Don't Feed the Fear: Allergy Anxiety & Trauma

Amanda Whitehouse, Ph.D.
  • 5.0 (14)
  • 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      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. Shared Decision Making in Allergy Treatment Choices with Dr. Shahzad Mustafa

    6D AGO

    Shared Decision Making in Allergy Treatment Choices with Dr. Shahzad Mustafa

    Send us Fan Mail We are living in an exciting time in food allergy medicine with multiple treatment options to choose some and likely more on the way soon. But more options can also mean more overwhelm. I've invited some of the world's foremost experts in allergy to join me for this exciting season guiding us through these choices and decisions to lead us from overwhelm to confidence. In this episode, Dr. Shahzad Mustafa joins us to talk about how shared decision making helps families make treatment decisions without panic or pressure. Dr. Mustafa gives us an overview of our options and explains how he guides patients through their decisions using a collaborative, values-based approach that balances medical evidence, risk tolerance, and individual goals. This conversation is about partnership, clarifying goals and needs, and making medical decisions through an informed and individualized lens. Episode links: Dr. Mustafa - https://www.rochesterregional.org/providers/syed-s-mustafa# January 2026 article, "Updates in the Management of Peanut Allergy" - https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-med-050224-121037 Follow me on social media @thefoodallergypsychologist and sign up for my newsletter on my website for updates on my book, From Fear to Freedom: A Workbook for Navigating Allergy Immunotherapy, coming in June! https://www.thefoodallergypsychologist.com/connect 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

    49 min
  2. When Options Feel Overwhelming: Our Immunotherapy Journey (& A Big Announcement!)

    APR 7

    When Options Feel Overwhelming: Our Immunotherapy Journey (& A Big Announcement!)

    Send us Fan Mail This season we are discussing options in food allergies. This week's episode begins a deep dive into one of the most complex and emotional parts of living with food allergies: treatment options. With more treatment options available than ever before, patients and families are facing decisions that are both hopeful and overwhelming. These choices are not just medical. They are deeply emotional, shaped by past experiences, anxiety, trauma, and the realities of individual characteristics and daily life. In this solo episode, I share: Why more choices can sometimes make decisions harder The psychological side of treatment decisions that often gets overlooked What anxiety and past reactions can bring into the process Our personal journey through multiple allergy treatments, including the challenges, pivots, unexpected outcomes, and my most treasured moments and surprisesI’m also sharing a big announcement about something I've created to take the work from this season even deeper for those making decisions or navigating treatment. Whether you are considering treatment, currently in it, or choosing not to pursue it, this episode will help you feel less alone and more confident in your path. 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

    26 min
  3. Another Needle-Free Epi Option?: An Update on Nasdepi

    MAR 31

    Another Needle-Free Epi Option?: An Update on Nasdepi

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I'm joined by Scott Lyman, CEO and Co-Founder of Belhaven BioPharma, to discuss Nasdepi®, an investigational dry powder epinephrine nasal spray currently in development for the treatment of anaphylaxis. Nasdepi® is designed as a needle-free alternative to traditional auto-injectors, with early clinical data suggesting rapid absorption and strong temperature stability. We talk about: Why alternative delivery systems matterNeedle fears and other real-world barriers to carrying epinephrineHuman factor studies and ease of use in high-stress situationsWhat “investigational” means and where the product stands in developmentThis episode is part of a broader series exploring epinephrine options beginning with episode 67. As always, this podcast does not promote any specific product, just information and education.  Episode links: -Nasdepi: https://belhavenbio.com/nasdepi-progress/ 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

    31 min
  4. AUVI-Q and Epi Confidence with Dr. Vivian Hernandez-Trujillo

    MAR 24

    AUVI-Q and Epi Confidence with Dr. Vivian Hernandez-Trujillo

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Vivian Hernandez-Trujillo, board-certified allergist and food allergy mom and patient, for a grounded and practical conversation about epinephrine confidence. We talk about what it’s like to manage food allergies both personally and professionally, why so many families hesitate in emergencies, and how familiarity, not fear, is what truly helps in moments of anaphylaxis. Dr. Hernandez-Trujillo walks us through how patients can build confidence using epinephrine, including the unique features of AUVI-Q. The goal of the episode is to help families understand their options and feel more supported as new tools become available in the food allergy space. This episode is not sponsored, and I am not promoting any single epinephrine device.  🎥 The full video version of this episode, including the AUVI-Q demonstration, is available on YouTube: @dontfeedthefear  Links: AUVI-Q information and training resources: https://www.auvi-q.comDr. Hernandez-Trujillo: https://www.sflallergy.com/about-usPrevious episodes with Dr. Pistiner:New Criteria for Infant and Toddler Anaphylaxis: https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18014268Safe Epi Use for Infants and Toddlers: https://dontfeedthefear.buzzsprout.com/2371319/episodes/18209067Special 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

