28/10/2026
What happens when a meal arrives looking different from what you expected?
Perhaps the colour is different, foods are touching, or something you expected to be served separately has been mixed together. These details may seem small to someone else, but they can make a difference to how manageable a meal feels.
In this video, Katy Pey (She/Her), Psychotherapist and Specialist Pathways Lead at Orri, explores how to put that discomfort into words and ask for support.
That might sound like:
“This looks different from
what Iwas expecting.”
“I’m finding the way this is presented difficult.”
“Would it be possible to
serve these separately?”
Whether you’re with a friend, being supported in treatment or eating at a restaurant, explaining what feels difficult can help the people around you understand your experience.
You don’t have to find the perfect words to start that conversation.
Food presentation can be particularly significant for people with sensory sensitivities, including some neurodivergent people and people experiencing ARFID.
Everyone’s experience is different, so understanding what sits behind the discomfort matters.
There isn’t one response that will suit every person or every meal. Asking for an adjustment can be part of making eating more accessible; within treatment, it can also open a conversation about the support you need and how to approach change together.
If you’re supporting someone, listening with curiosity is a useful place to begin:
“What about this feels difficult,
and what might help?”
To learn more about Orri’s approach to eating disorder treatment and support, visit the link in our bio.