Hi parents and caregivers,

We hope you're well this January! 2026 is hitting hard in many areas, and we have been working hard over here. Here are some fresh resources and kindness for you.

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Is it "picky eating" or ARFID?

What is ARFID?

ARFID stands for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

It is an eating disorder where a child does not eat enough food or avoids many foods, not because of body image or weight concerns, but because eating feels overwhelming, scary, or uninteresting to them.

Children with ARFID may:

• Eat only a very small number of foods
• Avoid whole food groups
• Become very upset, anxious, or fearful around food
• Not gain weight or grow as expected

ARFID is different from normal picky eating. Picky eating is common and usually improves over time. ARFID affects a child’s health, growth, or daily life...

Read full post here

We love a good list! Even if we can't check everything out all right now, it's so helpful to know where to look for neuroaffirming books, podcasts, and more!

Mick recently shared a resource with our team that we immediately put on our site because it's so important.

This is just ONE section from a full guide (websites, accounts, podcasts, and more) teens, parents, and professionals to explore neurodiversity through books, communities, podcasts, and organizations that are affirming, inclusive, and accessible

Neuroaffirming & Neurodiversity Books

• Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity — Devon Price
• Neuroqueer Heresies — Dr. Nick Walker
• Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You — Jenara Nerenberg
• The Awesome Autistic Go-To Guide — Yenn Purkis & Tanya Masterman
• Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking — Julia Bascom
• I Will Die on This Hill — Dina Gilio-Whitaker
• Queerly Autistic — Edited collection
• The Autistic Trans Guide to Life
• Supporting Transgender Autistic Youth and Adults — Guide for families and professionals
• The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills
• The Autism Industrial Complex — Critiques systems and advocacy
• Me and My PDA: A Guide to Pathological Demand Avoidance — Gloria Durà-Vilà & Tamar Levi
• Laziness Does Not Exist — Devon Price

View the full list, including podcasts, social accounts, and more

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Community Highlight! Sprouted Roots Therapy is a team of Speech Therapists here in Portland! We met Karah and Leah a while back and they are a wonderful team! Learn More about Sprouted Roots​

See you next month!

Warmly,

Rebekah and The Real Work Collective

PS: Reply here if you have questions about any of the following

Groups and offerings coming up

• Nature-Based Social Group​
  Ages 4–7
  Thursdays 3:30–5:00 at THPRD Nature Center in Beaverton
  Launching in January as soon as three kids are enrolled
• Special Interest Group​
  February 8th
  Learn more and sign up here:
  https://realworkwellness.com/social-groups

Current therapy openings

We have a handful of openings across our team right now, including:

• Therapy for teens with Mick
• Adult therapy focused on family-of-origin stressors showing up in parenting
• Play-based therapy for kids ages 3–10
• Parent support and coaching for families navigating ADHD or autism
• Telehealth spots for adults, teens, and parents
• Hiking therapy sessions for parents who want support while moving outdoors

If you’re curious whether one of these could be a fit, we’re happy to talk it through. Just reply to this email!