Ep. 32: Prioritizing Felt Safety in the Feeding Relationship with Naureen Hunani

In this episode, Anna Lutz and Elizabeth Davenport are joined by Naureen Hunani, RD a pediatric and family dietitian who specializes in treating children and families struggling with feeding challenges. We highlight feeding difficulties and how to help your child achieve a sense of “felt safety” and regulation at the meal table.  

We discuss:

• The definition of “felt safety”
• The importance of “felt safety” for children when eating, as defined by Karyn Purvis
• Bodily autonomy as a contributor to a felt sense of safety 
• What gets in the way of a child’s “felt safety”
• How to support your child in feeling regulated or safe at the table
• Dr. Bruce Perry’s 3 Rs: Regulate, Relate, and Reason
• How to tell if your child is feeling a sense of safety at the table
• Subtle signs of dysregulation at the table
• Common mistakes parents make that lead to dysregulation or a lack of felt safety
• In the moment tactics to help your child feel more grounded and safe at the table

Naureen Hunani, RD is a pediatric and family dietitian with over 15 years of clinical experience. After overcoming feeding difficulties with her own children, she was inspired to help other families by specializing in picky eating and feeding disorders. She currently treats children and families struggling with a variety of feeding challenges through her trauma-informed private practice in Montreal, Canada. She has developed a unique child-led, play-based feeding therapy program focusing on sensory exploration of food. 

Naureen has extensive experience working with neurodivergent families, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, sensory processing disorder and anxiety disorder. She is a supporter of early diagnosis of feeding problems and advocates for inclusion and acceptance in schools and daycares for children with limited feeding abilities. Naureen shares her knowledge and experience at national and international conferences as well as in trainings for healthcare professionals, therapists, teachers, and parents. She has been featured as a nutrition and feeding expert on such media as Breakfast television, CBC radio, CBC kids and Huffington Post Canada.

Links: 

• Naureen Hunani’s Website
• The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Sunshine
• Dr. Bruce Perry’s 3Rs
• Lutz, Alexander & Associates Nutrition Therapy
• Pinney Davenport Nutrition