As Valentine’s Day 2017 fades from view, we can still bask in love and respect by revisiting Safe and Sound: Relationships, Dating and Intimacy Challenges Associated with Having Severe Food Allergies, a webinar presented by Kristen Kauke in February 2014. Ms. Kauke is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience in counseling clients of all ages. She is a parent to two boys with life threatening food allergies and also has food allergies herself.
The Safe and Sound webinar reviews the foundations on which healthy relationships are built and explores the communications needed to stay safe while managing food allergy. While the webinar focuses primarily on adult relationships, challenges facing teens and young adults are also addressed.
The webinar describes ten foundational components of healthy relationships, illustrating the role each component plays in communicating food allergy-related needs and concerns. Ms. Kauke credits author Claudia Black with developing the list of relationship foundations discussed in the webinar:
- Respect
- Honesty
- Realistic expectations
- Trust
- Autonomy
- Shared power
- Tenderness
- Time
- Long-term commitment
- Forgiveness
At the end of the webinar, listener questions are addressed on topics that include kissing with food allergy, food allergy and teen anxiety, and communication to stay safe in the context of “hook-up culture.”
Want to learn more? Here are some tips from Kristin Kauke on how to plan a safe date while accommodating food allergy, on Valentine’s Day or any day.
