Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast

Welcome to this mental health and eating disorder podcast by Dr. Marianne Miller, who is an eating disorder therapist and binge eating and ARFID course creator. In this podcast, Dr. Marianne explores the ins and outs of eating disorder recovery. It’s a top podcast for people struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), and any sort of distressed eating. We discuss topics like neurodiversity and eating disorders, self-compassion in eating disorder recovery, lived experience of eating disorders, LGBTQ+ and eating disorders, as well as anti-fat bias, weight-neutral fitness, muscularity-oriented issues, and body image. Dr. Marianne has been an eating disorder therapist for 13 years and has created a course on ARFID and selective eating, as well as a membership to help you recover from binge eating disorder and bulimia. Dr. Marianne has been in mental health for 28 years. Dr. Marianne is neurodivergent and works with a lot of neurodivergent folks. She has fully recovered from an eating disorder that lasted 25 years, and she wants to share her experience, knowledge, and recovery joy with you! Her interview episodes with top eating disorder professionals drop on Tuesdays. You can also tune in on Fridays when Dr. Marianne’s SOLO episodes that come out. You’ll hear personal stories, tips, and strategies to help you in your eating disorder recovery journey. If you’re struggling with food, eating, body image, and mental health, this podcast is for you!

Episodes

14 hours ago

15 min

Food waste guilt can make eating feel like an obligation. When you have ARFID or binge eating disorder, the pressure to clean your plate may intersect with sensory sensitivities, scarcity fears, family food rules, and anxiety about grocery costs.
Dr. Marianne discusses making peace with throwing away food while supporting nourishment, autonomy, and eating disorder recovery. With a neurodivergent-affirming approach, she considers how autism and ADHD can complicate leftovers, food preparation, and the expectation to finish everything.
ARFID, Sensory Sensitivities, & Food Waste Guilt
A familiar food can become difficult to eat when its texture, temperature, or smell changes. For someone with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, discarding that food may bring up shame about money or frustration with their sensory needs. Learn how shifting the question to “What would help me eat now?” can support access to food without adding pressure.
Binge Eating & the Pressure to Clean Your Plate
Thoughts like “I need to finish this before it goes bad” or “I won’t be allowed to eat this tomorrow” can make food decisions feel urgent. Dr. Marianne examines food waste guilt, restrictive food rules, and permission to save food for later. She also explains why eating past comfortable fullness does not automatically mean someone has binge eating disorder.
Food Scarcity, Family Rules, & Eating Disorder Recovery
Childhood messages about gratitude, money, and finishing every bite can remain powerful in adulthood. Current food insecurity also deserves practical support. Hear ways to identify the fear beneath the guilt and respond with greater self-compassion.
ADHD, Autism, & Practical Food Support
Visible leftovers, accessible safe foods, freezing portions, and convenient packaging may make food management easier. The focus stays on accommodations that fit your sensory needs, executive functioning, budget, and capacity.
Permission to discard food does not create a requirement to leave food behind. Adequate nourishment and your individual recovery needs remain central.
Work With Dr. Marianne
Dr. Marianne offers eating disorder therapy, including ARFID and binge eating disorder support, in California and Washington, D.C., with in-person appointments in San Diego and virtual coaching available worldwide. Visit DrMarianneMiller.com to learn more.
For adults with ARFID, parents, caregivers, and providers, the ARFID and Selective Eating Course offers neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-attuned education.
Follow Dr. Marianne on Instagram @drmariannemiller and follow Dr. Marianne-Land on Apple Podcasts for more conversations about ARFID, binge eating, autism, ADHD, and eating disorder recovery.

