Trauma-informed feeding therapy is about more than just food. It’s about safety, trust and connection.
We will focus on helping your child feel safe and seen at the table. We’ll consider their medical, sensory and language needs while centering relationship, regulation and joy.
If mealtimes feel hard, you don’t have to do it alone.
What Is Trauma-Informed Feeding Therapy?
Trauma-informed feeding therapy recognizes that every child brings their own story to the table, including experiences of medical trauma, sensory overwhelm or feeling misunderstood during mealtimes. Instead of focusing on “fixing” feeding challenges, a trauma-informed feeding therapy approach begins with safety, trust and connection.
We slow things down, attune to the child's cues and build a foundation where mealtimes feel safe, predictable and empowering. We dig deep to understand what might be going on medically, what their past experiences with feeding were and what their interests are to support curiosity and interest in food.
Trauma-informed therapy shifts the goal from getting food in, to getting relationship in. Because a child who feels safe is a child who can explore, connect, and eventually grow their relationship with food on their own terms. In this work, we honor the nervous system. We don’t push past a child’s discomfort… we get curious about it.
We look at the whole environment: the sights, sounds, smells and expectations that shape the mealtime experience. We collaborate closely with families to co-regulate, reconnect and gently reintroduce joy at the table. Feeding becomes less about what’s on the plate, and more about how we show up for each other at the table.
What Trauma-Informed Feeding Therapy Looks Like
Sitting on the floor with pretend food instead of starting at the table
Determining appropriate referrals to help children feel safe medically
Exploring food through play, movement or storytelling
Taking breaks from food altogether to focus on safety and connection
Helping caregivers notice and respond to a child’s cues without pressure
Co-regulating through big emotions when food feels hard
Valuing trust and curiosity over compliance or bite counts
Every session looks different because every child is different. But what stays the same is our commitment to connection first, food second.
Let’s work together
If you’re feeling unsure, overwhelmed or just ready for a new path, you’re in the right place.
Book Your Free 15-Minute Call!