I'm an ARFID Dietitian in Melbourne: Here's What a First Appointment Actually Looks Like

If you've been thinking about seeing a dietitian for ARFID but have no idea what to expect, this one's for you.

A lot of adults I work with tell me the same thing when they first reach out: they've spent years being told to just try it or push through it, and they're exhausted. They're not sure if a dietitian can actually help. They're worried I'll hand them a meal plan full of foods they can't eat or make them feel judged for what they can.

So let me walk you through what actually happens, from the moment you book to how we end the session.

Before we even meet

When you book an appointment, you'll receive a new client form with some information to help me prepare for our session. If you have any questions or concerns before we meet, you're always welcome to email or message me directly. There are no wrong things to ask and I'd rather you feel comfortable coming in than sit with something worrying you.

You don't need to have your eating figured out before we meet. You don't need to know whether you definitely have ARFID. You just need to show up.

The first thing I won't do

I won't weigh you, tell you what you should be eating or hand you a meal plan full of foods that don't feel safe. I also won't make you list every food you eat and then react with concern. ARFID support that actually works has to start from a place of safety, not performance.

What we actually do in session one

The first appointment is mostly me getting to know you. We talk about what eating is like right now, what feels okay, what doesn't, what's stressful and what you'd most like to change (if anything). I'll ask about your history with food, whether sensory stuff plays a role, how mealtimes feel socially and what's already working for you.

I ask a lot of questions, but not in an interrogating way. More like I'm genuinely curious about your experience, because no two people with ARFID are the same. Some people have a very small range of safe foods. Some have a decent variety but struggle enormously with eating around others. Some can eat fine at home but fall apart when travelling or stressed. Some have nutritional gaps they're worried about. Some are mostly okay nutritionally but exhausted by how much mental energy food takes.

All of it is useful. All of it shapes what we do next.

We talk about your goals, not mine

This part matters a lot to me. I don't have a template outcome in mind for you. Some people come in wanting to expand their food range. Some want to feel less anxious at restaurants. Some want to understand what's actually going on for them. Some just want to stop feeling so alone in it.

Whatever you're hoping for, that's what we work towards. You're the expert on your own life. I'm just here to help you figure out what's getting in the way and what might actually help.

What you'll leave with

By the end of the first session, you'll have a clearer sense of what's driving your eating difficulties, and we'll have started sketching out what support could look like for you. That might mean working on structure and routine, reducing food-related anxiety, improving nutritional intake through safe foods, or slowly building flexibility at your own pace, or some combination of all of those.

You won't leave with a homework list of scary foods to try. You'll leave feeling heard, and hopefully with a bit more hope that things can actually get easier.

In-person in Melbourne or online across Australia

I see clients in person on Mondays at WellSpace Prahran in Melbourne and via telehealth on Saturday mornings available to anyone across Australia. Sessions are suitable for adults navigating ARFID, eating disorders, ADHD, autism, or just a really complicated relationship with food.

If you've been on the fence about reaching out, I hope this helps. You can book directly through my website. No referral needed.