FABHA Fridays (Food Allergy Mental Health Focus)

Did you know that there's a growing network of licensed counselors/therapists, social workers, and psychologists that are food allergy-knowledgeable, and may even specialize in working with this population? ​

​The focus on food allergy -related mental health is growing. Food allergic individuals and families often express concern over emotional aspects of life with food allergies. With more targeted research studies on this topic, allergists are expressing interest in gaining a better understanding of how psychosocial factors impact life with food allergies and/or treatments.

Due to the establishment of the Food Allergy Behavioral Health Association (FABHA), there is now a central hub for licensed clinical behavioral health professionals committed to positively impacting the lives of those managing food allergies. In an effort to highlight this growing network and the importance of acknowledging food allergy-related mental health, "FABHA Fridays" will highlight a brief interview with a member of the Food Allergy Behavioral Health Association, sharing insight into how/why they choose to work with food allergic clients. (Read more about FABHA, including its development and purpose, below). 

​So let's start off with the first "FABHA Fridays" member spotlight!

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Fawn McNeil-Haber, PhD

​1. What is your clinical background? 

​Child & Adolescent; Trauma; Anxiety

2. What state do you practice in?

New Jersey-based private practice: 
​Brave Minds Psychological Services 

3. Why did you choose to work with clients managing food allergies? 

As the mother of a child with severe food allergies, it pains me when young people or their parent's are struggling to find a therapist who understands the anxiety and intensity of living with food allergies. Every child should be able to be connected with an experienced therapist who can understand an empathize with their experience. I wanted to merge my knowledge living in the food allergy world and my work as a child and adolescent trauma therapist.

4. ​What's one piece of advice or favorite counseling/mental health-related resource to share with clients? 

The Land of Not by J.J. Vulopas is an amazing children's book about choosing to live in the world of what you CAN do as opposed to living in the work of what you CANNOT do.

[Fawn McNeil-Haber, PhD (Brave Minds Psychological Services) is listed in the Food Allergy Counselor Directory. You can find more information about her services, or locate other food allergy-knowledgeable licensed behavioral healthcare providers there.]

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​What exactly is the
​Food Allergy Behavioral Health Association?

In 2018,  in an effort to connect with others, Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC founded a professional networking group for food allergy-knowledgeable counseling professionals called the Food Allergy Counseling Professionals Network (FACPN). After members from various clinical behavioral health professions continued to join and connect, it became important to better highlight the fact that the group was for licensed clinical behavioral health professionals, not just those that identify themselves as counselors. Tamara and fellow member Lisa Rosenberg, M.Ed, MSW, LSW put their heads together to determine how to transition this space into something more encompassing.

​The result was to transition FACPN into the ​Food Allergy Behavioral Health Association (FABHA), as this name better reflects who the members are and the overall goals of this growing professional community. FABHA continues to be a professional collaboration space for licensed clinicians in Clinical Counseling, Clinical Family Therapy, Clinical Social Work, Clinical Psychology, and Clinical Psychiatry or those that are pursuing their clinical license, and who are committed to improving the lives of anyone impacted by food allergies. (This includes health-focused research psychologists that focus on food allergies or related conditions). However, beyond connecting, networking and sharing resources, FABHA also presents opportunities to receive/offer mentoring, and to collaborate to help expand and positively impact the behavioral health needs of the food allergy community. (Learn more about FABHA, or express interest in joining, via the FABHA link above).