A promising new evidence-based treatment for individuals with ARFID and picky eaters!
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a complex eating disorder characterized by an individual’s persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and energy needs. Click here to learn more about ARFID.
Treating ARFID is challenging, especially in children and adolescents. One promising approach is the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) program.
What is SPACE?
The SPACE program was developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center and is designed to help parents manage and reduce their child’s anxiety and related disorders, including ARFID.
It is a cost effective, quick 10-week program.
SPACE is unique because it focuses on the parent/caregiver and their approach in the home, rather than directly targeting the child and the child’s anxiety symptoms. It doesn’t touch your child’s behavior – you don’t need to fight or bribe your child and you’ll still see progress.
The SPACE-ARFID approach focuses on flexibility in eating habits and adjustment in food related situations. The primary goal of SPACE-ARFID is to alter parental responses to a child’s problematic eating behaviors by reducing family accommodation and increasing supportive responses. SPACE-ARFID teaches parents to systematically reduce these accommodations, thereby encouraging the child to face and overcome their food-related anxieties. This approach has been supported by small-scale studies and clinical observations, showing promising results in reducing the impairment caused by ARFID and helping children develop healthier eating patterns. Check out this article highlighting the benefits of a parent-based approach and ARFID.
Read more about the Core Components and Benefits of SPACE on our blog.
Our SPACE Treatment
Are you ready to see your child with ARFID make feeding progress and improve their nutritional intake? SPACE is designed specifically for parents of picky eaters who have tried everything, and who are ready for real change.
Self-Paced SPACE Treatment
We designed this new SPACE program to help you make meaningful progress in just 6 weeks—no appointments, no stress. If your child isn’t open to therapy—or you’re just exhausted by traditional approaches—this program is for you.
What You’ll Get Inside This Online and Self-Paced SPACE Program:
- 5 targeted video units (~2.5 hours total) — Learn exactly what to do and say, with expert-led lessons you can watch on your schedule
- Downloadable handouts and tools — Step-by-step resources to help you implement change at home
- Parent-only focus — No child participation required — perfect for resistant kids or families without access to therapy
- 100% online, fully flexible — Learn at your pace, anytime, anywhere
Therapist-led
This option will consist of six virtual 1:1 sessions led by feeding expert, Kelly Komisaruk, who is specially trained in SPACE Treatment Protocol.
These sessions will focus on laying a foundation and on individualizing the program to meet your specific needs. We will:
- Discuss parental behaviors and common accommodations that parents make for their child that often reinforce anxiety and avoidance
- Learn skills and tools to help your child expand their diet and improve their nutritional intake
- Identify your and your child’s individualized needs
- Reduce accommodations you’re providing your child
- Learn how to implement skills and tools in your day-to-day life
- Improve your ability to respond for supportively to your child’s anxiety and avoidance behaviors
Cost: $750
Please note that all SPACE Treatment purchases are non-refundable; there will be no refund for incomplete or missed sessions. We appreciate your understanding and commitment to your therapy journey.
Questions? Contact Kelly.
Not sure if SPACE is for you? Don't just take our word for it...
Check out what this parent had to say about their experience with our self-paced SPACE course:
“…Thank you for the way you have presented this course (small info bites / modules that can be paused at anytime… I had been following you on Social Media for a while and when I saw your course I jumped at the chance. I am really enjoying it.
I have just paused to write to you to thank you because honestly, I am crying right now because I feel so hopeful this SPACE approach may be the turning point…
I am going into the end of the week feeling super optimistic. Thank you – thank you – Thank you so very much for this course.”