At Peace Parents Podcast Ep. 147 - Tips for Parenting Your Pathologically Demand Avoidant Teen - Part 1
Feb 17, 2026
Donna Georgen, parent coach who raised two daughters with PDA, shares practical wisdom from lived experience. She discusses prioritizing autonomy and equality. She describes shifting to a mentor-friend role. She talks about using vulnerability and transparency. She urges releasing the pressure to fix everything and reframing regression as fluctuation.
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Daughter's Recovery From Teenage Shutdown
- Donna's older daughter hit a teenage wall and shut down but later recovered, got a job, and married.
- Donna contrasts her daughters' different windows of tolerance and long recovery through PDA-informed support.
Prioritize Autonomy And Equality
- Keep autonomy and equality central by offering real choices and honoring them without repeated prompts.
- Let teens make decisions so they regain agency and naturally take on tasks when ready.
A Call For Safety, Not Information
- Donna's daughter called about going to the doctor but changed the subject; Donna learned the call was for co-regulation, not a request.
- Allowing choice led the daughter to later report the visit voluntarily, showing autonomy fosters disclosure.