At Peace Parentsâ„¢ Podcast

In this episode I spoke with Chris Wegner - AKA "Speech Dude" - a speech language pathologist with extensive experience accommodating PDA teens in a public school. I loved our conversation, and I hope you will too!We talked about:Practical ways to communicate about PDA in a public school setting (in this case a high school).How to write PDA-specific goals/supports in an IEP (Institutional Educational Plan here in the United States).Supporting PDA teens to feel safe, engage in learning, and make social connections in creative ways that don't feel demanding.The role that autonomy plays in PDA teens' success.Here is more about Chris!Chris Wenger is a neurodivergent high school speech-language pathologist of over 20 years, international speaker, and creator of the Dynamic Assessment of Social Emotional Learning, a strengths-based assessment for autistic students. He is also the founder of NeuroAffirm, a first-of-its-kind worldwide interactive directory connecting providers and families. Globally known as Speech Dude, he has amassed nearly one million social media followers, sharing inspiring and educational content, always with a humorous twist.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

Dr. Mel Houser, MD, shares stories from her childhood, career as a doctor, and work reimagining healthcare and community at All Brains Belong in Vermont. PDA Autistic herself, I hope you'll find her insights as interesting, helpful and hopeful as I did. Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

The thing that underpins so much of how we support and accommodate our PDA children and teens - and thereby lower their nervous system activation so they can thrive - is our connection with them. And this connection can get very, very strained. Especially if they're in burnout, which often means we are, too. In this episode I share ten tips to improve connection and communications. I hope it's helpful. xo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

Five years ago, when my son barely ate anything, and I feared he would end up with a feeding tube, and none of the traditional therapies worked, these are the 20 things I wish someone would have said to me, because I was freaking out! I hope they are as helpful to you now as I know they would have been for me back then. Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

I dive deep on screens in this episode - to give you every bit of information you need to make decisions you can feel confident in concerning screens and screen limits. I talk through how formal studies on screen time handle PDA children (spoiler - they don't) and share what I've seen working with over 1,000 families who have all handled screen limits their own ways. I do this because no matter your decision, I don't want you to feel all the doubt I did from the judgement I received from others and from myself. You know your child, your family and your constraints, and I know you are doing your best to balance all of this, and that is what matters.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I discuss the five most common characteristics of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Pervasive Drive for Autonomy) to help parents determine if their child or teen fits the profile. If you want to dig deeper into figuring out if your child fits the PDA profile, I designed my Clarity Masterclass to help. It's free on my website: Clarity Masterclass Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

"All kids are demand avoidant" is just one of the misconceptions about PDA that I take down with clinical psychologist Alex Klein in this feisty episode. I hope it helps you take on any doubts foisted on you, too.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I talk about some of the therapies I've done to heal my own nervous system - and dive deeper on EMDR specifically - in the hope that they might be helpful to you, too. Because the reality is, many of us as parents also experience trauma as we navigate the challenges of parenting a PDA child or teen, especially when they (and we!) are in burnout.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

This episode is for people who follow (or don't follow) any religion and are open to taking some of the concepts from Buddhist psychology that I've found most helpful as I parent my PDA child. I hope you find these six ideas helpful, too.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

My son started occupational therapy six years ago, when he was four. I didn't really know what it was, nor did I know my son was PDA. But in the years since, OT has become a prominent part of my life. So much so that as he's now graduating from it, I'm navigating feelings of loss, much like I did way back when he first started. I hope you find the episode helps you, whether or not you're involved in OT.xo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I speak with Dr. Alex Klein about a dynamic I see all the time - when two parents aren't on the same page about how to parent their PDA child or teen. Alex brings his insight as a clinical psychologist who often works with parents on marriage dynamics while they raise a PDA child or teen. I hope you find it helpful! Also - this is our 100th episode of the podcast! What I've heard over the years is that the podcast is one of the ways so many families learn about PDA and stop feeling so isolated and alone. If you'd like to help this happen for even more parents out there, please consider giving the show a five-star, written review. If you email us a screenshot once you've done so - and before the end of February - we'll enter your name in a drawing for a free one-hour private coaching session with me. You can send the email to journey@atpeaceparents.com.Thanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

"Mama, did God make me this way on purpose?" That's what my PDA son asked me when he was four years old, and it broke my heart. But today, at age 10, he has a ton of confidence in himself and his identity as a PDAer. In this episode I talk through how we got from the one place to the other, and how you can, too. I hope it's helpful.CaseyMentioned in this episode:PSP Enrollment OpenEnrollment is open for my Paradigm Shift Program - the program where I personally coach you through your challenges parenting your PDA child or teen. Tap the link to enroll or add yourself to the program interest list.PSP

