Neurodivergence and ARFID for beginners

INTRODUCTION

The team at EDNA is thrilled to introduce our next webinar presenter, Margo White (SHe/Her), a Clinical Practising Nutritionist. Margo will be talking about Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and how it may develop and manifest, particularly in the context of neurodivergence. Margo will also provide attendees with some strategies to assist in better tailoring support systems for those who are caring for a neurodivergent person affected by ARFID, whether healthcare professionals or family members.

More details about ARFID can be foud here: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/types/arfid

WHAT WILL THE WEBINAR DISCUSS?

Join us for an insightful webinar exploring the nuances of ARFID. This webinar will cover the diagnostic criteria that are used to conceptualise and diagnose ARFID, and how it may present (i.e., signs to be on lookout for). Given that ARFID is a relatively recent diagnostic construct, there exist many misconceptions and misleading assumptions. Therefore, Margo will also attempt to clarify what ARFID is, and what it isn’t. Traditional approaches to ARFID tend not to work for neurodivergent individuals. Indeed, there are both academic and community-based resources highlighting that current mainstream approaches for eating disorders in general can prove tremendously harmful for this demographic. Therefore, it is critical to move away from ableist and/or neuronormative practices and take a more person-centred approach that allows for individualised support needs to be validated, accommodated, and addressed on a case-by-case basis.

This webinar hopes to provide attendees with a better understanding of what ARFID is, how to recognise the warning signs, and how to build support systems through a neurodiversity-affirming lens to better cater to the unique support needs of neurodivergent people. This may include matters related to food avoidance and restrictive eating, where emphasising respect, validation, autonomy, self-determination, felt safety, epistemic humility, and individualised care are of utmost importance.

This webinar is introductory in nature and does not require prior in-depth knowledge of the topic. Indeed, it has been designed to cater to a wide audience, including carers, healthcare professionals, allied health professionals, as well as gender diverse people with lived or living eating disorders.

WHO IS THE PRESENTER?

Margo is a Certified Practising Nutritionist and the founder of Whole Body Nutrition. Her practice specialises in supporting Neurodivergent individuals of all ages, genders, and backgrounds to cultivate an emotionally healthy relationship with food.

As a proud AuDHDer and mother of two, Margo understands the challenges that both her clients and their families are navigating when they present to her in the clinic. Her passion stems from her lived experience with an eating disorder in her youth and the limited information available to herself and her family when it came to understanding her feeding differences.

Margo has developed a unique style of practice that draws from a neuro-affirming, trauma informed and lived experience lens. She gently encourages her clients to understand and accept that there are different ways of eating and takes the time to validate all sensory feeding differences, which further builds on their therapeutic relationship.

To learn more about Margo’s work, click here: https://www.wholebodynutrition.com.au/

HOW CAN I ATTEND?

You will need to purchase a ticket through this platform (EventBrite). The webinar will be held through Zoom. The specific details on how to access the webinar (code) will be sent by email the day prior to the event. The event will be held on May 12th 2025 between 5PM and 7PM (Sydney time). Therefore, you will be sent the details on how to access the meeting on May 11th. If you have registered but not received the details on how to access the meeting on the morning of May 12th, please send us a message and we will address this.

WHAT IS EATING DISORDERS NEURODIVERSITY AUSTRALIA?

This event is being hosted and organised by Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia (EDNA). EDNA is a not for profit organisation based in Australia that aims to raise awareness about the disproportionate risk neurodivergent people face of developing an eating disorder. We also work towards promoting neurodiversity-affirming care. EDNA is an exclusively lived experience-led organisation. Indeed, all board members are all neurodivergent with lived or living experience of an eating disorder.

To learn more about EDNA, visit their website: https://www.edneuroaus.com/

We are also on social media: @EDNeuroAus

Host or Publisher Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia