BOOK REVIEW: Conquer Picky Eating for Teens and Adults by Jenny McGlothlin SLP and Katja Rowell MD

This book for teens and adults who want to build their eating confidence is another gem from Jenny McGlothlin and Katja Rowell, authors of Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating.

It is a very practical book; ideal for adults and young people who are ready to examine their relationship with food but perhaps don’t want to wade through lots of theory. Rowell and McGlothlin provide just enough information to help the reader understand limited eating, without overwhelming them.

The authors get straight down to exercises for the reader to work through, where they are invited to reflect on various aspects of their eating, their history and much more. Spaces are provided in the text for readers to write down their thoughts on these prompts. I really like this aspect of it – I feel that this workbook format will work very well in terms of giving people a sense of progress as they make their way through it.

Not only is Conquer Picky Eating for Teens and Adults based on up to date research evidence, it also draws on the authors’ extensive professional expertise. Rowell is a medical doctor and McGlothlin is a Speech Language Pathologist and both have a wealth of experience of helping families with paediatric feeding challenges. They are champions of responsive feeding and I love their respectful and compassionate approach.

The book deals sensitively with tricky topics like shame, trauma and anxiety, always with an attitude of kindness and empathy and without pressure. The reader is put firmly in control of the process and there is an emphasis on the fact that we are all different and success means different things to different people.

Rowell and McGlothlin understand that eating challenges require a systemic approach; they help the reader make sense of their eating in relation to their environment, their upbringing and their culture. Perhaps most importantly of all though, the authors teach readers to accept themselves where they are. This sounds like a small point but really it’s huge. Before a person can move forward, they need to make peace with where they are now and understand that they are more than their relationship with food. This is summed up by this quote from the book:

“You are not defined by what and how much you eat. You are a unique individual with many wonderful qualities and quirks”

If you (or a young person in your life) are ready to tackle your eating, this book will take you on a journey where you will be respectfully and gently guided in the right direction. My feeling is that children as young as 12 or 13 (UK secondary age) could benefit from this book if they are fairly emotionally articulate and have an adult to support them as they go through it.

It is also a great resource for professionals working with feeding. If you are the parent  of younger child, you may find this book interesting too, as it will give you some important insights into how to think about your child’s eating.

You can buy Conquer Picky Eating for Teens and Adults from Amazon and read more about the authors’ work on their website.