Journeys With PDA Coffee Chat Podcast

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In this episode, Heather and Kerissa continue our chat with Vinnie Stars about the adult experience of PDA, which includes a fantastic explanation and discussion of "Leveling."

Vinnie is a white queer Autistic / ADHD PDA, vision & hearing impaired survivor, speaker, coach and consultant
who channels positive Autistic / Neurodivergent Identity by creating Liberatory Processing Spaces through their business Square Peg; Round Souls.

After 30 years "trying to make it on Broadway" and 20 years in therapy as a distressed unidentified PDA'er, a theatre colleague identified her Autistic way of being in the world.

She founded Team TLC NYC and was an Independent Consultant for Broadway's How to Dance in Ohio in the area of unconscious bias / Neurodiverse communication differences.

Her one-person show Yeah No debuts in New York City next year and breaks down the marriage of the Theatre Industry and Autism Industry.

She lives in New York with her husband, also an Autistic PDA’er, much cooler than she and inevitably always has a hyperfocus on the important like how your pet is doing.

To learn more about Vinnie Stars visit squarepegroundsouls.com.

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This, on occasion, includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional well-being and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests cannot diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile, visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching.

Support the Show.

https://journeyswithpda.com

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather and Kerissa chat with Vinnie Stars about the adult experience of PDA.

Vinnie is a white queer Autistic / ADHD PDA, vision & hearing impaired survivor, speaker, coach and consultant
who channels positive Autistic / Neurodivergent Identity by creating Liberatory Processing Spaces through their business Square Peg; Round Souls.

After 30 years "trying to make it on Broadway" and 20 years in therapy as a distressed unidentified PDA'er, a theatre colleague identified her Autistic way of being in the world.

She founded Team TLC NYC and was an Independent Consultant for Broadway's How to Dance in Ohio in the area of unconscious bias / Neurodiverse communication differences.

Her one-person show Yeah No debuts in New York City next year and breaks down the marriage of the Theatre Industry and Autism Industry.

She lives in New York with her husband, also an Autistic PDA’er, much cooler than she and inevitably always has a hyperfocus on the important like how your pet is doing.

To learn more about Vinnie Stars visit squarepegroundsouls.com.

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This, on occasion, includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional well-being and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests cannot diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile, visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching.

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather & Kerissa chat about an interesting phenomenon known as The Double Empathy Problem. The Double Empathy Problem suggests that when people with very different experiences interact, they will struggle to empathize with each other. This creates misunderstandings between Neurodivergents and Neurotypicals that range from comical to traumatic.  

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This, on occasion, includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional well-being and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests cannot diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile, visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching sessions.
You can connect with Heather & Kerissa through their website and on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyswithpda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_with_pda/

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather and Kerissa chat with Clare Truman. 

Clare Truman is an education consultant, author, PhD student, and big sister to an autistic young man. She specializes in supporting PDA children and young people to access education.

She is the author of ‘The Teacher’s Guide to Pathological Demand Avoidance: Essential Strategies for the Classroom’ published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in 2021, and is currently completing a PhD exploring the educational experiences of PDA children and young people.

Clare has taught in mainstream schools, specialist schools, and alternative education settings. Now, through Spectrum Space, Clare provides distance learning packages for children and young people who cannot access school and supports professionals and families through training and consultancy to better meet the needs of PDA children and young people.

To learn more about Clare Truman,  visit: https://spectrumspace.co.uk/

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This, on occasion, includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional well-being and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests cannot diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile, visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching.

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather and Kerissa chat with Dr. Donna Henderson about digging deeper into the characteristics of autism that may be missed by traditional assessments.

Dr. Donna Henderson has been a clinical neuropsychologist for over 30 years. She is passionate about identifying and supporting autistic individuals, particularly those who camouflage, and she is co-author (with Drs. Sarah Wayland and Jamell White) of two books: "Is This Autism? A guide for clinicians and everyone else" and "Is This Autism? A companion guide for diagnosing".  

Dr. Henderson’s professional home is The Stixrud Group in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she provides neuropsychological evaluations and consultations for children, adolescents, and adults who would like to understand themselves better. She is a sought-after lecturer on the less obvious presentations of autism, autistic girls and women, PDA, and on parenting children with complex profiles. She also provides case consultations and neurodiversity-affirmative training for other healthcare professionals.

To learn more about Dr. Donna Henderson visit: https://www.drdonnahenderson.com/

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This, on occasion, includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional well-being and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests cannot diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile, visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching.

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather and Kerissa chat with Robin Goebel, a former therapist and play therapist, about supporting children with big baffling behaviors and vulnerable nervous systems. Robin discusses her shift from focusing solely on trauma to a broader understanding of neurodivergent minds and the impact of the autonomic nervous system on behavior. She emphasizes the importance of understanding behavior as a response to safety or lack thereof, and the need to support the nervous system rather than trying to control or change behavior. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by parents and the cultural beliefs that contribute to shame and judgment. The conversation explores the concept of felt safety and its impact on the nervous system. It discusses how external demands can turn into internal cues of danger, leading to chronic stress and burnout. The importance of lowering stress levels below the threshold for the stress response system is emphasized. The conversation also highlights the need for a paradigm shift in how we view and support the nervous system. Practical steps for supporting the nervous system include addressing basic needs like food, water, and movement, as well as focusing on regulation, connection, and felt safety.

