Understanding Eating, Food, and the Bodymind: Supporting Autistic and Learning Disabled People

Autistic and learning disabled people often experience complex relationships with food and eating that are shaped by interoceptive differences, sensory sensitivities, and how they’ve been taught to relate to their own bodies. Yet these experiences are often misunderstood or dismissed as “just part of autism” or “it’s just sensory,” leading to diagnostic overshadowing and missed opportunities for support.

This webinar explores how eating and feeding may present differently in Autistic and learning disabled people, and how external demands, therapy overload, and reduced autonomy can affect global stability and nutritional wellbeing. We’ll consider the concept of bodyminds, the impact of behavioural approaches on self-trust, and the importance of creating conditions where people can tune into and meet their own needs.

Grounded in research and lived experience, this session invites service providers to move towards support that values interoception, autonomy, and respect for the whole person.