As an allergy mental health expert, my emails share evidence-based information that you and your patients can apply in practical ways. At the same time, these emails are written in the same warm and relatable tone I use in all of my content. You'll feel as if we're sitting down, talking over a cup of coffee (or tea, since I'm not a coffee drinker)! And if you haven't visited my website, be sure to check out all of the evidence-based and life-impacting content that continues to help the allergy community find their *just right* balance between the overwhelm and quality of life. Subscribe so you don't miss any of this great content, including updates on my book (Navigating the Overwhelm of Allergy Parenting) to be published by Johns Hopkins University Press!
Halloween and Food Allergies
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 questions if you need help in making this decision). To help with this decision-making process, consider the following factors:
No matter what you decide, be sure to allow space for your child's input and questions. Especially if the outcome is not what your child had hoped for, they'll have thoughts to share - and that's okay. Give them space to share big thoughts and feelings, such as how disappointed they are and how their food allergy makes them feel sad, frustrated, or mad on Halloween. As parents, you can't always take away their hurt feelings, but you can be there to offer support as they work through them. If you are planning to Trick-or-Treat with your kiddo, here are a couple of children's Halloween-focused food allergy books that might help you set expectations and prepare/practice safety routines prior to Halloween: And for allergic teens and adults who still enjoy Halloween fun, but find it stressful navigating Halloween parties safely, Food Allergy Canada offers a variety of social safety tips. It's also helpful to remember the following:
As I wrap up this week's FAC Corner email, I'll leave you with this thought: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” - Stephen Hayes If you've always let your worries push you to automatically avoid situations that could be made safe enough just to feel better, consider taking a different path this Halloween. Consider how you can make Halloween fun AND safe. Remind yourself that anxious thoughts can help you plan, prepare and take safe actions, and that their presence doesn't always mean something bad will happen. Founder & CEO, The Food Allergy Counselor If you know others who would benefit from receiving The FAC's emails, please don't keep them a secret! Forward this email, this link to subscribe, or this link to past emails. And don't forget about ALL of The FAC resources on our website here to support you! Connect with The FAC on socials! |
Copyright © 2023 The Food Allergy Counselor, Inc. All rights reserved. Add Tamara@FoodAllergyCounselor.com to your email addresses so these emails don't go to spam DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the medical or mental healthcare advice of your own healthcare provider. By reading this email, the reader acknowledges that there is no therapist-patient relationship between them and the author(s). If you think you are observing a medical or mental health emergency, call 911 immediately. |
The Food Allergy Counselor
As an allergy mental health expert, my emails share evidence-based information that you and your patients can apply in practical ways. At the same time, these emails are written in the same warm and relatable tone I use in all of my content. You'll feel as if we're sitting down, talking over a cup of coffee (or tea, since I'm not a coffee drinker)! And if you haven't visited my website, be sure to check out all of the evidence-based and life-impacting content that continues to help the allergy community find their *just right* balance between the overwhelm and quality of life. Subscribe so you don't miss any of this great content, including updates on my book (Navigating the Overwhelm of Allergy Parenting) to be published by Johns Hopkins University Press!
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....
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...
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...