Don't Feed the Fear: Allergy Anxiety & Trauma

Amanda Whitehouse, Ph.D.
  • 5.0 (16)
  • Mental Health

Welcome to "Don't Feed the Fear," where licensed psychologist Dr. Amanda Whitehouse offers expert guidance on managing the social and emotional challenges of food allergies, celiac, and related conditions. Tune in for compassionate advice, practical strategies, and inspiring stories to help you navigate anxiety and trauma with confidence and resilience.  For more info on resources from Dr. Whitehouse, go to www.thefoodallergypsychologist.com. Her book, "From Fear to Freedom" is available wherever books are sold.      Theme song: The Doghouse by Kyle Dine, www.kyledine.comUsed with permission from the artistFull transcripts are available to support accessibility and inclusive listening: https://www.thefoodallergypsychologist.com/dont-feed-the-fear-blog

  1. 23h ago ·  Bonus

    BONUS: What This Season Reveals (A Holiday Reflection)

    Send us Fan Mail This reflection accompanies Episode #100, a reflection as we move into the holiday season.  This time of year can stir up so many difficult things for those living with food allergies or celiac disease, and for the parents and caregivers who keep them safe. Gatherings, expectations, and old family dynamics often reveal patterns we have carried for a long time, such as keeping the peace, carrying everything alone, or waiting to be understood before we can feel okay. This gentle, trauma-informed reflection invites you to explore three questions at your own pace: what this season is revealing to you, where you might share some of what you carry, and what this life has grown in you that deserves to be honored. Everything is offered as an invitation, with no required breathing pattern or posture, and you are welcome to keep your eyes open. For parents, caregivers, and teens/adults managing their own food allergies or celiac disease. Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    BONUS: What This Season Reveals (A Holiday Reflection)

  2. 1d ago

    #100 - What Food Allergy/Celiac Life Reveals and Nurtures (Holiday Episode)

    Send us Fan Mail The holidays can be one of the hardest times of year for families living with food allergies and celiac disease. Gatherings with family and friends can leave us feeling hurt, stressed, and unseen. This special 100th episode turns the conversation inward. Instead of focusing on how to manage other people, I explores what food allergy and celiac life reveals about us. I looks at some of the patterns this life can uncover and reinforce, including people pleasing, carrying it all on our own, old family roles, hypervigilance, and relationships that were strained long before a diagnosis. I discuss the grief the holidays can bring, share my own family's evolving holiday story, and explore the growth that comes from this journey. Thank you to all my listeners and guests for being part of this huge milestone--we now have listeners in 108 countries! The episode ends with three reflection questions to carry into the holiday season, and an invitation to help shape the future of the show. Resources mentioned Listener survey: https://forms.gle/JmYrxoBF19V8ruDw9Guest recommendation form: https://forms.gle/MzC3hnxSmCzyfMSW8Companion guided meditation: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/20045459Episode #9: A Safe Seat at the Table: A Step-by-Step Guide to Safe Holidays https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/16069424Episode #48 Gratitude, Grief, and the Gifts We Don't Choose https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18116884Episode #53 Holiday Communication and Boundaries in Food Allergy Families https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18094550Episode #63 When Safety Creates Distance: Isolation, Connection, and Boundaries in Food Allergy Life https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18660952My book From Fear to Freedom: https://a.co/d/0cqJJhdPEpisode References Golding MA et al. A scoping review of the caregiver burden of pediatric food allergy. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2021. 54 studies; lower parental quality of life than comparison groups.Acaster S et al. Peanut allergy impact on productivity and quality of life (PAPRIQUA): caregiver burden. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 2020. The review of earlier research includes mothers reporting greater impact than fathers on meal preparation, social activities, stress, and free time.Shah S et al. Patient perception of treatment burden is high in celiac disease compared to other common conditions. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2014. Celiac treatment burden higher than reflux or hypertension, comparable to end-stage renal disease.Negri-Schwartz O et al. Post-traumatic growth correlates among parents of children with chronic illnesses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 2024. 34 studies, 5,328 parents.Tedeschi RG, Calhoun LG. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory: measuring the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 1996.Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #100 - What Food Allergy/Celiac Life Reveals and Nurtures (Holiday Episode)

