Episode description:

In this episode of Peace Meal, we’re joined by two North Carolina-based Emily Program clinicians, Mem Wood and Elysse Thebner Miller, to talk all things Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID.

Mem and Elysse unpack what makes ARFID different from ordinary food preferences, why it can emerge at any age, and how symptoms may affect nutrition, growth, medical stability, and daily life. They describe the three ARFID subtypes, share what treatment actually looks like, and highlight signs that often indicate it’s time to seek support.

This episode also introduces The Emily Program’s new specialized residential and inpatient programming for adults with ARFID in the Raleigh–Durham area—the only dedicated adult program of its kind nationwide.

About Mem & Elysse:

Mem Wood (she/her) is the Regional Clinical Director, North Carolina at The Emily Program. She holds an MS in clinical mental health counseling from Florida International University. Mem trained and worked at the Renfrew Center of South Florida before joining The Emily Program, where she has served in various roles for nearly eight years.

Elysse Thebner Miller (she/her) is the Regional Nutrition Manager at The Emily Program’s North Carolina centers. She holds a BS in health sciences from Ithaca College and an MPH in nutrition from UNC-Chapel Hill. Elysse previously worked at the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders as both a clinician and research dietitian, supporting clients across all levels of care.

We cover:

How ARFID develops and why it’s often misunderstood as “picky eating”

Key differences among the three ARFID subtypes

What ARFID looks like in real life—at school, in college, at home, and in social settings

How food avoidance can intensify and narrow someone’s world

What renourishment, exposure-based food discovery, and body-awareness skills look like in treatment

How clinicians determine the appropriate level of care for ARFID

Practical signs that it may be time to seek help for a child, teen, or adult

In Mem & Elysse's words:

On how ARFID can shrink a person’s world: “Often by the time folks come into our care, they're eating a really limited number of foods…They might have only four or five foods that they're eating at all, or they might have such a high degree of brand specificity. I think that degree of avoidance and limitation is sometimes what brings folks in. They're like, my world has gotten smaller and smaller. I can't really function anymore.”

On the importance of taking ARFID concerns seriously: “If there is a suspicion that there’s something going on, it's worth investigating…especially if you've known somebody maybe at a point where their relationship with food was more normative, and now things feel like they're different and [you] can't quite pinpoint why…Getting early care and early treatment [offer] a way to change course and help somebody get back on track.”

On how to support a loved one in seeking help for ARFID: “If it feels like something's going on for your loved one, you know you're probably right… expressing concern calmly and not judgmentally is helpful, and then doing whatever you can to support them in taking the next step. If we're talking about a young adult, it's really helpful to sit with them and look at a website or make that initial call to a provider… because we know how hard it can be to take that first step to getting help.”

Additional Resources:

Mem and Elysse welcome questions about eating disorders from individuals, families, and providers. They can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].

If you or someone you love may be experiencing ARFID and The Emily Program isn’t in your area, the following organizations offer valuable support:

The National Alliance for Eating Disorders: A national nonprofit offering a therapist-staffed helpline, free virtual support groups, and personalized referrals to eating disorder treatment providers.

iaedp Foundation: Provides education, training, and a directory of eating disorder–informed providers, including therapists and dietitians who work with ARFID.

About the podcast:

Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking.

You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends!

Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email [email protected] for more information.