Managing Food Allergy Anxiety: Finding Balance Between Safety and Quality of Life

In Australia, 1 in 10 families are navigating life with food allergies - and the anxiety that comes with keeping children safe can be overwhelming. In this essential conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes Tamara Hubbard, founder of the Food Allergy Counselor and author of May Contain Anxiety: Managing the Overwhelm of Parenting Children with Food Allergies.
Tamara is pioneering mental health support in food allergy care, helping families find what she calls the "just right balance" between anxiety and quality of life. As both a therapist specialising in food allergies and a parent who walks this path herself, she brings unique insight into the daily challenges families face - from label reading and school lunches to managing the fear of anaphylaxis.
In this episode, you'll discover:

Why anxiety is a natural part of food allergy management (and when it becomes overwhelming)
The powerful "what if to if-then" strategy for managing worried thoughts
How to determine what's safe, safe enough, and not safe for your child
Why avoidance can extend beyond what's medically necessary
The importance of having your healthcare team answer key safety questions
How families can live full, rich lives despite food allergy diagnoses

Whether you're newly navigating a food allergy diagnosis, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand what these families experience daily, this conversation offers hope, practical strategies, and validation for the very real challenges of keeping children safe while helping them thrive.
Book Release: May Contain Anxiety is available now in North America in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats. Australian print editions are expected in early 2025, with digital versions available now.
Connect with Tamara: Visit foodalergycounselor.com for resources, articles, and therapeutic worksheets, or follow @foodallergycounselor on social media.

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