ARFID Treatment for Adults and Adolescents in Pennsylvania
Online and in Horsham, PA
It feels like you’ve tried almost everything to make eating easier.
Meal plans, nutritionists, even powering through. But, food still feels like the enemy.
Maybe it’s been this way since childhood. Maybe it got worse after a medical scare or a period of anxiety.
Either way, it’s exhausting, isolating, and often deeply misunderstood.
If you or your teen avoids food not because of body image concerns, but because eating feels overwhelming, unsafe, or unpredictable, you might be navigating ARFID.
Early intervention for ARFID is especially important for adolescent health, as it can significantly improve health outcomes for teens.
And no, it’s not just “picky eating.”
At Reclaim Therapy, we provide trauma-informed ARFID treatment for adults and adolescents in Pennsylvania.
We offer therapy for ARFID in-person at our Horsham office and virtually statewide.
Our approach honors your nervous system, your lived experience, and your body’s protective wisdom.
We specialize in working with those who’ve been dismissed or misdiagnosed for years. Whether you're a parent seeking help for your teen, or an adult who’s quietly struggled for decades, you’re not alone,and you’re not too late.
What Is Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)?
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) is a type of eating disorder that’s not about body image. It often begins in childhood but can persist into or emerge in adulthood, especially if left untreated or misunderstood.
ARFID might look like:
Intense anxiety or aversion around certain textures, smells, or food categories
Extremely limited variety in your diet
Reliance on supplements or meal replacements due to fear or lack of appetite
Avoidance of food due to fear of choking, vomiting, or nausea
Limited food intake and avoidance of certain foods due to aversive consequences such as fear of choking, vomiting, or other negative experiences
ARFID can result in significant nutritional deficiencies and inadequate nutritional intake, impacting body weight and overall health
Unlike other eating disorders, people with ARFID do not restrict food to lose weight or because of concerns about body shape. Instead, ARFID is characterized by distinctive eating behavior and food preferences, often leading to limited food intake and challenges in achieving adequate nutrition.
For many, ARFID is a protective adaptation, often rooted in sensory sensitivity, chronic illness, medical trauma, anxiety, or experiences of emotional or relational trauma.
Common Symptoms of ARFID in Adults and Adolescents
Here are some of the most common signs and symptoms we see in adults and adolescents:
Limited range of accepted foods
High anxiety around new or unfamiliar foods
Avoidance of eating in social situations
Weight loss or nutritional deficiencies
Feeling overwhelmed, ashamed, or disconnected around food
Long-term food aversions that haven’t gone away with age
ARFID can significantly impact psychosocial functioning, interfering with social interactions, school, work, and relationships.
If this list hits close to home, we want you to understand that your struggles aren’t about being too picky or too difficult. And, you're not just being 'weird about food.'
There's usually a reason this feels so hard.
Most people we work with have been misunderstood or blamed for something their nervous system is actually trying to manage. Our job is to help you start to get curious and untangle how to feel more safe around food and in your body.
Our Approach to ARFID Treatment in Pennsylvania
We don’t just address the food behaviors, we work with the whole person. That includes the nervous system, trauma history, sensory sensitivities, attachment patterns, and your lived experience.
Here at Reclaim Therapy, ARFID treatment may include addressing nutritional deficiencies along with many other things:
CBT-AR (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID) to support gradual food flexibility in a client-led, emotionally safe way
EMDR Therapy to process food-related fears and overwhelm at a root level
Somatic therapy to help regulate the nervous system and reconnect with internal cues
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) to support sound and sensory integration
Parts work to meet avoidant or protective parts with compassion
Collaboration with dietitians or medical providers when appropriate
We’re not here to force you into foods you’re not ready for. No power-through mentality. No shame tactics. Just a steady, supportive process that meets you where you are, and honors why things got hard in the first place.
Meet Your ARFID Therapist, Ashley Fox, LAPC
Ashley is a warm, collaborative, and deeply compassionate trauma therapist with specialized training in ARFID treatment.
She brings advanced expertise in CBT-AR (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID) and is an EMDR therapist, blends structured support with nervous-system attunement.