14 hours ago

15 min

2 days ago

15 min

Living in a larger body doesn’t mean eating comes easily. Sensory issues with food, difficulty recognizing hunger, and the executive functioning demands of preparing meals can make eating challenging. Anti-fat bias can leave those struggles unseen or dismissed.
Dr. Marianne brings her perspective as an eating disorder therapist, a fat autistic woman, and someone with lived experience of eating disorders and recovery to this conversation about body size, autism, ADHD, and food struggles.
Autism, Sensory Issues With Food, and Body Size
Food textures, smells, temperatures, and unpredictable ingredients can make eating overwhelming for autistic people in any body size. Familiar brands, packaged foods, and repeated meals can provide predictability. Learn why sensory needs deserve respect and how pressure to eliminate accessible foods can make eating harder.
ADHD and Executive Functioning Challenges With Eating
Meal planning, grocery shopping, remembering to eat, and preparing food involve multiple executive functioning skills. ADHD can make it difficult to start cooking, shift away from a task, or choose a meal. Being in a larger body doesn’t make those barriers disappear.
Weight Stigma and Unrecognized Eating Struggles
Assumptions about weight can prevent people from receiving support for restrictive eating, ARFID, and other eating difficulties. Dr. Marianne discusses how anti-fat bias adds shame and why providers and loved ones need to ask about someone’s experience rather than make assumptions based on appearance.
Neurodivergent-Affirming Support for Eating
Making eating more accessible may involve convenient meals, sensory accommodations, fewer preparation steps, and practical support. Hear ways to communicate your needs, set boundaries around food commentary, and build eating routines that fit your autistic or ADHD brain.
Eating Disorder Therapy and ARFID Resources
Dr. Marianne offers neurodivergent-affirming, weight-neutral eating disorder therapy in California and Washington, D.C. Visit DrMarianneMiller.com to learn about support for eating disorders, ARFID, and eating challenges.
For sensory-attuned education for adults, parents, and providers, visit the ARFID and Selective Eating Course. Follow @drmariannemiller on Instagram.
Share this episode with someone who wants to better understand autism, ADHD, and struggling to eat in a larger body.

2 days ago

15 min

3 days ago

36 min

Eating disorder recovery needs trust, connection, and care that sees the whole person. Dr. Melissa Spann joins Dr. Marianne to discuss why the therapeutic relationship matters in eating disorder treatment and body image therapy, alongside nutrition support, medical stabilization, and evidence-based interventions.
Drawing from nearly 25 years in the eating disorder field, Dr. Spann shares insights from her book, Building and Maintaining Authentic Relationships in Eating Disorders and Body Image Therapy. Together, they discuss therapist authenticity, feeling seen in treatment, and how weight stigma can undermine recovery.
WHY CONNECTION MATTERS IN EATING DISORDER RECOVERY
The therapeutic alliance is the collaborative relationship between a clinician and the person receiving care. Dr. Spann explains why a treatment manual cannot replace presence, attunement, and trust. How a therapist listens, responds, and connects shapes the experience of eating disorder therapy.
Dr. Marianne and Dr. Spann also discuss “common factors,” the elements that different therapy approaches share, and why those relational foundations deserve attention alongside specific treatment techniques.
EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT AND THE PERSON RECEIVING CARE
Eating disorder treatment often emphasizes measurable outcomes, including nutritional and medical stabilization. Those needs matter, and so does the person experiencing treatment.
The conversation considers how clinicians can use approaches such as family-based treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy while staying responsive to individual needs. Dr. Spann reflects on the pressures of higher levels of care and the importance of maintaining human connection within structured programs.
WEIGHT STIGMA AND BODY IMAGE THERAPY
Weight bias can appear within eating disorder care, including treatment team conversations, family expectations, and inaccessible spaces. Dr. Spann and Dr. Marianne discuss how anti-fat bias affects both clients and clinicians, and why addressing it belongs in conversations about authentic, respectful care.
They also address the challenges of supporting young people when parents fear weight gain, and why eating disorder recovery requires examining the messages families receive about body size.
AUTHENTICITY AND FEELING SEEN IN THERAPY
Showing up authentically creates room for honest conversations about shame, identity, and vulnerability. Dr. Marianne shares reflections on autistic and ADHD masking, expectations to please others, and practicing as a therapist in a larger body.
A trusting therapeutic relationship can also offer a starting point for recognizing and building safer connections beyond therapy.
ABOUT DR. MELISSA SPANN
Melissa Spann, PhD, MBA, is a certified eating disorder specialist, clinical supervisor, educator, and healthcare leader specializing in complex eating disorders, trauma, and adolescent development. She serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami. Her book, Building and Maintaining Authentic Relationships in Eating Disorders and Body Image Therapy, addresses the relational foundations of clinical care.
WORK WITH DR. MARIANNE
Dr. Marianne is an eating disorder therapist with nearly 30 years of experience as a therapist. She offers neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, weight-neutral therapy in California and Washington, D.C., including in-person appointments in San Diego.
Visit drmariannemiller.com to learn about eating disorder therapy, global coaching, and parent consultation. Her ARFID & Selective Eating Course offers self-paced education for adults, parents, caregivers, and providers.
CONTENT CAUTIONS
This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, weight stigma, anti-fat discrimination, parental comments about body size, treatment experiences, and brief references to GLP-1 medications and “food noise.”

