Supporting your Selective Eater
For the parents asking: Why has mealtime become so stressful? How do I support my child to eat? Why is this so hard for them?
This course will help you understand what your child is experiencing, and give you tools to work towards mealtime peace.
Hi, I'm Kate, a certified practicing nutritionist.
My mum first wrote about my selective eating in her diary when I was just 14 months old.
"Kate is a small eater & causes a lot of concern for her Nana. She has always been on the 95th percentile for height & about average for weight. Now she has dropped below this average weight but as she is developing normally I've been told not to worry (except by nana but she worries enough for all of us)."
It would take another 31 years, and an autism and ADHD diagnosis, before I recognised my lifelong struggles with food as ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).
After recognising ARFID in myself, I was a bit lost. There was no advice built for this. Force-feeding myself was never an option, and full acceptance alone led to stagnation rather than a way forward. When food became hard, I had to remove all pressure and find non-nutrition ways to nourish and support myself. It wasn't linear, and it still isn't, but I found something worth sharing.
This course is born from that experience, and from what I've since learned supporting families through the same thing.
This is for you if:
You're stressed by how distressed your child is by food
You're offering different options only for your child to keep saying no
You feel ashamed to go out because of how your child eats
Your child would skip meals if you didn't prompt them
Your child seems sensitive to any small change in their food's taste or appearance
Your child has ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), or you suspect they might
This is not for you if:
You think your child is simply manipulating you
You want your child to just do what you tell them to do
You're not open to different ways of thinking
You're looking to change who your child is
What you get
7 pre-recorded video lessons, available for 12 months from purchase:
Making Sense of Selective Eating — understand what may be contributing to your child's selective eating
What Else Matters for Overall Health — non-nutrition ways to support your child's health
How Traditional Feeding Advice Leaves Sensitive Kids Behind — why advice aimed at "picky eaters" may not work for your sensitive child
Why Safe Foods and Mealtime Safety May Not Be Enough
The Family Nervous System — becoming the regulated presence your child needs, with guest speaker Roisín Lilly
Health Without Panic — common health concerns and how to manage them without controlling your child
Planning for Challenges as a Family
Investment
$279 · 12 months' access · work through it at your own pace. [Full Terms & Conditions → https://www.plenanutrition.com.au/terms-and-conditions]
What parents have said
"We felt so held by you in sharing our son's needs and our concerns as parents. It is honestly so encouraging to work with someone willing to hold all the complexities of being human. Thank you for your knowledge and bringing in the value of your own lived experience." — Parent of a young client
"What an incredible resource. The passion you have for sharing knowledge and raising awareness, while also showing vulnerability in sharing your own story, is what makes you and your business authentic and trustworthy." — Course participant
(Testimonials reflect individual experiences.)
My qualifications
Bachelor of Nursing / Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic) and Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Dietetic Medicine)
My professional experience
9 years as a registered nurse in public hospitals and private practice. 5 years as a Certified Practicing Nutritionist (registered with AARPN), seeing clients 1:1, running group programs and public speaking. Ongoing clinical mentoring with naturopaths Jade Walker & Laura Taylor.
My lived experience
Formally diagnosed: Autistic & ADHD (AuDHD) Deep lived understanding of: severe sensory food aversion (ARFID patterns), obsessive-compulsive tendencies and hyperfixation on food rules (orthorexic behaviours). Personal management of: nervous system burnout, emotional exhaustion, iron deficiency anaemia, gut microbiome dysbiosis, systemic inflammation, and chronic constipation.
Questions? Get in touch via email at k.webbe@live.com or on Instagram @plenanutrition_kate
FAQs
How long does this take? How long is a piece of string? This course will take you from mealtime stress towards mealtime peace, but the length of time that takes isn't determined by me — it depends on your capacity, your willingness to trial new ideas, and factors outside our control, including real-world stressors and practical constraints.
It's okay to be concerned about your child's nutrition status — that's part of your job as a parent, and I feel it too, with my clients, myself, and my own partner. But at no point in my life could I have been force-fed, which is why increased control over your child's diet isn't the answer you'll find in this course.
What if I'm not a parent, but I have ARFID myself, or I support someone who does? This course is also suitable for adults supporting a loved one with selective eating, adults with selective eating themselves, or health professionals supporting clients of any age. Most content is broadly applicable, though some examples are specific to a parent–child dynamic.