PDA North America - Pathological Demand Avoidance

PDA North America - Pathological Demand Avoidance Our mission is bold. We want to spread awareness of PDA to parents, individuals, educators and therapists throughout the US and Canada.
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Our mission is to provide advocacy, education, and resources to autistic PDA individuals, others who identify as PDA and their families along with the professionals who support them. We want families to have a place to turn for support and guidance. We want professionals to be able to receive training, consultation and information in order to effectively teach or treat PDAers. And we want PDAers t

o know that they are understood. In short, to build a strong and vibrant community for this underserved population.

📣 You Asked, We Listened! 📣We heard your requests, and we're excited to announce that we're now offering a July PDA 101 ...
06/15/2026

📣 You Asked, We Listened! 📣

We heard your requests, and we're excited to announce that we're now offering a July PDA 101 session! 🎉

Whether you're new to learning about PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance/Persistent Drive for Autonomy), need a refresher, or want to better support a loved one, student, or client, this webinar is for you. PDA North America has added a July session due to community demand, and it's FREE to attend!

📅 July 9
⏰ 7:00 PM Central
🎟️ Free to join! Comment 101JUL26 for the direct link to register

🚨 1 WEEK UNTIL SUMMER ☀️ SURVIVAL FOR PDA FAMILIES! 🚨Before the camps, vacations, schedule changes, and summer stress be...
06/15/2026

🚨 1 WEEK UNTIL SUMMER ☀️ SURVIVAL FOR PDA FAMILIES! 🚨

Before the camps, vacations, schedule changes, and summer stress begin, join us for a webinar designed specifically for PDA families and professionals.

If summer often feels harder than it should, this webinar is for you.

Learn how to reduce overwhelm, support regulation, and better understand the unique challenges PDAers face during times of transition.

🗓️ Thursday 6/25 at 7PM (CST)
🎟️ Comment SummerShift to get your tickets to join us

😓 Struggling with PDA communication? Some resistance comes from implicit demands you might not even notice.🎥 Sandra McCo...
06/11/2026

😓 Struggling with PDA communication? Some resistance comes from implicit demands you might not even notice.

🎥 Sandra McConnell AKA PDA Mama Bear’s pre-recorded webinar in our Learning Lab breaks down practical tools for caregivers and professionals—helping you respond with calm, care, and confidence.

📲 Comment Implicit for the direct link to watch anytime

📣 THE NEW YORK TIMES wants to hear about your PDA journey!Do you want to share your PDA story with The New York Times? S...
06/10/2026

📣 THE NEW YORK TIMES wants to hear about your PDA journey!

Do you want to share your PDA story with The New York Times? Sophia Stamatopoulou-Robbins, cultural anthropologist and mom to PDAer, is writing an article with New York Times editor Kate Lowenstein about PDA.

They are currently looking for families who would be comfortable sharing their PDA stories for the article.

💬 Comment “NYT” and we’ll send you the direct link to be in touch with them!

📣 Happening TOMORROW 📣Join us for our webinar with Speech Therapist, PDA North America, and Author of Declarative Langua...
06/10/2026

📣 Happening TOMORROW 📣

Join us for our webinar with Speech Therapist, PDA North America, and Author of Declarative Language Handbook & The Co-regulation Handbook: Consent & Communication 💜

This conversation is for parents, educators, professionals, PDAers, and other neurodivergent adults who want to explore more respectful, supportive, and trust-centered communication.

🌿 Together, we’ll explore practical strategies for:
• Sharing difficult information with care
• Reducing stress and resistance
• Building stronger, safer connections
• Practicing consent-centered communication in everyday life

🗓️ Happening TOMORROW, Thursday, June 11th
🎟️ Comment ConsentComm to save your spot!

Parents of PDA children often receive endless advice about limiting screen time—but what if the conversation is missing ...
06/09/2026

Parents of PDA children often receive endless advice about limiting screen time—but what if the conversation is missing the bigger picture?