This episode is about one of parents' most common fears when they begin taking a nervous-system accommodation approach. What about when my kid grows up? Or, said another way, if I don't consistently correct them when they do something wrong, how will they learn not to be awful people?It's a question and fear I had, too. But what I've seen with my son, and the thousands of families I've worked with, is that our kids know right from wrong, and correcting them when they're having a nervous system response takes us backwards instead of forwards.Thanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:PSP Enrollment OpenEnrollment is open for my Paradigm Shift Program - the program where I personally coach you through your challenges parenting your PDA child or teen. Tap the link to enroll or add yourself to the program interest list.PSP

I am so excited to share this conversation with Demi Burnett! She's famous for her appearances on The Bachelor and more, but I had so much fun - and also learned a ton - talking with her about her life as a PDA Autistic person. I mean, who would have thought reality television would be so accommodating?!?You can find Demi's often hilarious social media posts here: instagram.com/demi_not_lovatoAnd she sells her amazing crochet creations here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DemliaAlso - in my intro I announced that we've opened enrollment for the next cohort of the Paradigm Shift Program. You can learn more about the program in the info below, and here's a quick link to the program webpage: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programThe 12-week Paradigm Shift Program is where I personally coach parents who want to build peace in their homes by better understanding and accommodating their PDA child or teen. I host weekly live spot-coaching sessions and provide additional coaching in writing in our online community. The program is built on what I've seen work for thousands of families, and in fact it is the only program for parents of PDA children and teens proven to increase parent connection with their child, while decreasing parent depression and anxiety. You can enroll or add yourself to the program interest list at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programYou can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/casey-ehrlich-ph-d-495a242bThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Pre-roll Demi

In this episode I discuss how seemingly disconnected activities can impact each other for PDA children and teens. I hope it is helpful to you.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Enrollment is open for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I talk through some of the most common places that the parents, therapists and teachers I've worked with get stuck. If you're stuck in one of these spots don't feel bad. This is hard stuff we're all doing. And I hope this episode can help.Also, I recorded this a few months ago, prior to hosting my Foundations Course live. The course is now available on demand and prerecorded on our website.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I share some stories that show that the accommodating we do for our PDA children and teens isn't all that crazy. In fact, you could make a reasonable argument that many of the most successful people working in retail are constantly using their ability to coregulate their customers' nervous systems.I share these stories with two hopes - that they help you feel less crazy, and more confident the next time your "but how will they make it in the real world" fear pops up. I hope they're helpful.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I answer your questions with Dr. Alex Klein, clinical psychologist. We covered a few diagnoses - DMDD, IED and ODD - that children often receive before their parents figure out they are PDA. And then we also discussed the grieving process that many parents go through after learning their child has a disability, and how that can be different from ableism, which parents often feel guilty about. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

The holidays can be excruciating for us parents of PDA children and teens. So in this episode I share five tips to help you and your family get through them (with as much joy as possible). I hope they are helpful. Also, this episode includes a story about my PDA son not being able to sleep on Christmas Eve several years ago. After I recorded this I then re-read a blog post I'd written shortly after that Christmas Eve, and realized that I hadn't correctly remembered some of the chronology when I retold the story here. This doesn't change the point of the story at all, but I wanted to note the mistake in case you also read the story. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Advocating with the school of your PDA child or teen can feel like slamming your head against a wall. But you keep trying because you think that if you just explain how PDA works clearly enough the school will start accommodating appropriately. At least that's what I thought. And I was wrong. But it took me more than a year and multiple lawyers to get to the place where I pulled my child from our local public school. I share my story here in the hope that, at the very least, it absolves you of the feeling that the reason your school isn't supporting your child is somehow your fault. Because it's not. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

I love it when alumni of our Paradigm Shift Program™ send me updates. It's just so wonderful to hear about the work that parents do and the slow but tremendous progress they make. In this episode I decided to invite on one of the moms who sent me such an update about a year after she finished the program. We talk about how she ultimately fared with the questions she was grappling with during the program: Should she send her PDA son to sleepaway summer camp? And if so, how should she go about it? I hope you enjoy hearing her story as much as I enjoyed reconnecting with her.xo,CaseyAre you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent!

