Rewards, reinforcers, token boards… they might get your child to take one bite — but at what cost?

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what most ABA-based feeding approaches miss entirely: connection. I’ll share my own experience working in an intensive ABA setting, the moment I realized something was deeply wrong, and what’s really required to help kids truly learn to love food.

We’ll unpack:
✨ Why compliance doesn’t equal progress
✨ What ABA gets wrong about oral motor, sensory, and gut issues
✨ How to build safety and curiosity instead of power struggles

If you’ve been told rewards are the only way… or if your gut says “there has to be a better approach,” this is your permission to trust it.

Because your child deserves more than a sticker for swallowing.

🎧 Ready to go beyond behavior? Take the quiz at thepickyeaterstest.com to discover what’s actually keeping your child stuck — and how to help them move forward.