Hi Reader, If you've read the last couple of Allergy Counseling Zone emails, you already know that I'm in the full swing of fall conference season, presenting to both provider and patient populations throughout North America this fall. That means my conference prep is your gain! Having already looked at the impacts food allergy has on key development and functioning within individuals and families in the last couple of emails, let's look through the third and final lens: the systems lens....
over 2 years ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, With October comes Halloween - and a flurry of thoughts swirling around in the minds' of parents of kids with food allergies. "How should we approach Trick-or-Treating?" "Should I even let my child Trick-or-Treat?" "If we do, how do we balance safety and fun?" The truth is, the answers to these questions come from a shared decision-making process between parents, their child, and sometimes even the allergist. (I highly encourage you to call your healthcare team to ask safety...
over 2 years ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I am so excited to share this incredible news with you.... My debut book, Navigating the Overwhelm of Allergy Parenting is finally happening, and will be published by Johns Hopkins University Press! Here's the official announcement being shared on Publisher's Marketplace: "Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC, international speaker and allergy mental health expert, has signed with Johns Hopkins University Press to author a book offering Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based guidance for...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, As I mentioned in the last Allergy Counseling Zone email, my recent fall conference preparations means that there's a lot of useful information at my fingertips to share with all of you! Since we previously used a developmental lens to look at the impacts food allergy has on people, let's now take a different view by looking through a functional lens. More specifically, let's look at exploring how food allergy impacts functioning in these four areas: mental health, behavioral...
over 2 years ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever wondered if those managing food allergies have higher rates of eating disorders (ED) or disordered eating patterns than those without food allergies? While research has established that there are higher rates of ED in those diagnosed with chronic conditions managed by dietary interventions such as diabetes and celiac disease, there isn't much research available about food allergy and ED. Which is why I was excited to see this article which explores a review of the...
over 2 years ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Recently, my time has been filled with preparing for SIX presentations I'm either presenting or co-presenting this fall, which got me thinking....what tidbits of information from these sessions should I share in these Allergy Counseling Zone emails? While I can't go as in depth as I will in these presentations, these next few emails will share little snippets of clinical information that you can dig deeper into as time allows. So let's jump right in! Did you know that there are a...
over 2 years ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Let's talk about online health groups. Inevitably, this topic comes up in my work with clients, as well as in my community presentations.....often. That's because research shows that many use online health groups and social media as a main source of health information. In fact, this Pew Research article shares the following related stats: 77% say they began at a search engine such as Google 13% say they began at a health information site like WebMD 2% say they started their...
over 2 years ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, I often get asked the following questions about food allergies and counseling: "Does everyone with a food allergy diagnosis need therapy?" "If not, when would those managing food allergies most benefit from mental health services?" Have you wondered about these questions, too? Let's explore.... Q: Does everyone with a food allergy diagnosis need therapy? A: No, not everyone managing allergies needs to attend therapy. Whether someone feels they need therapy is based on a number of...
over 2 years ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader For parents with kids and teens managing food allergies and allergic conditions, the start of the new school year can be a particularly stressful time of year. Especially when transitioning to a new school or building, the fear of the unknowns can take over and crank up the anxious thoughts. As a parent of a teen with food allergy, I get it! I have experienced (and still do experience) food allergy-related anxiety at various points in this parenting journey. After all, just because...
over 2 years ago • 4 min read