    30 min
  5. BONUS Meditation Episode: Finding Glimmers (Teaching the Nervous System to Find Safety)

    MAR 22 ·  BONUS

    BONUS Meditation Episode: Finding Glimmers (Teaching the Nervous System to Find Safety)

    Send us Fan Mail Many of our nervous systems become very skilled at scanning for danger. This is not a flaw. It is a protective response that develops when life has required us to stay alert. But when the nervous system spends most of its time looking for what might go wrong, it can begin to overlook the signals of safety that are also present. This session introduces the concept of glimmers. These are small moments, usually sensory experiences, that signal safety to the nervous system. They might be simple things like warmth, supportive contact with the ground, pleasant sounds, or a brief sense of ease in the body. This practice helps you gently train your attention to notice moments when your body receives the message that, right now, you are safe.  Over time, intentionally noticing these moments can help your nervous system become more flexible, settled, and responsive. 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

    11 min
  6. Simplifying Epinephrine with Dr. Farah Khan

    MAR 17

    Simplifying Epinephrine with Dr. Farah Khan

    Send us Fan Mail This is the first guest episode in a season of the Don't Feed the Fear podcast dedicated to something many of us are feeling deeply right now: the excitement and overwhelm that comes with how quickly the food allergy landscape is changing. With more options, devices, information, and opinions bombarding us, many feel unsure of what to trust, what actually matters, and how to make decisions that feel grounded rather than reactive. My guest today is Dr. Farah Khan, a board-certified allergist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital who has become a trusted voice online in the food allergy community. Dr. Khan often says she’s not quite sure why her audience grew so quickly, but I think it's because she offers something many are craving in their uncertainty:  clear, direct, evidence-based answers. In this conversation, Dr. Khan walks us through epinephrine myths and misinformation, the different devices available, and what matters most when choosing yours. We created this episode to help you feel more confident and less overwhelmed as you navigate your options. 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

    43 min
  7. BONUS Meditation: Be Careful, Not Fearful

    MAR 10 ·  BONUS

    BONUS Meditation: Be Careful, Not Fearful

    Send us Fan Mail Living with food allergies or celiac disease often requires careful decision making. Reading labels, asking questions, and evaluating risk are important parts of staying safe. Over time, though, the nervous system can become so used to scanning for danger that it becomes difficult to tell the difference between healthy caution and anxiety driven fear. This guided meditation helps you slow down and notice how these different signals may feel in your body. Instead of trying to eliminate caution, this practice supports learning how to recognize the steady, grounded feeling of appropriate awareness while also noticing the sensations that tend to come with fear, urgency, or anxious overthinking. By becoming more familiar with these physical cues, many people find it easier to make decisions from a place of clarity rather than pressure or panic. During this meditation you will be invited to: • tune into subtle body sensations  • notice how caution and anxiety may feel different internally  • create space between physical signals and anxious thoughts  • reconnect with a sense of grounded awareness when making safety decisions This meditation may be especially helpful if you: • live with food allergies or celiac disease  • feel stuck in constant food safety decision making  • notice your body becoming tense or overwhelmed in situations involving food  • want to strengthen trust in your ability to read your body's signals No meditation experience is needed. Simply listen and allow yourself to notice what your body communicates. Over time, practices like this can help restore a sense of steadiness and confidence when navigating food related decisions. 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

    12 min
  8. Your Anxiety Isn't Keeping You Safe. It's Feeding The Fear.

    MAR 10

    Your Anxiety Isn't Keeping You Safe. It's Feeding The Fear.

    Send us Fan Mail Of course you feel anxious sometimes managing food allergies and celiac. Many patients and families believe that a little anxiety keeps us safe, that fear keeps us vigilant, and that without it we might become careless. But is that actually true? In this episode, Dr. Whitehouse explores the difference between stress, overwhelm, anxiety, and trauma, and why those distinctions matter so much for food allergy families. She explains how the nervous system works during threat states, why anxiety can actually impair decision-making, and what truly supports safe, sustainable allergy management. You’ll learn: • Why anxiety and caution are not the same thing  • How nervous system regulation affects allergy decision-making  • Why fear is a poor filter for complex choices  • What actually keeps food allergy families safe  • How to shift from fear-driven vigilance to informed awareness If you’ve ever wondered whether the anxiety you carry is protecting you or exhausting you, this episode will offer a fresh perspective. 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

    23 min
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5
out of 5
14 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      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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