Specialist support for ARFID, eating disorders, feeding and body image
Food is never
just about food
Compassionate, collaborative dietetic care that looks beyond the surface of feeding, eating and body image.
Whether you're navigating ARFID, an eating disorder, or feeding challenges, you'll receive compassionate, evidence-based nutrition support tailored to your unique needs.
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Available online across New Zealand and in person in Auckland.
As Featured in
How I can Support
Compassionate Support for eating, feeding, nutrition, and body image throughout life.
Whether you are looking for support for yourself, your child or family, your school, or your professional practice, we will begin by understanding your experiences, your priorities and what matters most to you.
Because change happens when
we understand the story underneath the struggles not just the food.
People don’t usually struggle because they lack nutrition knowledge. Food is rarely the whole problem.
More often, food becomes the place where stress, anxiety, developmental differences, family dynamics, health messages and life experiences show up.
At The Food Tree, my work focuses on understanding what sits underneath eating behaviours, not simply changing what someone eats.
A whole-person approach to feeding, eating and body image
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Eating and body image challenges are rarely caused by just one thing. They live at the intersection of biology, psychology, environment, relationships and culture.
My approach is compassionate, evidence informed and relationship focused.
Different needs,
Different stages,
One integrated approach
My approach / How I work
Whole-person
I look beyond what is being eaten to understand the person, their body, nervous system, relationships, history, culture, sensory needs and capacity.
Collaborative
We work together gently and respectfully, with your values, goals and lived experience at the centre.
Neurodiversity-affirming
I respect different ways of experiencing food, hunger, fullness, sensory input, communication and change. Support is shaped around felt safety, autonomy and capacity.
Trauma-informed and evidence-informed
My care is grounded in nutrition science, responsive feeding, eating disorder care and trauma-informed practice. We move at a pace that supports safety, trust and choice.
ARFID Assessment and Diagnosis
Comprehensive ARFID assessment and diagnosis for children, teens and adults.
The assessment looks at the full picture, including nutritional health, eating patterns, sensory differences, anxiety, appetite, medical and developmental history,
functional impact and the factors maintaining the difficulty.
You will receive an individualised formulation, clear recommendations
and a practical plan for ongoing support.
Feeding, eating and body image can feel complicated and cause a lot of stress
You may be worried about your child’s eating, struggling with your own relationship with food or body, or feeling unsure about how best to manage a health or nutrition concern.
At The Food Tree, I look beyond the food to understand the whole story: your experiences, strengths, challenges and what matters most to you.
Together, we develop support that feels respectful, realistic and manageable.
You do not have to work through this alone.
What meaningful change can look like:
It's about creating sustainable progress through understanding, compassion,
and practical strategies.
Cultivating positive relationships with food & body
After working together, many of my clients experience:
✔ Calmer, more connected mealtimes
✔ Less anxiety, pressure and food-related stress
✔ Greater confidence for adults, children and parents
✔ Children feeling safer around food
✔ A more peaceful relationship with food and body
✔ Practical strategies that feel realistic and achievable
✔ Food noise becoming quieter and less overwhelming
✔ Adults stepping out of binge-restrict cycles
✔ More supportive food environments at home, school or early childhood settings.
Every journey is different, and we'll move at a pace that feels safe and achievable for you.
ARFID training for health professionals
The ARFID Empowerment Model™ is an integrated, dietitian-led framework for supporting children, teens, adults and families experiencing ARFID and restrictive eating.
The model brings together responsive feeding, nutrition support, neurodiversity-affirming practice, trauma-informed care, nervous system regulation, caregiver support and consent-based food exploration.
Professional support includes:
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The ARFID Empowerment Model™
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Professional Training Programme
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Clinical supervision
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Case discussion and consultation
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Professional webinars and workshops
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Training for teams and organisations
Hi, I'm Rachael!
Very early in my career, I realised food and eating were about far more than nutrients.
I’m Rachael Wilson, a registered dietitian with more than 20 years’ experience supporting children, families and adults with nutrition, feeding, body image and relationship-with-food concerns.
My work brings together evidence-based nutrition, responsive feeding, eating disorder-informed care and psychological approaches that support safety, trust and lasting change.
I help people understand what sits underneath eating challenges, so we can move towards calmer, more compassionate and practical ways forward.
NZ's only Ellyn Satter Affiliate
with specialist training in responsive, trust-based feeding care.
15% Off All Items
Watch My Interviews
Workshops, webinars & conversations
that go beyond nutrition
Webinars, workshops and events exploring feeding, eating. body image, neurodiversity, ARFID, parenting, diet culture and compassionate care.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You do not have to navigate food, eating, feeding or body image concerns alone.
Whether you are seeking support for yourself, your child or your family, I am here to help you find a calmer, more compassionate and practical way forward.
Let’s create a more peaceful relationship with food, together.