3 days ago

36 min

7 days ago

12 min

Feeling like a burden can make asking for ARFID support harder than staying silent. Dr. Marianne discusses food anxiety, shame, and the fear of drawing attention to your eating needs, with practical language for requesting safe foods and setting boundaries.
ARFID, Food Anxiety, & Feeling Like a Burden
Living with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder can mean checking restaurant menus, planning around familiar foods, and anticipating comments about your plate. Past criticism or pressure may make asking for accommodations feel vulnerable. Dr. Marianne addresses how guilt can lead you to hide your needs, even when that means going without food you can eat.
Autism, ADHD, & Hiding Your Food Needs
For autistic people and ADHDers, ARFID self-advocacy may connect with a longer history of masking sensory needs and trying to avoid inconveniencing others. Learn how these experiences can shape your willingness to request support and why needing a different approach to eating deserves understanding.
How to Ask for Safe Foods & ARFID Accommodations
Hear practical scripts for choosing a restaurant, requesting a specific food or preparation, and bringing familiar foods to gatherings. Dr. Marianne also shares ways to communicate through text or with help from a trusted person when speaking in the moment feels difficult.
Setting Boundaries Around Food Comments
Support can include less attention to your eating. Learn how to ask others to stop commenting on your plate, decline pressure to try foods, and respond when someone keeps questioning your needs. Clear requests can help you stay connected while protecting your privacy.
Who This ARFID Podcast Is For
Adults and teens with ARFID, autistic people, ADHDers, parents, partners, caregivers, and providers will find language for more supportive conversations about food. Content includes food-related criticism, shame, social eating anxiety, and difficulty accessing enough food.
ARFID Support & Resources
Learn more about Dr. Marianne’s neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-attuned, trauma-informed ARFID and Selective Eating course. Adults with ARFID, parents and caregivers, and providers will benefit.
For eating disorder therapy in California and Washington, D.C., visit drmariannemiller.com. Follow @drmariannemiller on Instagram.
This episode provides education and does not replace individualized care. If eating difficulties regularly prevent you from getting enough food or fluids, seek medical and ARFID-informed support.
Related ARFID Podcast Episodes
When Safe Foods Stop Working: ARFID Plateaus, Burnout, & What Helps on Apple & Spotify.
ARFID Explained: What It Feels Like, Why It’s Misunderstood, & What Helps on Apple & Spotify.
Why Sensory-Attuned Care Matters More Than Exposure in ARFID Treatment on Apple & Spotify.
ARFID, PDA, and Autonomy: Why Pressure Makes Eating Harder on Apple & Spotify.
Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works on Apple & Spotify.