I conceptualize PDA as a nervous system disability because it can impair access to basic survival needs - such as eating, sleeping, toileting, movement, and safety. It's terrifying for parents when this happens, and in this episode I discuss why it does. This understanding helps many parents support their children, who can then regain access to those needs over time. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Lowering demands is how many parents start accommodating their PDA child or teen, and it's also where many get stuck. In this episode I talk through the mindset work that parents can do to get unstuck and be more successful with lowering demands. I also explain why lowering demands is a necessary but not sufficient accommodation for our PDA children and teens. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Does you child or teen often try to control you, criticize you and/or destroy your things or things around the house. This is very common among PDA children and teens, because they are equalizing. Equalizing is a nervous system response - out of their control - in PDA children and teens whereby they try to regain sense of nervous system safety due to a perceived loss of autonomy and equality.In this episode I break it all down, and share lots of examples. I hope it's helpful. xo,CaseyAre you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Este episodio está en español. This episode is in Spanish. En este episodio hablo con Juliana Carrillo sobre PDA - la Evitación de Demanda Extrema - y como entender la discapacidad del sistema nervioso en niños y jovenes. Juliana es una psicologa y "coach" con At Peace Parents. Puedes leer más de ella y sus servicios aquí: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/Juliana-asesoria-personalizadaAre you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

It's very common for two parents to be on different pages or trajectories with PDA understanding and acceptance. Sometimes this is because one parent wants more "evidence" that PDA exists at all, which can be very difficult given that academia has not yet caught up to our lived realities. In this episode I provide a possible way forward - building your own evidence!I hope it's helpful. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I share the techniques for using declarative language that I've seen are most effective for parents of PDA children and teens. And I snuck in a suggestion on how to get your PDAer's teacher to use declarative language, too ;)Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

There are tons of misconceptions about if and how we set boundaries with our PDA children and teens (spoiler - we do!), and in this episode I talk through the most common of them. I also explain the process I use - cost-benefit decision making within constraints - to help parents decide when they should set boundaries and how to do so with eyes wide open to the activation this will cause their PDAer.I hope it helps you!Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Hi everyone - in this episode I share some of the many messy, awkward and (in retrospect at least) kinda funny situations I found myself in during the many months I was in the process of changing my parenting approach to better support my PDA son. I share these as a reminder that this can be (almost always is) a chaotic transition, and that's ok. You're learning and implementing a new parenting paradigm, and it takes time for you, your family members, and you PDA child to get into a new rhythm. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

ABA is helpful for some PDA children and their families. For other PDA children it doesn't help or can make things worse. With this in mind, I'd love to live in a world where ABA and additional options were available - and covered by insurance - to support PDA children and teens.In today's episode I provide more information about ABA and the how parents of PDA children can better understand the research supporting it.Also - here are links to the two articles I referenced:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40614-022-00338-xhttps://www.nature.com/articles/tp2017207Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I share my experiences with the Safe and Sound Protocol, and also provide guidance on how parents can think about trying therapies with their PDA child or teen.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

This is a question I get frequently, and there's a lot of nuance that goes into answering it. I hope this is helpful to you!Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I explain the logic that underpins all my teaching, and why traditional behavioral parenting approaches - which are great for many children - don't work for PDA children and teens because of the way their brains and nervous systems work. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Like many parents, I spent years looking for a magic solution that would fix or circumvent my son's PDA. And then I came to accept that this is a disability he has. Only then was I able to make the decisions to truly support him and our family.In this episode I share the tool I teach in the Paradigm Shift Program™ to help parents accept the limitations they face and make decisions to move forward. I hope it supports you, too.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I explain why it makes total sense that we have PDA children and teens before academia has proven the existence of PDA, because research follows real life. (And while I love research, it is often slow and expensive.)But that doesn't mean we can't move forward and experiment with approaches that support our children. That's what parents have always done, and then studies come after that prove the effectiveness of those approaches. I hope this episode validates for you that what you know to be true is indeed true, even though many of the practitioners you work with (therapists, teachers, pediatricians) didn't learn about it in school.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

One of our goals in accommodating the nervous systems of our PDA children and teens is to make them feel safe. And in this video I walk through nine ways we can signal safety (many of which aren't verbal) to help them feel safe, and safe in their connection with us. This podcast is the audio recording of a video I made, and you can hear me talk about some of the visuals I shared, which you don't really need, but are available here if you want to see them (https://youtu.be/FD_oHidffP4?si=R3EOQiBUY9ihccyr). Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