Robyn Gobbel, MSW, loves coffee, P!NK, and everything about the brain. Once (recently!) her teenager went ballistic on her for getting ANOTHER (glitter!) coffee mug in the mail. Robyn loves cultivating deep, resonant connections with anyone who is up for it, and is especially fond of all the grown-ups in the world who love and care for kids impacted by trauma- helpers, healers, educators, and parents.  Her favorite thing ever (besides glittery coffee mugs) is teaching anyone who will listen to harness the power of neuroscience so they can cultivate deep, resonant connections. What would change in the world if we could all do that? To see, be with, feel, and deeply know each other…and ourselves. Robyn thinks everything could change. 
You can get your hands on all sorts of free resources at www.RobynGobbel.com, including her podcast, The Baffling Behavior Show. Robyn is the author of Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work (September 2023).

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This on occasion includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to;  mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional wellbeing and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests are not able to diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching sessions.
You can connect with Heather & Kerissa through their website and on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyswithpda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_with_pda/

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather & Kerissa chat with special guest Sunita Theiss.
Sunita shares her journey as a mother of neurodivergent children and her own neurodivergent identity. She discusses the process of realizing her family's neurodivergence and the freedom it brought. Sunita also talks about the challenges and joys of raising children with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and the decision to homeschool. She shares her experience of transitioning to part-time work and the financial considerations that come with it. Sunita emphasizes the importance of letting go of societal expectations and finding what works best for her family. This conversation explores the experiences of neurodivergent parents and the challenges they face in re-evaluating their parenting expectations.
Heather, Kerissa and Sunita discuss the richness of engaging children's interests, the gratitude for the opportunity to parent differently, and the hope for future generations. They also highlight the importance of recognizing autism in women and girls and the journey to self-understanding and self-compassion. The conversation emphasizes the significance of belonging and finding community, both online and in-person, and the need for supportive networks for neurodivergent parents.
Overall, the conversation promotes acceptance, understanding, and the creation of inclusive communities.
Connect with Sunita on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sunitatheiss/

Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real-life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This on occasion includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but are not limited to;  mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional wellbeing and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests are not able to diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching sessions.
You can connect with Heather & Kerissa through their website and on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyswithpda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_with_pda/

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather & Kerissa discuss the concept of autistic inertia and its impact on PDA individuals and autistic people. Autistic inertia refers to the tendency to remain at rest or keep moving in a constant direction, and it plays a significant role in transitions and task-switching. The discussion explores the frustration and discomfort experienced when interrupted during a flow state.  The importance of understanding and respecting inertia is emphasized, along with the need for compassion, empathy, and patience in supporting PDA individuals and autistic people. This conversation explores the concept of autistic inertia and its impact on PDA individuals.


Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This on occasion includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but not limited to;  mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional wellbeing and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests are not able to diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching sessions.
You can connect with Heather & Kerissa through their website and on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyswithpda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_with_pda/
Support us- Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/journeyswithPD 

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

In this episode, Heather and Kerissa chat with Lisa Baskin Wright (IEP Coach) about Neurodiversity Affirming IEPs.  Lisa discusses her journey and experiences in supporting families with PDA learners. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity and humanizing the child in the IEP process. Lisa also highlights the challenges faced by parents and the need for a common understanding with the school team. She shares examples of advocating for fair and appropriate education for PDA learners, including the establishment of alternative locations. The conversation concludes with a discussion on involving the child in the IEP meeting and the potential impact it can have. Lisa shares tips and suggestions for parents navigating IEP meetings. She emphasizes the importance of preparing before the meeting by submitting a parent input statement that includes important information about the child. Lisa also discusses the need to define engagement and early cues of nervous system activation to support the child effectively.
Lisa has several courses on IEPs for neurodivergent learners and a specific course on supporting PDA learners. Lisa has various supports she offers, including group coaching, one-on-one consultations, and ongoing assistance with IEPs.

Learn more about Lisa on her website: https://www.lisabaskinwright.com/
Find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lisabaskinwright/


Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This on occasion includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but not limited to;  mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional wellbeing and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests are not able to diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching sessions.
You can connect with Heather & Kerissa through their website and on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyswithpda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_with_pda/

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com

Send us a text

Welcome back! In this episode, Heather & Kerissa kick off season 2 of the podcast discussing the topic of autistic burnout. They define autistic burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic life stress and a mismatch of expectations and abilities without adequate support. They explore the common characteristics of autistic burnout, such as difficulty with executive functioning, increased intensity of autistic traits, chronic exhaustion, reduced tolerance to stress, confusion, and social withdrawal.
They also discuss the causes of autistic burnout, including the energy expended by autistic individuals to exist in a neurotypical world. They emphasize the importance of supporting individuals in autistic burnout by encouraging rest and providing accommodations. They also highlight the need for open communication and understanding within relationships and families.  All while sharing from their personal experiences.


Join Heather & Kerissa as they share from an authentic & real life perspective with in-depth conversations around neurodiversity, PDA autism profile, and the autistic experience. This on occasion includes sensitive and difficult topics. (Topics include but not limited to;  mental health crisis, depression, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and suicidal ideation.)  All listeners need to be aware of their own emotional wellbeing and ability to engage in such topics.

We offer connection, community & co-regulation. (And a few laughs!)
Journeys With PDA (Heather & Kerissa) and any special guests are not able to diagnose or prescribe treatments. All information is for educational purposes.

To learn more about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism profile visit our website at https://journeyswithpda.com/

Heather & Kerissa are Certified PDA Trainers. They offer advocacy, education & family support through one-on-one coaching sessions.
You can connect with Heather & Kerissa through their website and on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyswithpda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeys_with_pda/

Support the show

https://journeyswithpda.com