7 days ago

12 min

Oct 21, 2026

9 min

Long-term eating disorder recovery can feel exhausting, especially when you wonder whether your body and mind can still heal. Dr. Marianne shares five small steps to support physical and emotional well-being while making room for uncertainty, ongoing symptoms, and individualized care.
Chronic Eating Disorder Recovery: Finding Hope After Years of Struggling
Years of living with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID do not determine your future. Dr. Marianne offers a compassionate, weight-neutral perspective on healing, acknowledging that some complications require ongoing treatment and that meaningful progress can take different forms.
Five Small Steps to Support Your Body & Mind
Learn how to ask for medical support, make eating more predictable, reduce daily overload, understand the functions of eating disorder behaviors, and recognize specific signs of progress. These manageable starting points can complement a treatment plan without turning recovery into another performance standard.
Autism, ADHD & Accessible Eating Disorder Support
Sensory overwhelm, executive functioning challenges, and unclear hunger cues can make eating harder. Dr. Marianne discusses mechanical eating, familiar foods, convenience foods, and accommodations that help autistic people and ADHDers make nourishment more accessible.
Understanding Eating Disorder Behaviors Without Shame
Restriction, binge eating, and purging may serve different functions, including temporary relief, comfort, or certainty. Understanding what happens before an urge can help you identify nutritional, emotional, sensory, and relational needs with your treatment team.
Recognizing Progress in Long-Term Eating Disorder Recovery
Asking for help sooner, accepting meal support, or returning to your care plan after a difficult day can represent meaningful change. Persistent symptoms still deserve attention, even as you acknowledge improvements in daily functioning and quality of life.
Content Cautions & Medical Safety
Includes discussion of chronic eating disorders, restriction, binge eating, purging, and physical symptoms. Educational content does not replace individualized treatment. Increasing nutrition after significant restriction may require medical supervision.
Related Episodes
Anorexia & Binge Eating: The Binge-Restrict Cycle in Long-Term Eating Disorder Recovery on Apple & Spotify.
Beyond Anorexia: The Truth About Long-Term Restrictive Eating on Apple & Spotify.
Anorexia & Bulimia Recovery: 5 Ways to Manage Eating Overwhelm in Long-Term Eating Disorders on Apple & Spotify.
Eating Disorder Therapy & ARFID Resources
Dr. Marianne offers eating disorder therapy in California and Washington, D.C. Her neurodivergent-affirming ARFID and Selective Eating course provides education for adults, parents, caregivers, and providers.
Learn more at DrMarianneMiller.com and find the course at DrMarianneMiller.com/arfid. Follow @drmariannemiller on Instagram.

Oct 21, 2026

9 min

Oct 20, 2026

13 min

Transitioning from residential eating disorder treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), or intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) can bring relief, uncertainty, and new demands. For autistic people and ADHDers, losing built-in meal support while navigating changes in routines, sensory environments, and daily responsibilities can make eating disorder recovery feel harder than expected.
Dr. Marianne, an AuDHD eating disorder therapist with nearly 30 years of experience as a therapist, discusses how to build a transition plan that supports your brain, nourishment, and ongoing care.
Autism, Transitions & Eating Disorder Recovery
For many autistic people, even positive changes require significant adjustment. Leaving familiar providers, schedules, and spaces can add stress alongside the everyday transitions involved in preparing and eating meals. Learn how advance notice, written plans, predictable routines, and opportunities to practice can support the move toward outpatient eating disorder care.
ADHD, Executive Function & Meal Support
Remembering meals, switching tasks, grocery shopping, and preparing food require executive-function skills. Dr. Marianne explains why following a nutrition plan can become more difficult when program support decreases and how accessible foods, practical reminders, and help from trusted people can reduce barriers.
Sensory Needs, ARFID & Recovery Accommodations
Sensory overload, unfamiliar foods, and unpredictable household expectations can complicate eating after treatment. Hear how sensory accommodations, familiar foods, and convenient meals may support nourishment, with guidance from your eating disorder treatment team. The conversation also addresses distinguishing supportive accommodations from patterns that maintain restriction.
Discharge Planning & Ongoing Eating Disorder Support
A useful discharge plan identifies who will provide medical monitoring, nutrition support, therapy, and practical help. Dr. Marianne discusses communicating treatment experiences, adjusting responsibilities, and recognizing early signs that support needs to change. Needing additional care does not erase your progress.
Who This Episode Is For
Autistic adults, ADHDers, and people with both autism and ADHD who are transitioning between levels of eating disorder care will find practical support here. Parents, partners, caregivers, and providers supporting recovery from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID may also benefit.
Content Cautions & Medical Guidance
Includes discussion of eating disorder treatment, missed meals, binge urges, restriction, and compensatory behaviors, without graphic details. This episode provides education and does not replace individualized care. Consult your treatment team about nutrition, medical monitoring, and changes in your level of care.
Related Episodes
Eating Disorder Recovery, Higher Level of Care, & Renourishment With Amy Ornelas, RD on Apple & Spotify.
Eating Disorder Therapy & ARFID Resources
Dr. Marianne offers neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder therapy in California and Washington, D.C. Learn more at drmariannemiller.com.
For adults with ARFID, caregivers, and providers, find the ARFID and Selective Eating course at drmariannemiller.com/arfid.
Follow @drmariannemiller on Instagram.

