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What's New with Food Allergy Behavioral Health in 2020?

1/17/2020

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A New Role For Me!
In addition to providing counseling services to women, young adults and those navigating life transitions, for the last couple of years in particular, I've focused on food allergy counseling  - a clinical niche that I've been helping to highlight and expand. 

To that end, I've been writing about, taking part in interviews, and developing therapeutic content focused on navigating the psychosocial aspects of life with food allergies. I'm also proud to be an allied healthcare member of both AAAAI and ACAAI, serving as a member of ACAAI's allied health committee. 

Therefore, when the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Team (FAACT) asked me to join their Leadership Team as their Vice President of Behavioral Health, I was honored to jump on board!


​With a passion for helping the food allergy community develop resilience and an empowered mindset, this position will allow me to create content that will be unique in nature and more widely distributed. ​These resources, which will come in various formats, will be useful not only for individuals and families managing food allergies, but also for allergists looking for reputable psychosocial resources for their clients. (Resources created for FAACT are reviewed by FAACT's Medical Advisory Board).

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FAACT's Leadership Team
A couple of questions I've received since I announced my new position....

What projects do I have planned in this role for 2020? 
You'll just have to stay tuned! But trust me, they'll be useful. 

Will I still be seeing clients at my private practice? 
You bet! Like many in the healthcare fields, I enjoy a mix of clinical work, both client facing and non-client facing in nature. In my private practice, in addition to working with those managing allergies, I also focus on providing support to women, young adults, those navigating life transitions, and those with other chronic health conditions. I'm lucky to be able to have the best of both worlds between my new FAACT position and my private practice. 


How can I contact you for FAACT-specific matters? 
You can email me directly at Tamara.Hubbard@FoodAllergyAwareness.org, as well as follow my FAACT profile on Facebook for FAACT content and event updates. I'll still be sharing content via my professional Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as the Food Allergy Counselor Facebook page, and my private practice Facebook page. 


Will you still be updating the Food Allergy Counselor Directory & website? 
Rest assured, I'll still be updating and enhancing The Food Allergy Counselor Directory and website, so be sure to check back often. 

Recent additions to the Food Allergy Counselor Directory include listings in Texas and Georgia, with more on the way. There have also been more resources added to the Food Allergy Mental Health Resource page as well, so be sure to hop on over there, too. 

​With gratitude, 
Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC
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Food Allergy Mental health Thoughts & Thanks for 2019

12/29/2019

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CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT 2019 IS ALMOST OVER?! As this year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and give thanks to the food allergy community.

Food Allergy Mental Health Thoughts for 2019....

​In starting this website over a year and a half ago, my goal was to emphasize the importance of exploring the psychosocial impacts of managing food allergies and allergic conditions. Additionally, I wanted to develop and share psychosocial resources to help those managing food allergies.

In that time, it's become even more clear to me that the food allergy community yearns for more focus and guidance on navigating the ups and downs of life with food allergies. I've also seen the allergists and allied healthcare professionals working within the field of allergy and immunology more frequently discussing the psychosocial aspects of food allergy life. 

So what does all of that mean? Just as we're watching food allergy treatment trends grow and expand, we can hopefully expect to see a shift in food allergy mental health as well.

Trends I hope to see continuing to develop within this space:
  • Continued discussions and resources within the food allergy community on topics such as navigating food allergy anxiety, building resilience, developing confidence and empowerment, impacts to family systems, working through and finding acceptance with the diagnoses, and more;
  • ​An increase in number of sessions and scope of psychosocial content at allergy and immunology conferences; 
  • Assessment of psychosocial stressors becoming a standard part of allergy care (even if only through brief questions at appointments); 
  • Continued exploration of collaborative patient care, allowing for various disciplines/healthcare providers working together to provide resources for patients (i.e. allergy/immunology, nutrition, counseling, etc). 

Giving Thanks to the  community....

I'm a big believer in paying it forward, whether through actions or words, and truly believe that we don't do enough of this. Additionally, none of us live in a vacuum alone. We're all part of various systems: the family system, the community system, and in this instance, the food allergy system.

Therefore, I'd like to give thanks to the food allergy community as I write my final post for 2019. 
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To The Food Allergy Community: 
Thank you for....
  • Helping to bring awareness to very important food allergy mental health and psychosocial topics by sharing your stories and asking questions, as this helps the treatment community better understand these needs;
  • Being open and honest about the highs and lows of life managing food allergies and/or parenting kids with food allergies, because by acknowledging both, we can find our way to acceptance, empowerment and resilience;
  • Showing kindness, support and understanding to one another within the community, because none of us are alone;
and for....
  • So warmly welcoming my voice, resources and the Food Allergy Counselor Directory & website into the community over the past year and a half!​

​I look forward to continuing to develop food allergy mental health and counseling resources, and positively impacting the food allergy community in 2020 and beyond!

