Ep 66: Understanding ARFID: Sensory Sensitivities, Fear-Based Avoidance & Neurodiversity with Becky Grace Irwin

Dec 28, 2025
43 mins

Episode Description

In this episode of Just Eat Normally, host Dr. Rachel Evans speaks with Becky Grace Irwin,  a BABCP-accredited CBT & EMDR therapist, mental health nurse, and specialist in neurodiversity, complex trauma, eating disorders, and ARFID. Becky brings a mix of clinical expertise and lived experience as she shares how childhood environment, sensory processing, autonomy, and developmental factors shape someone’s relationship with food.

Together we explore:

  • What ARFID actually is (and what it isn’t)

  • Sensory sensitivities, fear of adverse consequences, and low-interest presentations

  • Misconceptions about “picky eating”

  • Why some people rely heavily on “safe foods” and predictable food brands

  • Links between ARFID, neurodiversity (especially ADHD & autism), and interception

  • How shame, pressure, and family dynamics impact eating behaviours

  • The importance of understanding individual differences rather than pigeonholing people

  • Ways adults with ARFID can navigate relationships, social eating, and recovery

Connect with Rachel

Dr. Rachel Evans is a psychologist, hypnotherapist and eating disorder survivor. She brings together academic knowledge and theories, therapeutic skills and personal experience for a unique perspective on eating disorder recovery.

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://eatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rachel.evans.phd/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/rachel.evans.phd

Connect with Becky

https://www.beckygracetherapy.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/beckygracetherapy

https://www.facebook.com/beckygracetherapy



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