Oct 20, 2026

13 min

Oct 19, 2026

33 min

Dating in a larger body can bring up body image struggles, dating anxiety, and fears of rejection. Messages from diet culture can convince you that you have to lose weight before someone will find you attractive or want a relationship with you.
In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, Dr. Marianne welcomes back body image educator and licensed mental health counselor Bri Campos for an honest conversation about dating while fat, body grief, and making room for connection without waiting for your body to change.
Body Image, Dating Anxiety, & Fear of Rejection
Bri shares how she spent years believing her body size stood between her and finding love. She reflects on hiding her body, questioning whether someone could genuinely find her attractive, and learning to approach dating with greater self-trust.
Dr. Marianne and Bri explore how body image concerns can become a focus when dating brings up vulnerability. They discuss the fear of rejection that can remain even after substantial body image work, and why difficult feelings deserve curiosity and compassion.
Body Grief & Letting Go of the Thinness Requirement
Body grief can include grieving the experiences you postponed while waiting to become thin. Bri discusses how her body grief work helped her question the belief that love, attraction, and belonging require a smaller body.
The conversation also explores fat representation in romance novels, narrow beauty standards, and the cultural messages that make it harder to imagine yourself as someone’s romantic lead.
ADHD, Autism, Masking, & Dating
Dr. Marianne and Bri discuss how neurodivergence can shape dating and social experiences. Unfamiliar places, sensory overwhelm, small talk, and pressure to mask can create discomfort that you might attribute to your body size.
They reflect on the importance of recognizing your actual needs, choosing more comfortable environments, and questioning whether the desire for thinness sometimes connects to a desire for social acceptance.
Small Steps Toward Connection
You can explore dating at a pace that respects your capacity. Bri shares examples of manageable starting points, such as creating a dating profile before committing to a date.
Together, Dr. Marianne and Bri discuss treating emotional reactions as information, making space for uncertainty, and recognizing that a hard body image day does not erase your progress.
About Bri Campos
Bri Campos is a licensed mental health counselor based in New Jersey, a body image educator, and the founder of Body Image With Bri. She combines clinical experience and lived experience through a fat-positive approach, with a particular focus on body grief.
You can follow Bri on Instagram @bodyimagewithbri.
Explore her podcast, free seven-step body image and body grief guide, Body Grievers course, and resources for providers through Body Image With Bri at her website: https://www.bodyimagewithbri.com/
Related Episodes
Fat Vulnerability & Our Eating Disorder Recovery Stories With Bri Campos @bodyimagewithbri on Apple & Spotify.
Eating Disorders in Midlife: Ageism, Body Image, & the Pressure to Stay Thin & Young With Deb Benfield, RDN @agingbodyliberation on Apple & Spotify.
Resilience Skills for Body Image & Disordered Eating: Cultivating Confidence With Rachelle Heinemann, LMHC, LPC on Apple & Spotify.
Work With Dr. Marianne
Dr. Marianne offers neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, weight-neutral support for body image concerns and eating disorders. She provides therapy in California and Washington, D.C., including in-person sessions in the Scripps Ranch/Mira Mesa area of San Diego, and virtual coaching for clients worldwide.
Visit drmariannemiller.com to learn about working with Dr. Marianne. For sensory-attuned education about ARFID and neurodivergent eating experiences, explore her ARFID & Selective Eating Course.
Subscribe to Dr. Marianne-Land for more conversations about body image, neurodivergence, and eating disorder recovery.

