I wonder if you associate mealtime with any of the following words:
“Embarrassed, stressed, dread, exasperation, anger or fatigued”
It is not from lack of trying that your child refuses to eat. You have provided a variety of foods at every meal, you have modified the environment, you are currently pursuing therapies from allied health. You have tried bargaining, compromising and begging your child to eat. And yet nothing has changed, the picky eating continues.
How can seeing a counsellor help?
I am a counsellor who is trained in working with children, adolescents and adults. This means I can be helpful to either you (the caregiver) or the child who is refusing to eat. The challenges for parents identified in the research suggest there is a battle for control at the table for every single meal. Every. Single. Meal.
By doing some simple math, that is:
- 3 meals a day
- 21 meals a week
- 84 meals a month
- Over 1000 meals a year
Do you feel tired? How is your stress management going? What could a counselling session look like?
A counselling session could provide a space for you to scream, to cry, to vent and to strategise.
The strategies could focus on building distress tolerance. This is a skill from DBT where you increase your tolerance to unpleasant feelings while you increase your capacity and competency in specific areas. Another strategy could focus on managing stress, creating a sustainable balance of meal time responsibilities and rest. There are many strategies we could trial with the aim to help you, while you help your child.
(On a personal note, I also have the lived experience of being in your shoes, being a mother to a child who struggled to eat. I remember the stigma attached and the disapproval from strangers. Getting support for myself was last on the never-ending list of care responsibilities.)
However, burnout is very real for carers and it is very real for parents of children with extra needs. Research found that when parents are able to adopt a positive attitude and accept their child’s unique eating patterns, engaging at meal time became less of a struggle. Wouldn’t 84 meals a month without the battle be the dream?
Counselling can help you on your journey of acceptance.
Why should you choose me as the counsellor for your child?
Childhood picky eating is a complex issue which requires a multilayered approach with counselling recommended alongside dietitians and occupational therapy.
- A counsellor can guide your child in using mindful strategies to promote a positive relationship with food.
- A session could focus on relaxation exercises to increase your child’s skills in effective stress management (stress of eating).
- Or the session could integrate behavioural therapy with social modelling reinforcing a positive food relationship.
At the end of the day, seeing a counsellor can add a layer of support to you and your child as you navigate mealtime and the barriers to eating.
To make an appointment with Cassia, you can Book Online. Alternatively, you can call Vision Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3088 5422.
References:
Campbell, G., et al. (2022). Picky eating in children: current clinical trends, practicesand observations within the Australian health-care context. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, Wiley. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12869
Coulthard, C., Cunliffe, L., & Williamson, I. R. (2021). The lived experience of parenting a child with sensory sensitivity and picky eating. Maternal and Child Nutrition Wiley. Doi: 10.1111/mcn.13330
Ilmiah, W. S., Mauline=a, R., & Purwanti, A. S. (2025). The problem management of picky eating in preschool children based on complementary and alternative therapy. ICISTECH Proceeding of the International Conference of Innovation, Science, Technology, Education, Children, and Health. 5(1). Doi: https://doi.org/10.62951/icistech.v5i1.252