At Peace Parents Podcast

Dive into the world of screens and PDA children with insights from over 1,000 families. Discover how screens can enhance focus and creativity while navigating the challenges of parental fears. Learn to critically assess screen-time research and the unique needs of neurodivergent kids. Explore flexible strategies like nighttime limits and content boundaries. Reflect on the societal impact of screens and the importance of validating each family's choices. Embrace screens as neutral tools for growth, skill-building, and supporting your child's development.

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 Page - Quiz and Class

"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.

Discover effective therapies for healing your nervous system as a parent of a child with Pathological Demand Avoidance. Gain insights on the emotional and psychological challenges that caregivers face. Learn about body-based healing techniques and the importance of self-regulation during parenting stress. The speaker shares personal anecdotes and reflective insights, shedding light on the journey towards emotional resilience in the face of unique family dynamics.

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.

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,Casey

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

A mother shares her journey helping her PDA son transform from confusion to confidence. She explores how consistent accommodation can help children embrace their identity. The conversation touches on the importance of separating diagnosis from self-concept and normalizing threat responses. Practical steps include using declarative affirmations to positively frame traits and fostering a sense of belonging. The episode emphasizes empowering children to choose their identity and navigate their experiences with support.

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,Casey

Join Demi Burnett, a reality-TV personality known for her time on The Bachelor, as she shares her journey as a PDA autistic adult. She candidly discusses her diagnosis, the challenges of basic needs, and how creativity has been her outlet. Demi’s insights into navigating autonomy in low-demand environments like reality TV reveal surprising accommodations. With anecdotes from her youth and current passions for autism acceptance and crochet, she offers unique wisdom for parents on supporting their PDA children.