Wonderfully Wired

Radical Acceptance & Repair: The Inner Work Required to Support PDA with Liesel Smal


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Welcome to Part 2 of our deep dive into Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) with Occupational Therapist Liesel Smal. This vital conversation addresses the challenging question: "What now?" Liesel details the process of adopting Low Demand Parenting (LDP), emphasizing that these accommodating acts (like handing over the remote or helping with hygiene) are life-saving caregiving. However, she explains that LDP as a mere strategy will fail, leading parents to the crucial work of radically accepting the reality of their lives, which often involves significant grief and rage. Liesel shares personal insights on how her child became a "canary in the coal mine" for her own nervous system, forcing her to embrace agency and tend to her inner wounds. The episode stresses that true regulation means flexibility, not constant calm, and highlights the importance of repair in building a deeper, messy, fully human connection.

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Wonderfully WiredBy Eloise Leher