  3. Oct 27

    #99 Food As Medicine, Access As Care with FOODiversity's Mackenzie Farmer

    Send us Fan Mail For families managing food allergies, celiac disease, alpha-gal syndrome, or food intolerances, safe food is essential — and it's often expensive, time-consuming to find, and missing from food pantry shelves. In this episode, I talk with Mackenzie Farmer, Interim Executive Director of FOODiversity, about the overlooked intersection of food insecurity and dietary restrictions. Mackenzie shares how FOODiversity partners with food pantries, schools, and healthcare providers to expand access to allergen-friendly and gluten-free food, and why a "food as medicine" approach matters for people with chronic conditions. We also explore the emotional toll of food scarcity and how it compounds the fear so many families already live with. As the giving season approaches, we talk about the many ways you can help — including ways that don't cost a thing. Volunteering, sharing this episode, or simply asking a local organization to partner with FOODiversity can make a real difference for a family in your community. FOODiversity: foodiversity.org IG and FB @foodiversityorg Early Intro handout: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JyPQyYBj9XWABwD6m2r4iMVkGrDDicAT/view FAMP-IT website: famp-it.org Last week's episode with Dr. Mike Pistiner discussing FOODiversity's collab with FAMP-IT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/19856476 Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #99 Food As Medicine, Access As Care with FOODiversity's Mackenzie Farmer

  4. Oct 20

    #98 Babies, Bites, and Buddies with Dr. Michael Pistiner

    Send us Fan Mail Dr. Michael Pistiner returns to the show to introduce FAMP-IT (Food Allergy Management and Prevention for Infants and Toddlers). It's a free, evidence-based resource supporting families and the professionals who care for them, from the very first bites. FAMP-IT has two sites. FAMP-IT Family is for parents and caregivers and covers early allergen introduction, recognizing reactions, and next steps if a food allergy develops. famp-it.org gives pediatricians, primary care providers, early childhood programs, and support services like WIC up-to-date tools and guidance. We discuss: What info and support families need starting in infancy and whyHow early introduction can reduce the risk of food allergy, and why getting that message out mattersHow FAMP-IT helps primary care and early childhood programs stay currentThe Food Allergy Buddies program, going national in a virtual format with AAFAResources FAMP-IT Family (for parents & caregivers): https://fampitfamily.orgFAMP-IT (for clinicians & professionals): https://famp-it.orgFood Allergy Buddies on Facebook: @foodallergybuddiesMore with Dr. Pistiner #50 New Criteria for Infant and Toddler Anaphylaxis: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18014268#51 New Criteria for Infant and Toddler Anaphylaxis with Dr. Michael Pistiner: https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18014268Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #98 Babies, Bites, and Buddies with Dr. Michael Pistiner

  5. Oct 13

    #97 Can AI Change How We Detect Anaphylaxis?: Anjo.ai's Wearable Tech

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Don’t Feed the Fear, I’m joined by Tal Golan and Stephen Benford of Anjo.ai to explore the intersection of food allergy, wearable technology, artificial intelligence, and real-time physiological monitoring. Tal Golan is the co-founder and CEO of Anjo.ai, a company developing technology designed to use wearable biosignals and AI to provide continuous monitoring and, ultimately, earlier recognition of allergic reactions. Stephen Benford brings both a background in life-sciences finance and a deeply personal connection to anaphylaxis through the KeepSmilin4Abbie Foundation, which he co-founded in memory of his daughter Abbie who passed away due to anaphylaxis. We talk about what wearable technology can tell us about the body, how AI may eventually help identify patterns associated with anaphylaxis, what the current research does and does not tell us, and what earlier detection could mean for families living with food allergy. But we also go beyond the technology itself. Food allergy involves an enormous amount of uncertainty. Parents constantly make decisions based on incomplete information, watch for subtle changes, and try to determine when something is simply normal and when it might signal a reaction. What could happen if we had more physiological information available to us in those moments? AnjoProtect is still in development, and its anaphylaxis-detection capabilities are not currently available as a medical device. But the research raises fascinating questions about where food allergy management may be headed. This is a conversation about innovation, hope, uncertainty, and the possibility that the future of food allergy management may look very different from what it does today.    At the time of publication on 10/13/26, Anjo Connect is available for pre-order at anjo.ai. Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #97 Can AI Change How We Detect Anaphylaxis?: Anjo.ai's Wearable Tech

