Food Should Nourish, Not Frighten
Whether you're navigating an eating disorder yourself or supporting someone you love — you don't have to do this alone. Compassionate, responsible complementary support, always alongside your medical team. Swindon, Cirencester & UK-wide online.
Call Gary: 07359 071210Not Always Visible — Always Painful
Around 1.6 million people in the UK are diagnosed with an eating disorder — and experts believe the true figure could be much higher, because so many go unrecognised and untreated. Crucially, eating disorders are not always visible. You cannot tell by looking at someone whether they are struggling. They affect people of all body sizes, ages, and backgrounds — and they are rarely just about food.
Recovery is possible — and every step forward matters. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy are extremely effective at addressing the underlying anxiety, low self-esteem, and emotional patterns that fuel difficult relationships with food — alongside your medical care. We work as part of your team, never instead of it.
Common Eating Disorders — Signs & Experiences
These are descriptions for awareness, not for self-diagnosis. If you recognise any of these, please speak to your GP.
Anorexia Nervosa
- Intense fear of gaining weight
- Distorted body image
- Severe restriction of food intake
- Low body weight
- Often hidden behind "healthy eating"
Bulimia Nervosa
- Episodes of binge eating
- Purging behaviours to compensate
- Weight often within normal range
- Preoccupation with food & shape
- Shame and secrecy around eating
Binge Eating Disorder
- Recurrent binge eating without purging
- Feeling out of control during episodes
- Eating when not physically hungry
- Distress, shame, or guilt afterwards
- Often linked to emotional coping
ARFID — Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
ARFID is a distinct condition where eating is limited not by body image concerns, but by fear, anxiety, or sensory sensitivity around food. It is one of the most complex food-related presentations — and it requires careful, compassionate, multi-agency support.
What Contributes to ARFID?
- Sensory sensitivities — intense reactions to taste, smell, texture, temperature, or appearance
- Anxiety — fear of choking, vomiting, getting sick, or trying something new
- Past experience — food poisoning, choking incident, or negative reaction that created lasting fear
Signs to Notice
- Strong avoidance of entire food groups or textures
- "Brand loyalty" — only exact brands or versions
- Foods must not touch on the plate
- Going hungry rather than trying unfamiliar foods
- Weight loss, restricted growth, or nutritional deficiency
- Genuine fear or panic at mealtimes
Who Is Affected?
- Can start early — around ages 2–3
- Or appear later, often at secondary school
- Affects children and adults alike
- Early recognition makes a significant difference
- Parents and carers need support too
arfidawarenessuk.org ↗
Four Ways We Support Your Recovery
Always alongside your GP, dietitian, and specialist team — never instead of them.
Reduce Food Anxiety
Calm the anxiety around meals, food choices, and eating in company. Create calm around eating — one meal at a time. Reduce the fight-or-flight response that makes mealtimes so difficult.
Build Confidence & Self-Worth
Genuine confidence and self-worth beyond appearance. Seeing yourself with kindness. Developing a relationship with your body that is based on respect, not criticism.
Support Parents & Families
Supporting someone with ARFID or an eating disorder is incredibly draining. Parents often feel helpless, guilty, or overwhelmed. Separate or joint sessions help you manage mealtime stress and support your family.
Healthier Coping Strategies
Developing ways to manage difficult feelings that don't involve food. Addressing the underlying anxiety and emotional patterns — so the need for restrictive or compulsive behaviours naturally reduces.
Gary Smith — Experienced, Registered, Safe
Gary is a fully registered clinical hypnotherapist and psychotherapist with over a decade of experience. He works responsibly with complex conditions — always in partnership with GPs, dietitians, and specialist teams. Gary is DBS enhanced checked, fully insured, and a Senior Lecturer with Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training. His approach is warm, non-judgemental, and firmly grounded in professional ethics.
Support That Makes a Difference
"Gary helped me manage the anxiety that was driving my difficult relationship with food. Working alongside my dietitian, I finally felt in control again. He never judged — he just helped me find my way back to calm."
"Our son's ARFID was tearing our family apart at mealtimes. Gary helped us all — our son felt safe with him immediately, and he gave us as parents the tools and the hope we'd lost. Mealtimes are calmer now. We can't thank him enough."
"I was sceptical about hypnotherapy but Gary explained everything clearly and worked alongside my GP exactly as he promised. The anxiety around eating has lifted in a way I didn't think was possible. Worth every session."
Serving Swindon, Cirencester & Beyond
In-person at the Swindon clinic (SN25 4YE) or online from the comfort of your home — equally effective, anywhere in the UK. Online sessions are often preferred for sensitive topics.
Questions You May Be Asking
No — and it is important to be completely clear about this. Eating disorders are serious physical and mental health conditions that require medical oversight from your GP, dietitian, and specialist services. Hypnotherapy provides valuable complementary support — reducing anxiety, building confidence, addressing underlying emotional patterns — but it works alongside your medical team, not instead of them. Your physical health always comes first.
Yes — absolutely. Supporting someone with ARFID or an eating disorder is incredibly draining. Parents often feel helpless, guilty, or overwhelmed — and those feelings matter too. I provide separate or joint sessions to help you understand the condition, manage mealtime anxiety, and find ways to support your family without constant stress. You cannot pour from an empty cup — your wellbeing matters too.
It can be hard to tell — and that uncertainty is completely normal. Key differences:
- Impact — is it affecting growth, weight, or nutrition?
- Range — has the variety of foods shrunk over time?
- Emotion — does new food cause genuine fear or panic?
- Rigidity — are rules around brands or preparation non-negotiable?
- Age — has it persisted past typical fussy-eating age?
If you're concerned, speak to your GP. It is always better to ask and be reassured than to wait.
Yes — with appropriate safeguards. I am DBS enhanced checked and fully insured. For children, I work closely with parents and, where appropriate, alongside your medical and school support teams. Sessions are adapted to the child's age and understanding. My role is supporting the emotional side of recovery — never to replace medical or nutritional care. Children & young people's page →
Yes — and I will encourage you to involve your GP. We can have an initial conversation to understand what you're experiencing and how I might support you. Before regular sessions begin, I will ask that you have seen your GP so they are aware and can provide any necessary medical oversight. This is to keep you safe — not to create barriers. If you're struggling to get support from your GP, I can help you think about how to advocate for yourself or your family member.
The initial consultation is free. Single sessions are £75 (50–60 minutes). Block booking discounts are available — many families choose a 6-session plan at £420. Concessionary rate £65/session for military & veterans, blue light/emergency services, teachers, and under-16s. Full fees here →
A chance to talk through what's happening — with absolutely no obligation:
- Share your experience — in your own words, at your own pace
- Understand how I work and where hypnotherapy can help
- Be clear about what I cannot do — medical or nutritional treatment
- Discuss how we'd work alongside your GP/support team
- Answer any questions — big or small
- Decide what happens next — or take more time to think
Everything shared is confidential — and there is never pressure to commit.
Yes — and many clients prefer it for sensitive topics. Being in your own safe space can make it easier to talk openly. All you need is a quiet room, a good internet connection, and somewhere comfortable to sit. Available anywhere in the UK. In-person sessions are also available at the Swindon clinic if you prefer.
Recovery Is Possible — You Don't Have to Walk It Alone
Whether you're reaching out for yourself or someone you love — taking this step is brave. Let's see how I can support the journey, alongside your medical team.
Or call Gary: 07359 071210Always consult your GP first — we work as part of your team
Reach Out — Confidentially
Every journey begins with one brave step. I'm here to listen — and to help where I can, alongside your medical team.