PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
PDA-informed care starts with seeing what the behavior is communicating.
PDA is frequently misunderstood in healthcare, education, and behavioral settings. I offer education for pediatricians, psychologists, therapists, educators, and other professionals who want to recognize demand-sensitive presentations and respond with more nuance, confidence, and compassion.
- Understand the clinical and lived-experience perspectives on PDA, including why terminology matters and why many PDAers prefer Persistent Drive for Autonomy.
- Recognize how PDA can overlap with — and be mistaken for — other presentations.
- Understand why pressure, consequences, and standard compliance-based approaches may increase distress.
- Learn practical ways to support autonomy, nervous-system safety, communication, and access to care.
- Help families feel understood rather than blamed.
PROFESSIONAL COURSE
PDA for Clinicians
An evidence-informed course for pediatricians, psychologists, therapists, and allied health professionals who want a practical, neurodiversity-affirming framework for recognizing and supporting PDA in clinical settings.
Clinician education coming soon.
Recognizing PDA in practice
General education for professionals, not a substitute for clinical judgment.
Notice the pattern
Look for a strong response to everyday demands, capacity that shifts from day to day, and big differences between settings, such as calm at school and distressed at home.
Why usual approaches can backfire
Rewards, consequences, and firm limits can raise the sense of threat for a PDA child. More pressure often brings more distress, not more cooperation.
Lower the demand of the visit
Explain what will happen, offer choices about order and pace, and let the child watch before being examined. Small adjustments can make care possible.
Believe the family
Parents often see a very different child at home than you see in clinic. Their reports are key information, not exaggeration.
Training, speaking, and resources to share
I offer PDA education for clinical teams, schools, and organizations. You’re also welcome to share The PDA Doc’s family page with the families you support.