On today’s episode I speak with Claire Britton, a neuro-affirming occupational therapist and Director of Neuroinclusion. Claire brings incredible insight into PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy) and how a neuro-affirming lens can help us support neurodivergent children better. She explains why PDA often requires a different approach to typical behaviour strategies and shares practical ways to help children feel safe and understood.

Claire and I discuss:

🌸 What the PDA profile (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is.

🌸 The significance of understanding PDA through a neuro-affirming approach and why the term "Pervasive Drive for Autonomy" is preferred.

🌸 Understanding the difference between PDA and typical demand avoidance.

🌸 Common behaviours associated with PDA, including the different "fight, flight, freeze, fawn" responses.

🌸 Supports for PDAers, including the critical role of reducing and adapting demands to support regulation.

Claire Britton is the Director and Principal Occupational Therapist at Neuroinclusion. She is passionate about educating, inspiring and empowering Australian clients and therapists to optimise best practice to facilitate their success doing their daily activities. She works with neurodivergent clients across the lifespan and also runs The Neurodivergent Occupational Therapist instagram with over 27,000 followers. She is a speaker, podcast guest, neurodiversity advocate and clinical mentor to therapists across Australia. She brings her own personal experiences being neurodivergent with over 9 years of clinical experiences to consistently provide the highest quality neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Connect with Claire:

💫 Find her on Instagram: @neuroinclusion.au

💫 Find her on Facebook: Neuroinclusion

💫 Connect with her on LinkedIn: Claire Britton

💫 Visit her website: Neuroinclusion

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EP 19 | Exploring the PDA Profile with Claire Britton

The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast

EP 19 | Exploring the PDA Profile with Claire Britton