Oct 19, 2026

33 min

Oct 16, 2026

15 min

AI chatbots can offer quick answers and a sense of support, but they can also reinforce food rules, reassurance seeking, and eating disorder behaviors. Dr. Marianne examines how AI use can complicate eating disorder recovery and where these tools might provide limited, practical support.
AI & Eating Disorder Recovery: Benefits and Risks
Learn how chatbot responses can reinforce restriction, exercise compensation, and weight stigma in people with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Dr. Marianne also discusses why a reassuring answer may still undermine recovery and how repeated questions about food can become a checking ritual.
Autism, ADHD, ARFID & AI Support
For autistic people and ADHDers, chatbots may offer an accessible way to organize thoughts, draft messages, and break everyday tasks into smaller steps. However, generic advice can overlook sensory needs, executive functioning challenges, and the complexity of ARFID. Hear examples of possible uses that support communication and existing care plans.
What Research Says About Eating Disorder Chatbots
Dr. Marianne explains the distinction between open-ended AI chatbots and structured tools developed specifically for eating disorder support. Early findings from a small chatbot trial offer promise, but they do not establish that everyday AI tools can safely replace eating disorder therapy or medical care.
Recognizing When AI Use Undermines Recovery
Consider whether chatbot use helps you take a supported recovery step or increases checking, secrecy, body comparison, and food anxiety. Learn why bringing AI conversations to your treatment team can help you assess their role in your recovery.
Eating Disorder Therapy With Dr. Marianne
Dr. Marianne provides eating disorder therapy in California and Washington, D.C., including neurodivergent-affirming support for ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. Visit drmariannemiller.com to learn about working with her.
Content Cautions
Includes discussion of restriction, binge eating, compensatory behaviors, weight stigma, and body image without numbers or behavioral instructions. This conversation provides education and does not replace individualized treatment or medical assessment.

Oct 16, 2026

15 min

Oct 14, 2026

15 min

Eating disorder recovery happens within your daily life. For autistic people and ADHDers, sensory overload, executive functioning challenges, masking, and demanding schedules can make consistent nourishment harder. Building a life that fits your brain means taking those needs seriously and creating support that makes recovery more accessible.
Dr. Marianne shares how neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder recovery can include changes to your routines, relationships, work environment, and expectations of yourself.
Sensory Needs, Executive Functioning, & Regular Eating
Learn how quieter eating spaces, predictable meals, convenient foods, and practical help can reduce barriers to nourishment. Dr. Marianne discusses why reminders alone may fall short when choosing, preparing, and accessing food require more energy than you have available.
For people with autism, ADHD, ARFID, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, individualized support can help make recovery practices more manageable.
Boundaries, Masking, & Neurodivergent Support
Protecting meal breaks, allowing time to rest, and communicating sensory needs can create more room for recovery. Hear how to ask for concrete help, approach unmasking with attention to safety, and discuss the difference between supportive accommodations and restrictive eating disorder rules with your treatment team.
Work With Dr. Marianne
Dr. Marianne offers neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder therapy for clients in California and Washington, D.C., including in-person appointments in San Diego and telehealth in both locations. Visit drmariannemiller.com to learn about working with her.
Take the ARFID & Selective Eating Course
For more support understanding ARFID, autism, ADHD, and sensory food challenges, take Dr. Marianne’s ARFID and Selective Eating Course. This self-paced course offers neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-attuned, and trauma-informed education for adults, parents, caregivers, and providers.

