Is my child PDA? ¿Mi niño/a es PDA? Next Steps Foundations Paradigm Shift Program™ Coaching Resources About

Foundations of a Paradigm Shift

Learn the 20 Actionable Skills to positively change the trajectory of a PDA child or teen's life. $199.

Enrollment is now closed. You can join our email list to be notified the next time the course is available. 

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The Foundations Course

Imagine if you had 20 simple skills in your back pocket to feel confident in knowing exactly what to do to support a PDA child or teen (and yourself) to thrive over the long term...

You are why I designed this course!!

To provide you with a clear breakdown of 20 actionable skills that you can implement immediately to support your PDA child or teen (and yourself) in your home, therapy practice, or classroom. 

So you can:

  • Take action and make progress, even though you are stressed and overwhelmed, and your own nervous system is taxed. 
  • Feel confident and resourced, even when people around you are judging the way you are accommodating a PDA child or teen. 

Unlike courses that are focused on teaching you *about* Pathological Demand Avoidance/Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, this course is designed to give you three things: 

  • Step-by-step instructions, real-life examples and scripts to make implementation actually do-able.
  • A deep understanding of *how to support* the PDA brain and nervous system.
  • The confidence to make changes in your home, classroom, or therapy practice. 

As a mom of a PDA child, who has been in and out of therapy and school, I know better than anyone that:

  • You are exhausted as a parent, stuck as a therapist, or overwhelmed as a teacher with 20 other students to support. 
  • Your own executive functioning is tapped out.
  • You are constantly on edge because you don't have the structure and practical strategies you need to handle any given moment with your PDAer (whether in the home, clinic, or classroom). 

You are not alone. I want to give you the skills and tools you need so that you will feel empowered, confident, and capable and your own nervous system can rest.

 Enrollment Includes:

  • A 70-page, easy to use handbook (PDF) 
  • 12 hours of live teaching and instruction with Casey
  • 2-hour live Q+A with Casey (participants will submit questions ahead of time and I will select those that illustrate patterns that are relevant to the whole group when answering) 
  • Our signature methodology - the 5A Framework™
  • Step-by-step instructions, real-life examples and scripts to practice the 20 skills for supporting your PDA child or teen
  • Lifetime access to all the teaching sessions (everything will be recorded) and book 
  • Accessible design, with captions enabled on Zoom and transcripts provided
  • Tech and admin support from the team at At Peace Parents

 $199 USD

I have helped 100s of other parents of PDA children and teens find clarity and peace with these 20 skills and the 5A Framework™

This is the first time we are offering this course, but below are some of the testimonials about my teaching in our podcast, other classes, and signature Paradigm Shift Program™.

 Click here for more!

Podcast Testimonials

Paradigm Shift Program™ Testimonials

 If you are anything like my clients...

 

You know plenty *about* Pathological Demand Avoidance, but want the confidence that comes from having actionable strategies and skills so you can make a positive change in your home, clinic, or classroom. 

This course is for you - as it is designed to teach you the foundational tools to make immediate shifts and continue to progress over the long term.

I will support you with non-judgmental, confidence-building, and action-oriented teaching, paired with step-by-step How To's in both the handbook and teaching.

And every session will be recorded so afterwards you can refer back or dive deeper anytime you want on demand.

Let your brain and nervous system rest, assured and supported by the course structure and new insights and skills you will learn. 

       THE COURSE INCLUDES

20 Skills from Casey's

- 5A Framework™ -

Awareness 

Monday, October 28th, 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time)

✓  Understanding the 5A Framework™

✓  The Sacred Pause

 ✓  Experimenting with the PDA Lens

Acceptance

Tuesday, October 29th, 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time) 

✓  Cost-Benefit Decision-Making for thinking within Constraints (Decisions regarding: Screens, Siblings, School, Violence, and Risk Mitigation)

Accommodation 

Thursday, October 31st 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time)

✓ Autonomy

✓ Equality

✓ Lowering Demands

✓ Signaling Safety to the PDA Nervous System

✓ Communication 

✓ Humor for Connection and Co-regulation for a PDAer

Friday, November 1st 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time)

✓ Strewing for Sensory Cues and Help with Ideation

✓ PDA-Friendly Play

✓ Novelty, Dopamine, and Sensory-Intense Experiences

✓  Diffusion of "Equalizing" behavior

✓  De-escalation techniques for meltdowns and safety

 ✓ Risk Mitigation for physical and psychological safety for the PDAer and others

Affirmation

Monday, November 4th, 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time)

✓  Naming the threat response with example scripts

✓  Identity Strewing: an approach to talk about identity with a PDA child or teen

Advocacy

Tuesday November 5th, 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time) 

✓  Using the PLATO framework for non-violent communication requests in advocacy

✓  Boundaries as a form of advocacy

Q+A

Friday, November 8th, 2024: 1:00-3:00pm ET (NYC time) 

✓  Participants can submit questions ahead of time and the most frequently asked questions will be answered during this live Q+A

>> Hey there, I'm Casey!

 

My son had started having violent meltdowns that seemed to exponentially escalate no matter what I did to help him. Increasingly, he stopped eating, walking, and speaking. When he wasn’t hidden inside of himself, he would explode, and eventually I became scared of my own child. When I caught his gaze, I would see fear in his eyes too. I had no idea what to do.

Deep down I had always known something about my child was not typical.

As a baby, I could never soothe him and no matter what parenting book I scoured, none of it applied to my son. When I asked pediatricians questions, they told me my son was verbal, socially engaged, and pretty good at eye contact, and not to worry.

So I blamed myself.

I told myself I simply wasn’t a good mom and tried to push through. Until one day I couldn't anymore.

I left my career and we moved our family to a small town in Michigan. After a year as a full-time caregiver, mother, and researcher of my child, I came across Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

Suddenly, everything became clear and set me on a journey that has transformed my life and my views and assumptions about human behavior.

By changing how I understand, parent, and accommodate my son, I found a deep connection with him and a sense of competence and peace in my identity as a parent.

Now that my family is at peace and stable, I am committing my energy and time to getting your family or practice there too.

More about me:

  • Helping lead the first U.S. peer-reviewed studies on PDA with the University of Michigan School of Medicine 
  • Polyvagal Theory Certificate from Dr. Porges' Polyvagal  Institute
  • Certified to work with PDA children, teens, and adults through PDA North America and the UK-based, OCN-accredited organization
  • Co-founder of "PDA Parents" Community and Podcast
  • Achievement of Consistent Excellence Award leading Research Integrity team at the Pew Charitable Trusts (Washington D.C.)
  • Ph.D. in Political Science (University of Wisconsin - Madison)
  • Original doctoral research on violence, peace, trauma, and reconciliation
  • Master's of Political And Economic Development (Columbia University)
  • Guggenheim Peace Fellow
  • United States Institute of Peace Fellow
  • National Science Foundation Scholar
  • Social Science Research Council Scholar
  • Fulbright Scholar - Teaching and Transitional Justice
Frequently Asked Questions

Why Now? 

What would it feel like to always know the "next right step" with a PDAer in your home, your clinical practice or your classroom? 

Now is the time to take action, so that you can lay your head on your pillow each night, knowing you are helping your PDA child or teen make progress and thrive.