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The Food Allergy Brain
The Food Allergy Brain is a podcast hosted by Mia Silverman, the food allergy advocate behind Allergies with Mia. The show explores the intersection of food allergies, psychology, and human resilience. Through thoughtful conversations with leading psychologists, researchers, clinicians, and advocates, Mia brings emerging science, expert insight, and lived experience together in one space.
The mission of The Food Allergy Brain is to offer grounded, accessible education for individuals and families navigating life with food allergies, while addressing the emotional, cognitive, and social realities that often go unseen. By centering both research and real-world experience, the podcast aims to empower listeners, reduce stigma, and deepen public understanding of the mental and emotional dimensions of the food allergy journey.
The Food Allergy Brain
The Food Allergy Brain Episode 4: Dr. Linda Herbert, PhD
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This week on The Food Allergy Brain, Mia sits down with Dr. Linda Herbert, Director of Psychology Research and Clinical Services in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children's National Hospital and NIH-funded researcher. Dr. Herbert has spent over a decade building evidence-based psychological interventions for food allergy families, and in this conversation, she shares what she's learned.
They discuss how the field of food allergy psychology has shifted from simply documenting anxiety to actively creating solutions, including the surprising and often dangerous realities of food allergy-related bullying, the stress of mealtime dynamics for parents of young children, and the emerging questions around food allergies and disordered eating. Dr. Herbert also breaks down her work with exposure-based approaches like allergen proximity challenges, the role of telehealth in making care more accessible and equitable, and how parental anxiety shifts across a child's developmental stages. The episode closes with Dr. Herbert's vision for what a truly integrated medical and psychological support system for food allergy families could and should look like.
Whether you're a food allergy parent, a young adult navigating allergies on your own, or someone working in the allergy space, this episode is packed with insight, research, and hope.
Find Dr. Linda Herbert, PhD:
Website: https://appointments.childrensnational.org/provider/linda-jones-herbert/2359772
Find Mia Silverman (Allergies with Mia):
Instagram & TikTok: @allergieswithmia
Website: allergieswithmia.com