Picky Eater

Question

QUESTION 1:

          I am a fully certified NLP Master therapist in Australia, and was wondering what suggestions you may have for working with a 5 year old who refuses to eat any healthy foods (fruit & vegetables). What suggestions re: techniques/Hypnosis/Time Line, etc. do you have Del? 

QUESTION 2:

          I have a 10 year old client coming in for problems with only eating 4 different foods and his parents are understandably quite unhappy.  Any suggestions on dealing with someone that young?

Answer

            I worked awhile ago with a child like this--a VERY picky eater.  I used some imaginative stories related to feasts with friends and heroes.  

            The child went on a  “magical” adventure into the woods, following a new trail. The trail took him to unusuals communities - The Town of Round People and The Town of Tall People. Each had houses and people indicative of the “shape” of the town, and each offered a feast of many foods following that principle.  Although each dish was very strange, he felt that, to be a good guest, he should eat a little of each dish. In each town, he was surprised to find out how very good the foods were. Everyone was delighted to have him as a guest, made him feel welcome and comfortable, and were sorry to see him go. (It was important to include how the food "felt" in the mouth; and to  add positive self-confidence statements).

           My client seemed to do quite well with it.  So I guess I'm saying, yes hypnotic work can be very helpful in this problem.

(This story, in full, along with a follow-up and many other scripts for children and pre-teens,  can be found in Del's GREAT ESCAPES, Volume IV, under Habit Changing.)