Hour Live Trainings Plus Bonus Sessions

Modules are delivered over ten weeks with built-in integration weeks so you can have the time to process and reflect on your learning. All sessions are recorded. Meeting regularly keeps us connected to a community of peers on the same journey and affirms that we are not alone.

A Nurturing Community

Join a community of RDs and professionals just like you, who are committed to serving their neurodivergent clients with the utmost respect, understanding, and up-to-date knowledge and who are working toward the same goal of building inclusive practices.

Additional Resources

Weekly handouts, additional learning material and recorded sessions will be posted a week in advance so participants can go over the material and have more time to process the information.

Supportive Learning Environment

We meet via zoom so that you can log in and participate wherever you are! Modules are delivered live so that you can feel supported in your learning and have multiple opportunities to ask questions and interact.

Frequently asked questions

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.

Do you offer equity pricing?

Yes, we do offer equity pricing. Spots are limited. If you are a member of an under-represented group and would like to have access to equity-based pricing, please email us and we will send you a code.

Do I have to be on the calls live?

While there are benefits to attending the classes live, we recognize that this may not be possible for everyone and for every call. Recordings will be available on the portal within 24 hours, and you will have access for 6 months after the course has been delivered.

What is your refund policy?

As with most educational organizations, we don't offer refunds for courses. If you have more questions or you’d like to talk through your decision to enroll in this course, please feel free to schedule a discovery call here.

Is this course only geared towards Dietitians?

Any professional working with neurodivergent people with feeding differences and challenges can benefit from taking this course.

I am a recent graduate, is this an advanced course?

Whether you are a recent graduate or have been practicing for several years, you would benefit from this course because there is such a lack of training on the topic of neurodiversity and feeding differences/ARFID. Even seasoned RDs can use more support on this topic.

How much time do I have to devote per week?

2 hour live classes are held weekly, you will also receive additional learning material to explore at your own pace. Including the live classes and the additional material, participants usually devote 2-3 hours per week on their learning.

How long will I have access to this course?

Once the course is completed, you will have six more months to review and integrate the material.

Sign Up Today

Price: $1097 USD or 3 payments of $365.67