For many PDA children, screens can provide regulation, recovery, autonomy, creativity, and connection. When we shift from control to curiosity, we can better understand the role screens are playing and reduce the power struggles that so often surround them.

Comment "Screentime" and we'll send you the direct link to the article by Amanda Diekman () along with a webinar by Brook Madera, () PDAer & parent to PDA children, called "Screentime of SCREAMtime?" all about navigating a low demand lifestyle with screentime.

🚨 NEXT WEEK: PDA: A Father's PerspectiveBeing a dad/male-identifying caregiver to a PDA child can feel like living life ...
06/08/2026

🚨 NEXT WEEK: PDA: A Father's Perspective
Being a dad/male-identifying caregiver to a PDA child can feel like living life on "hard mode."

It's not just the parenting challenges, it's the invisible stress, the isolation, and the societal blind spots that can make support feel scarce.

Join PDAer & PDA dad, PJ "Starling" Letourneau, as he shares what fathers are actually navigating: how PDA life shapes them, how they cope, and why their stories need to be heard.

For PDA male-identifying caregivers, their partners, and the professionals who support PDA families.

📅 Thursday, June 18 | 7:00 PM CST

🎟️ Comment PDADPerspective for the link to sign up for next week's event
& for our FREE PDA Day Dad's discussion video

🎉 Now Available for Free in the Learning Lab!Our Autism in the Black Community webinar featuring Dr. Destiny Huff and Ma...
06/05/2026

🎉 Now Available for Free in the Learning Lab!

Our Autism in the Black Community webinar featuring Dr. Destiny Huff and Maria Davis-Pierre is now available to watch at your own pace—completely free.

This important conversation explores the unique experiences, challenges, and strengths of Black autistic individuals and families, offering valuable insights for parents, professionals, and community members alike.

📺 Watch anytime. Learn at your own pace. Share with your community: https://buff.ly/mpKih8i

Then, join us on July 23 at 6 PM CST when Dr. Huff and Maria Davis-Pierre return for a LIVE Q&A on Autism in the Black Community + PDA: https://buff.ly/R5AqEMv

💬 Have a question you'd like them to address?
Submit it in advance here: https://buff.ly/Nn1hIZn

Bring your questions, deepen the conversation, and connect with others in the community during this free live event.

💜 Watch the webinar. Submit your questions. Join the Q&A.

🚨 Ever Wonder What Happens to PDAers When They Grow Up? 🚨Join Karla Pretorius 🧠💛 — Psychologist, PhD Researcher, ADHDer ...
06/04/2026

🚨 Ever Wonder What Happens to PDAers When They Grow Up? 🚨

Join Karla Pretorius 🧠💛 — Psychologist, PhD Researcher, ADHDer & PDAer — as she shares her personal journey and a story of hope for PDAers navigating adulthood.

🗓 Thursday, 7/16 | 2 PM CST

PDA isn’t “just defiance.” Understanding it can change everything—for parents, partners, friends, professionals… and PDAers themselves. Discover how self-advocacy, insight, and authentic support help PDAers thrive on their own terms.

✨ Curious. Inspired. Ready for hope? Don’t miss this!
📌 Comment PDAGrownUp to reserve your spot today!

"Not right now." What if that wasn't a communication breakdown? What if it was a type of communication?For PDA individu...
06/04/2026

"Not right now."

What if that wasn't a communication breakdown?

What if it was a type of communication?

For PDA individuals, readiness, processing time, and autonomy can have a profound impact on how information is received.

💬 Comment "PDAconsent" and we'll send you:

🎥 Registration information for:
Consent and Communication with PDA Individuals
A live webinar with Linda K. Murphy, MS, CCC-SLP,
author of The Declarative Language Handbook
🗓 June 11th at 7 PM Central, 🎬 Replay included

📖 Links to Parts 1 & 2 of Linda K. Murphy's PDA Insights blog series:
Consent and Communication

Because meaningful communication isn't just about what we say—it's also about when, how, and whether someone is ready to receive it. 🎯

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