I don't plan a single weekend - nor really any other free time with my PDA son - without thinking about the 4 S's. Just keeping them in mind buoys my confidence that I know how to prevent or interrupt my son's dysregulation.This podcast is the audio of a video I made explaining the 4S's in detail. I talk a bit about the graphics I drew for the video, which you don't really need to see, but can find here if you'd like (https://youtu.be/4hYEtJhbg7k?si=jZlWZLhawS-sZ0p4). Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Are you thinking about taking your PDA child or teen out of formal school for homeschooling? Or perhaps you've already done so and are finding what you've gotten into to be pure chaos? This episode is for you!Kelly Edwards is the mother of a PDA child and founder of 90-Minute School Day (https://90minuteschoolday.com/), an organization that helps parents homeschool and unschool their neurodivergent children and teens. I loved speaking with her and know her insights will be supportive for so many of you great parents out there!Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Raising a PDA child or teen is extremely challenging. Trying to be perfect in your implementation of accommodations makes it impossible and unsustainable. But here's the good news - you don't have to be perfect! Not when your child is in burnout, and certainly not when they're in equilibrium and you need to bring some nuance to your caregiving. I explain these distinctions in this episode, which I hopes helps you breathe a little deeper and recognize what a great job you're already doing!Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Are you dreading the start to school with your PDA child or teen?

In this episode I talk through the steps you can take to accommodate your PDA child or teen as they equalize against you. This is not easy stuff, but can be life changing over time. Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode Donna Georgen - one of the expert coaches with At Peace Parents - shares her own amazing story of being a single mother raising two PDA daughters, one of whom also has Down Syndrome, into adulthood. Donna is a true inspiration, and a wonderful human. I feel so fortunate that she now brings all of her wisdom, empathy and practicality to her private coaching clients, and her work as a moderator in the Paradigm Shift Program online community. Want to learn more about coaching with Donna? Here's her coaching page: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/donna-coachingInterested in her support as part of the Paradigm Shift Program? Learn more here: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programOr if you're still trying to figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is on the At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In my work with hundreds of families one thing I see often is that parents are wrongly made to feel shame for their parenting by well-meaning but shortsighted "experts." In this episode of the podcast I debunk the arguments and "evidence" that these experts use and show that none of us need to feel ashamed of the herculean parenting we're doing. Are you ready to dive deeper with me, my team and a cohort of other understanding families facing the same challenges you do? If so, I recommend joining the waitlist to get early access for enrollment in the next Paradigm Shift Program. (Last enrollment every spot filled.)Here's the link: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/psp-waitlistOr if you're not sure if your child is PDA, you might find my FREE Clarity Masterclass, as I designed it to help you determine if your child fits the PDA profile: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/clarityYou can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

This episode is a MUST listen! Kendahl Damashek, a gifted PDAer and parent coach with At Peace Parents, walks us through her experience as a PDA child and young adult. With vulnerability and courage, Kendahl shares her experience with burnout in her college years and her story of how she learned to balance raising four PDA children and her own access needs. I am grateful that I get to work with Kendahl every day as a member of the At Peace Parents team. She shares her wisdom in the online community of the Paradigm Shift Program (https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-program), which she helps moderate, and in one-on-one coaching with families, many of whom come to her for her personal experience being 2E (twice exceptional - gifted and PDA) and raising 2E children. You can learn more about her and her coaching services at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/kendahl-private-coaching-1To learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

We can use time-tested scientific methods to determine the best ways to parent our PDA children and teens. In fact, many of you likely already do so, and in this episode I discuss how we all can. To learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode Dr. Alex Klein, clinical psychologist, discussed strategies for parents of children with both PDA and OCD, and how to handle violence and hitting, especially with the added challenge of keeping siblings safe. To learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

The subject of this podcast can be triggering, but I'm committed to talking about it because so many parents of PDA children and teens encounter violence - and I am sending love and, compassion and deep empathy to all of you - and because part of the mission of At Peace Parents is to reduce violence at the individual, household and societal level. To learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I talk with At Peace Parents coach Kendahl Damashek about parenting twice exceptional children - who are both gifted and PDA. Kendahl shares her personal experience being 2E and raising 2E children. You can learn more about her and her coaching services at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/kendahl-private-coaching-1To learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey

In this episode I share how Polyvagal Theory - cutting edge understanding of how the human nervous system works - can help us parent our PDA children and teens. Specifically, I look at how it helps us answer the following paradoxical questions:1 - Why do things seem to get worse after I dive in on accommodating?2 - How can my child turn their responses on or off if the behaviors truly aren't under their conscious control?3 - Similarly, how can equalizing be social in nature if not under their control?4 - Why, after making so much progress with my PDA child, do I personally feel so awful in my own nervous system?To learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,Casey