Oct 14, 2026

15 min

Oct 12, 2026

29 min

Do chewing, crunching, or slurping sounds make you feel anxious, overwhelmed, disgusted, or desperate to leave? In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, Dr. Marianne welcomes clinical psychologist and author Dr. Tom to explore misophonia, sound triggers, and their impact on eating, relationships, and everyday life.
Drawing on his personal experience with misophonia and his book, Stop That Chewing, Dr. Tom shares coping approaches and discusses how families can respond with understanding and compassion.
What Is Misophonia?
Misophonia involves strong emotional and physical reactions to specific sounds. Chewing sounds and other mouth noises are common triggers, but reactions vary. Some people experience anxiety or disgust, while others feel anger, overwhelm, or an urgent need to escape.
Dr. Marianne and Dr. Tom discuss how recognizing these experiences can help people explain their needs and reduce shame.
Misophonia, ARFID, & Sensory Sensitivities
When eating sounds feel unbearable, sharing a meal can become overwhelming. Dr. Marianne and Dr. Tom explore how misophonia can complicate mealtimes for some people with ARFID—avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.
The conversation also touches on autism, ADHD, and sensory sensitivities, including the distinction between specific misophonia triggers and broader sensitivity to sound.
Misophonia in Kids & Teens: Supporting Families Without Blame
A child or teen who avoids family dinner may be struggling with sound triggers they cannot easily explain. Parents may feel rejected, while their child feels misunderstood. These experiences can create tension and disconnection around meals.
Dr. Marianne and Dr. Tom discuss a collaborative, blame-free approach that includes family education, flexible meal arrangements, background sound, and communication. The goal is to support sensory needs while strengthening family relationships.
Misophonia Coping Strategies & Treatment Approaches
Dr. Tom introduces his ABCD approach and “five-second plan” for responding to misophonia triggers. He describes environmental adjustments, breathing, muscle relaxation, and ways to address self-critical thoughts or assumptions that others are making sounds intentionally.
The conversation also explores cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), carefully paced exposure, and possible medication as topics to discuss with qualified providers. Dr. Marianne emphasizes the value of choice, including knowing you can pause or leave an overwhelming situation.
Self-Compassion When Chewing Sounds Feel Overwhelming
A strong reaction to eating sounds does not make you a bad person. Understanding your triggers and responding to yourself with compassion can help reduce the shame that often accompanies misophonia.
Dr. Marianne and Dr. Tom explore how families can acknowledge distress without blaming either the person experiencing misophonia or the person making the sound.
About Dr. Tom Phelan & Stop That Chewing
Dr. Tom Phelan is a clinical psychologist with more than 40 years of experience working with children, families, and adults. He is the author of a widely read parenting book called 1-2-3 Magic. Stop That Chewing is his recent book, which explores misophonia and approaches to support individuals and families.
Learn more at StopThatChewing.com.
Contact Dr. Marianne for Misophonia Support
Are sound triggers affecting your meals, relationships, or daily life? Contact Dr. Marianne to discuss misophonia support and explore your needs, sensory experiences, and options for care.
You deserve space to talk about what feels overwhelming and support that takes your experience seriously.
Explore Dr. Marianne’s ARFID & Selective Eating Course
If you or someone you support struggles with ARFID or selective eating, explore Dr. Marianne’s ARFID and Selective Eating Course. The course offers deeper education about ARFID, sensory experiences, and neurodivergent perspectives on eating.
Visit Dr. Marianne’s website to learn more about the course and contact her for support.

Oct 12, 2026

29 min

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