  6. Oct 6

    #96 Healing More Than Allergies With Dr. Atul Shah

    Send us Fan Mail In this season 8 finale of Don't Feed the Fear, Dr. Atul Shah joins me to talk about the medical and psychological sides of food allergy treatment. As the founder of NY Food Allergy & Wellness and creator of the FATE approach to food allergy tolerance enhancement, Dr. Shah has spent more than two decades working with patients and families navigating diagnosis, treatment, desensitization, and the pursuit of greater food freedom.  Together, we explore why building physical tolerance is only part of the story, how fear and past experiences can remain even as treatment progresses, what psychological healing can look like alongside medical treatment, and how clinicians and families can keep quality of life at the center of the conversation. This episode brings together many of the themes explored throughout the season: treatment options, informed decision-making, fear, hope, agency, tolerance, and what it really means to move toward greater freedom with food allergy. Follow Dr. Shah:  YouTube: @NYFoodAllergyWellness https://www.youtube.com/@NYFoodAllergyWellnessFacebook: NYFoodAllergy https://www.facebook.com/NYFoodAllergy/Instagram: @newyorkfoodallergy https://www.instagram.com/newyorkfoodallergy/TikTok: @nyfoodallergy https://www.tiktok.com/@nyfoodallergyhttps://www.nyfoodallergy.com/https://www.nyfoodallergy.com/game (FREE Food Allergy Game)Dr. Shah's books: Food Allergy: My Journey: A Complete Guided Journal to Lead You from Early Diagnosis to Oral Immunotherapyhttps://a.co/d/00igH6WP Allergies, and Awesome You: Believe You Can Get There Too! https://a.co/d/016YHjC2 Asthma, and Awesome You: Believe You Can Get There Too! https://a.co/d/009F5ALv My Book: From Fear to Freedom: A Guide For Navigating Allergy Immunotherapy https://a.co/d/0aCXL0G5 Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #96 Healing More Than Allergies With Dr. Atul Shah

  7. Sep 29

    #95 Traditional Chinese Medicine: Dr. Xiu-Min Li's Groundbreaking Research

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Dr. Xiu-Min Li, a physician and researcher uniquely trained in both Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Dr. Li has spent decades conducting rigorous scientific research exploring how traditional herbal therapies may help treat allergic diseases such as food allergies and eczema. Her work focuses on developing standardized herbal formulas and studying their effects on the immune system through laboratory and clinical research. This includes the development of Food Allergy Herbal Formula (FAHF) and other therapies being studied for conditions such as severe eczema and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). In this conversation, Dr. Li explains the scientific approach behind her work, how TCM concepts translate into modern immunology research, and what the future may hold for integrative treatments for allergic disease. Contact Dr. Li: 914-257-3754 xiumin_li@nymc.edu https://www.nymc.edu/gsbms/faculty/li-xiu-min.php Research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Li+Xiu-Min+Valhalla Books: https://bookshop.org/p/books/tradition-chn-med-west-sci-fight-against-allergic-disease-henry-ehrlich/0b01ff3914cea929?ean=9789814733694&next=t https://bookshop.org/p/books/treating-eczema-with-traditional-chinese-medicine-henry-ehrlich/cb1efb84d7fdac75?ean=9789811247538&next=t Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #95 Traditional Chinese Medicine: Dr. Xiu-Min Li's Groundbreaking Research

  8. Sep 22

    #94 A Parent & Psychologist’s Perspective on the Emotional Side of Food Allergy Treatment with Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins

    Send us Fan Mail Food allergy treatment looks very different today than it did 17 years ago. In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins joins me for a deeply personal conversation about navigating food allergy treatment as a parent long before many of today's options were readily available. Elizabeth is a psychologist, celiac patient, and a celiac and food allergy parent. Her younger daughter has a complex history of multiple severe food allergies alongside asthma, eczema, and environmental allergies, and their family has navigated multiple forms of treatment. We talk about how her experiences shaped what she sees as a psychologist working with food allergy families. We also explore what parents facing immunotherapy decisions today can learn from those who have been navigating these choices for years. This conversation is about more than choosing a treatment. It's about living with uncertainty, knowing your child, making decisions within the reality of your family's circumstances, and finding a way to move forward without letting fear make every decision for you. Follow Dr. Hawkins on IG @foodallergypsychologist and dr-elizabeth.com Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

    #94 A Parent & Psychologist’s Perspective on the Emotional Side of Food Allergy Treatment with Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins
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5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Welcome to "Don't Feed the Fear," where licensed psychologist Dr. Amanda Whitehouse offers expert guidance on managing the social and emotional challenges of food allergies, celiac, and related conditions. Tune in for compassionate advice, practical strategies, and inspiring stories to help you navigate anxiety and trauma with confidence and resilience.  For more info on resources from Dr. Whitehouse, go to www.thefoodallergypsychologist.com. Her book, "From Fear to Freedom" is available wherever books are sold.      Theme song: The Doghouse by Kyle Dine, www.kyledine.comUsed with permission from the artistFull transcripts are available to support accessibility and inclusive listening: https://www.thefoodallergypsychologist.com/dont-feed-the-fear-blog

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