Ashley knows that ARFID isn’t about being stubborn, it’s about safety, overwhelm, and the body’s best efforts to protect.
She partners with teens and adults to help them build flexibility with food, without shame or pressure. Her work is client-led, trauma-informed, and always grounded in deep respect for each person’s lived experience.
Whether you're seeking help for yourself or your child, you’ll find Ashley to be a steady, thoughtful support as you begin this work.
Therapy for ARFID Isn’t About Changing Who You Are
You don’t need to be convinced to try harder or eat perfectly. Our work is about slowly rebuilding trust, with your body, your cues, and the experience of nourishment.
Recovery doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly love all foods. It means you’ll feel safer, more empowered, and more resourced in your relationship with food.
This work is possible. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Get Started With Therapy for ARFID in Horsham, PA and online in Pennsylvania.
You don’t have to keep white-knuckling your way through meals, avoiding social events, or feeling stuck in a pattern that no one around you seems to understand.
If you're struggling with ARFID, whether as a teen, an adult, we're here to help. Therapy can support you in untangling the fear, anxiety, and overwhelm that make eating feel so complicated.
At Reclaim Therapy, we believe healing happens in relationship. You deserve a space where you’re not judged, pathologized, or pushed. You deserve to be supported by someone who understands that this isn’t “just picky eating.”
Our Horsham, PA eating disorder treatment center is home to a team of trauma-informed therapists, including EMDR and ARFID specialists, who are ready to walk with you, one step at a time.
Ready to Get Started? Here’s How!
Step 1
Schedule a consultation call with Sarah below!
Step 2
Meet with one of our Eating Disorder Therapists!
Step 3
Start your healing journey. You and your therapist will discuss your needs, your preferences, and your goals and you’ll tackle them together.
Frequently Asked Questions About ARFID
What is ARFID?
ARFID stands for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
It involves restrictive eating that isn’t driven by body image concerns, but instead can be connected to things like sensory sensitivities, fear of choking or getting sick, low appetite, or past experiences that made eating feel unsafe.
For a lot of people, it doesn’t feel like an “eating disorder” in the traditional sense, it just feels like eating is harder, more stressful, or more limited than it should be.
How is ARFID different from anorexia or other eating disorders?
The biggest difference is why the restriction is happening.
With ARFID, the restriction usually isn’t about weight or body image. It’s more often about:
sensory experiences (taste, texture, smell)
fear (choking, vomiting, getting sick)
or a nervous system that doesn’t feel safe around food
That doesn’t make it any less real or impactful, it’s just a different pattern that needs a different approach.
Can adults have ARFID?
Yes.
ARFID is often talked about in kids, but it absolutely shows up in adults too.
Some people have dealt with it for years without having a name for it. Others notice it becoming more limiting or stressful over time.
You’re not “too old” to get support with this.
How does therapy help with ARFID?
Therapy helps you understand what’s underneath the eating patterns.
Instead of focusing only on trying to eat differently, we look at:
what your body is reacting to
what feels unsafe about food
and how your nervous system is responding
The goal isn’t pressure. It’s helping eating feel more manageable, more flexible, and less stressful over time.
Is ARFID treatment only about trying new foods?
No, and honestly, if that’s the only focus, it usually doesn’t work very well.
Expanding food variety can be part of the process, but ARFID therapy is also about:
understanding sensory needs
working with fear and avoidance
and helping your system feel safer overall
Without that, change can feel overwhelming or forced.
Can ARFID be connected to trauma or anxiety?
Yes.
For some people, ARFID overlaps with:
anxiety
sensory sensitivity
medical or feeding-related experiences
or other moments where eating didn’t feel safe
Not everyone has a clear “cause,” but your system always has a reason for doing what it’s doing.
Therapy helps explore that without forcing a one-size-fits-all explanation.
Do you offer ARFID therapy near me?
We offer ARFID therapy in Horsham, PA and provide online therapy throughout Pennsylvania.
If you’re located anywhere in the state, virtual sessions can make this work accessible without adding more stress to your schedule.
How do I know if ARFID therapy is right for me or my child?
If eating feels:
really limited
stressful
sensory-based
or driven by fear
that’s enough to explore support.