The five things they will eat.
ARFID isn't picky eating — it's a clinical disorder with evidence-based treatment, covered by your insurance, delivered virtually anywhere in California.
In-network with Dr. Habashy: Aetna · Carelon · Cigna · Oscar. Don't see your plan? The 15-minute consultation is free regardless of insurance. Out-of-network superbills provided for PPO reimbursement. HSA/FSA accepted.
Why ARFID isn't “just picky eating”
The list is short. You know it by heart. Plain pasta. Crackers. Apple slices — but only if the skin is off. Yogurt — but only one brand. You've been told they will grow out of it. You've been told to “just keep offering.” You know this is not a phase.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) was formally added to the DSM in 2013. It isn't about body image or willfulness — it's driven by sensory sensitivity, low interest in food, or fear of aversive consequences. And it has evidence-based treatment that most pediatricians don't know to refer for.
An evidence-based path that actually works
The leading evidence-based protocol for ARFID is CBT-AR (CBT for ARFID), developed by Jennifer Thomas and Kamryn Eddy at Massachusetts General Hospital. It targets each of the three ARFID subtypes with tailored intervention. For younger children, Family-Based Treatment adapted for ARFID puts parents in charge of structured exposure. For adolescents and adults, CBT-AR is collaborative skill-building.
What the research says
In published trials of CBT-AR, the majority of participants no longer meet criteria for ARFID by the end of treatment, with measurable improvement in food variety and nutritional status. CBT-AR is the most established evidence-based protocol for what remains a young diagnosis. (Thomas JJ, Eddy KT, et al. Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School. Open trial 2017, RCT findings 2020.)
What this will actually feel like
You learn the difference between sensory hesitation and a fear response. The first work is figuring out which subtype is driving the restriction — because the treatment branches from there.
You build an effective graduated exposure plan. Not “just keep offering.” A structured, paced approach where the brain learns safety with each repetition — small wins compounding.
You learn the regulation skills the hard moments require. Parents learn how to hold the structure without escalating. Older kids and adults learn to ride the wave of discomfort instead of avoiding it.
You build a toolkit that travels. School cafeterias, restaurants, sleepovers — the skills generalize, by design. Where nutritional rehabilitation is needed, Dr. Habashy coordinates with your pediatrician or dietitian as part of the team.
Dr. Jessica Habashy, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist · CA PSY36582
Dr. Habashy specializes in evidence-based eating disorder treatment across the lifespan — anorexia, bulimia, ARFID, OSFED, and binge eating disorder. She trained at UCSD's Eating Disorders Center (one of the country's leading FBT training sites) and in Stanford-area private practice, and works with manualized FBT, CBT-E, DBT, and ACT. She works virtually with families and individuals across California, with particular care for first-generation, LGBTQ+, and culturally marginalized families whose experiences have often been dismissed in conventional treatment.
You've been told it's a phase, and you know it isn't.
No commitment, no intake forms — just a conversation about what you're facing and whether specialized ARFID treatment is the right next step. In-network: Aetna · Carelon · Cigna · Oscar; out-of-network superbills + HSA/FSA accepted.