Episode 162

Casey’s Bio: Casey Ehrlich, Ph.D. is a social scientist, parent coach and educator, and the CEO and founder of At Peace Parents, LLC. Casey brings 15 years of work experience and expertise in social science methodology to help parents and therapists understand how to connect with and accommodate PDA Autistic children. She is currently working on empirical research with the University of Michigan Medical School on Pathological Demand Avoidance in children and teens. She helps parents radically accept the constraints of raising a child with a nervous system disability so they can find peace on their parenting journey.

In this episode, Casey and I talk about:

What PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is
PDA awareness
PDA caregiver strategies
Traumatic birth and PDA
Symptoms & Sign of PDA
How a diagnosis of PDA happens
PDA 101
PDA isn’t new, our awareness is deepening
PDA identifying adults
First introduced on the autism spectrum in the 1980s by Elizabeth Newson
And anxiety driven need for control
A survival drive for autonomy and equality that consistently overrides other survival instincts like toileting, hygiene, eating, safety, etc.
It’s subconscious and physiological
Nervous system disability
Trauma healing and nervous system regulation
PDA can also be seen as Protective (or Pervasive) Drive for Autonomy
5 things to look for in a PDA diagnosis
Pushing with traditional parenting techniques can backfire
PDA and violence
PDA and defiance
Masking
The constant need for one on one attention
Needing constant signals of safety from another nervous system
The frequency of PDA in children
ODD and PDA being confused
Autism as a neurotype rather than a disorder
Author Mona Delahooke
Having a curiosity mindset
The cause of PDA
Anecdotal evidence that PDA is genetic
ASD with descriptors
ASD as a gateway to services and insurance
Being an advocate for your child
PDA protocols
Ways we can help families with PDA children
The outside looking in people
Equalizing behavior
Expanding resilience
The desire to be seen and known for who we are
Not judging PDA families
“I believe you, you’re competent, I trust that you’re going to work it out”
Fear and worry with PDA parents (and parents in general)
Helping PDA kids get back to their thinking brain
Casey’s Free Clarity Masterclass