With gratitude, 
Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Founder/Creator of the Food Allergy Counselor website
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Food Allergy Awareness Week Day 6: Fight Food Allergy Fears

5/17/2019

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Day 6: Fight Food Allergy Fears w/Facts

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(If sharing this image, please be sure the logo is visible and The Food Allergy Counselor and/or Tamara Hubbard, LCPC are credited)

​Fear is a present-oriented basic emotion that typically occurs as a response to a real or perceived danger/threat. Threats can be from:
  • Current situations that are perceived as dangerous or distressing
  • Disturbing thoughts, feelings, or memories occurring inside of you
​Fear is often associated with a sudden onset of central nervous system changes, such as rapid heart rate, elevated blood pressure, breathlessness or dizziness. Additionally, when someone feels fear, they're typically more hyper-focused on the things which elicit the fear. Fear is a perfectly normal and adaptive emotion under most circumstances, as it can motivate and prepare someone to fight or flee a dangerous situation. However, when fear increases to levels which negatively impact daily life, is present in the absence of threats, or causes excessive avoidance behaviors, it's no longer a healthy level of fear. Constant elevated levels of fear can throw even the most limber person off-balance!

When managing food allergies, real and perceived threats pop up often, sometimes daily. Additionally, it's common to be thinking about potential food allergy threats even when not currently dealing with one. So what can people do to help tame and manage food allergy fears?

One Tool To Fight Food Allergy Fears Is...KNOWLEDGE!

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​Is it truly that simple - knowledge takes care of food allergy fears? No. However, knowledge is an important tool in the Food Allergy Fear Tool Kit individuals and families need to build in order to fight back against and ultimately manage fear levels.

Other crucial tools needed in the Food Allergy Fear Tool Kit: 
  • Psycho-education to develop an understanding of anxiety and fear
  • Self-monitoring skills to gain insight into thoughts, feelings, behaviors
  • Thought-reframing techniques (i.e. thought challenging, self-talk, reality testing)
  • Problem-solving skills to navigate tough scenarios and decisions
  • Relaxation skills for moments of intense emotion effecting both mind/body

For the purpose of this article, let's focus on building your knowledge tool. One caveat that needs to be made about this tool is that you want to be sure that it is formed primarily with material that is evidenced-based in nature. That is, the information comes from reputable sources within the food allergy community, such as allergists, healthcare professionals, or well-respected food allergy organizations or groups. (While information gleaned from health support groups can be valuable, it's best to confirm information with your personal allergist and evidence-based resources). 

Below are four links to information addressing common fear-producing topics, as well as a general list of reputable food allergy information sources.
  1. Fear of Actual Use of Epinepherine:​ This Twitter thread from Dr. George du Toit explores the concept of patients electing to practice self-administration of their epinepherine autoinjector at their allergist's office as a means to decrease/demystify the fear surrounding what it might feel like. (This practice can be very empowering. Discuss/plan with your personal allergist). 
  2. ​Random Hives - Are They from Exposure to an Allergen?: Dr. Dave Stukus shared a handy chart during a food allergy Twitter chat that explains the main factors and timing to help determine if hives are food allergy-related or not. 
  3. When and For What Symptoms to Use Epinepherine: Even with the Emergency Action Plan we receive and review with our allergist, there's often hesitation and confusion around when and for what symptoms to use epinepherine. Dr. Brian Schroer did an amazing job explaining answers to these questions via a fire analogy. This is a must-read!
  4. Best Practices for Diagnosing a Food Allergy: Diagnosing a food allergy isn't always straight forward. In fact, with all of the information needed to make an accurate diagnosis - blood tests, skin prick tests, instances of eating the allergen, and reaction history - it's a bit like putting a puzzle together. Dr. Dave Stukus, who aims to dispel food allergy/immunology-related myths, shares how he diagnoses a food allergy, in a step-by-step tutorial. He also highlights testing and actions he doesn't take, as they often prove more harmful than helpful. 

Reputable Food Allergy Information Sources:
  • American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
  • American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology ​
  • Allergy and Asthma Network (AAN)
  • Kids with Food Allergies (KFA/AAFA)
  • Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)
  • Food Allergy Canada
  • Allergic Living Magazine​​

In case you missed the other Food Allergy Awareness Week mental health-focused tips, find them via links here: Day 1 & 2 (FA Support Groups & FA Mindset); Day 3: FA Thinking Errors Connected w/Anxiety; Day 4: Food Allergy Anxiety Resources;  Day 5: Problem-Solving Method When Fear Rules Your Mind
​If you find yourself needing support for food allergy-related psychosocial impacts, locate a food allergy-knowledgeable clinical behavioral healthcare provider 
via the
 Food Allergy Counselor Directory.
​

Follow/connect on social media! 
Twitter: @TamaraTweets
Instagram: @Counselor_Tamara
Facebook: Tamara Hubbard, LCPC
FABHA / FAC Directory Facebook:  Food Allergy Counselor
FABHA Twitter: @FoodAllergyBHA
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