At Peace Parents Podcast

You're not doing it wrong! And I know this because there is not one right or wrong to parent a PDA child. Parents I work with make tons of different decisions - and change those decisions over time - depending on the unique circumstances, opportunities, values and constraints they face. And I love that! Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

Karin is a Dutch medical teacher and an alumna of our Paradigm Shift Program with three children with three different neurotypes. I loved reconnecting with her and hearing how she and her neurodivergent husband use three different parenting approaches in order to successfully support their kids. I hope you find her insights helpful, too!Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

Many of you know that my PDA son stopped eating most foods when he was in burnout. But I've also worked with countless parents whose PDA child or teen can't stop eating. And so I've dedicated this episode to the topic - how to understand compulsive eating as part of PDA, and an approach that may be helpful. xo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I spoke with Chris Wenger - AKA "Speech Dude" - a speech language pathologist with extensive experience accommodating PDA teens in a public school. I loved our conversation, and I hope you will too!We talked about:Practical ways to communicate about PDA in a public school setting (in this case a high school).How to write PDA-specific goals/supports in an IEP (Institutional Educational Plan here in the United States).Supporting PDA teens to feel safe, engage in learning, and make social connections in creative ways that don't feel demanding.The role that autonomy plays in PDA teens' success.Here is more about Chris!Chris Wenger is a neurodivergent high school speech-language pathologist of over 20 years, international speaker, and creator of the Dynamic Assessment of Social Emotional Learning, a strengths-based assessment for autistic students. He is also the founder of NeuroAffirm, a first-of-its-kind worldwide interactive directory connecting providers and families. Globally known as Speech Dude, he has amassed nearly one million social media followers, sharing inspiring and educational content, always with a humorous twist.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

Dr. Mel Houser, MD, shares stories from her childhood, career as a doctor, and work reimagining healthcare and community at All Brains Belong in Vermont. PDA Autistic herself, I hope you'll find her insights as interesting, helpful and hopeful as I did. Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

The thing that underpins so much of how we support and accommodate our PDA children and teens - and thereby lower their nervous system activation so they can thrive - is our connection with them. And this connection can get very, very strained. Especially if they're in burnout, which often means we are, too. In this episode I share ten tips to improve connection and communications. I hope it's helpful. xo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

Five years ago, when my son barely ate anything, and I feared he would end up with a feeding tube, and none of the traditional therapies worked, these are the 20 things I wish someone would have said to me, because I was freaking out! I hope they are as helpful to you now as I know they would have been for me back then. Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

I dive deep on screens in this episode - to give you every bit of information you need to make decisions you can feel confident in concerning screens and screen limits. I talk through how formal studies on screen time handle PDA children (spoiler - they don't) and share what I've seen working with over 1,000 families who have all handled screen limits their own ways. I do this because no matter your decision, I don't want you to feel all the doubt I did from the judgement I received from others and from myself. You know your child, your family and your constraints, and I know you are doing your best to balance all of this, and that is what matters.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I discuss the five most common characteristics of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Pervasive Drive for Autonomy) to help parents determine if their child or teen fits the profile. If you want to dig deeper into figuring out if your child fits the PDA profile, I designed my Clarity Masterclass to help. It's free on my website: Clarity Masterclass Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

"All kids are demand avoidant" is just one of the misconceptions about PDA that I take down with clinical psychologist Alex Klein in this feisty episode. I hope it helps you take on any doubts foisted on you, too.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I talk about some of the therapies I've done to heal my own nervous system - and dive deeper on EMDR specifically - in the hope that they might be helpful to you, too. Because the reality is, many of us as parents also experience trauma as we navigate the challenges of parenting a PDA child or teen, especially when they (and we!) are in burnout.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

This episode is for people who follow (or don't follow) any religion and are open to taking some of the concepts from Buddhist psychology that I've found most helpful as I parent my PDA child. I hope you find these six ideas helpful, too.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

My son started occupational therapy six years ago, when he was four. I didn't really know what it was, nor did I know my son was PDA. But in the years since, OT has become a prominent part of my life. So much so that as he's now graduating from it, I'm navigating feelings of loss, much like I did way back when he first started. I hope you find the episode helps you, whether or not you're involved in OT.xo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I speak with Dr. Alex Klein about a dynamic I see all the time - when two parents aren't on the same page about how to parent their PDA child or teen. Alex brings his insight as a clinical psychologist who often works with parents on marriage dynamics while they raise a PDA child or teen. I hope you find it helpful! Also - this is our 100th episode of the podcast! What I've heard over the years is that the podcast is one of the ways so many families learn about PDA and stop feeling so isolated and alone. If you'd like to help this happen for even more parents out there, please consider giving the show a five-star, written review. If you email us a screenshot once you've done so - and before the end of February - we'll enter your name in a drawing for a free one-hour private coaching session with me. You can send the email to journey@atpeaceparents.com.Thanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

"Mama, did God make me this way on purpose?" That's what my PDA son asked me when he was four years old, and it broke my heart. But today, at age 10, he has a ton of confidence in himself and his identity as a PDAer. In this episode I talk through how we got from the one place to the other, and how you can, too. I hope it's helpful.CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

This episode is about one of parents' most common fears when they begin taking a nervous-system accommodation approach. What about when my kid grows up? Or, said another way, if I don't consistently correct them when they do something wrong, how will they learn not to be awful people?It's a question and fear I had, too. But what I've seen with my son, and the thousands of families I've worked with, is that our kids know right from wrong, and correcting them when they're having a nervous system response takes us backwards instead of forwards.Thanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

I am so excited to share this conversation with Demi Burnett! She's famous for her appearances on The Bachelor and more, but I had so much fun - and also learned a ton - talking with her about her life as a PDA Autistic person. I mean, who would have thought reality television would be so accommodating?!?You can find Demi's often hilarious social media posts here: instagram.com/demi_not_lovatoAnd she sells her amazing crochet creations here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DemliaAlso - in my intro I announced that we've opened enrollment for the next cohort of the Paradigm Shift Program. You can learn more about the program in the info below, and here's a quick link to the program webpage: https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programThe 12-week Paradigm Shift Program is where I personally coach parents who want to build peace in their homes by better understanding and accommodating their PDA child or teen. I host weekly live spot-coaching sessions and provide additional coaching in writing in our online community. The program is built on what I've seen work for thousands of families, and in fact it is the only program for parents of PDA children and teens proven to increase parent connection with their child, while decreasing parent depression and anxiety. You can enroll or add yourself to the program interest list at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programYou can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/casey-ehrlich-ph-d-495a242bThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Pre-roll DemiParadigm Shift Program

In this episode I discuss how seemingly disconnected activities can impact each other for PDA children and teens. I hope it is helpful to you.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Enrollment is open for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I talk through some of the most common places that the parents, therapists and teachers I've worked with get stuck. If you're stuck in one of these spots don't feel bad. This is hard stuff we're all doing. And I hope this episode can help.Mentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program

In this episode I share some stories that show that the accommodating we do for our PDA children and teens isn't all that crazy. In fact, you could make a reasonable argument that many of the most successful people working in retail are constantly using their ability to coregulate their customers' nervous systems.I share these stories with two hopes - that they help you feel less crazy, and more confident the next time your "but how will they make it in the real world" fear pops up. I hope they're helpful.Are you ready to start working to deeply understand and support your PDA child or teen and lead your family to peace? Join the waitlist for the next cohort of my signature Paradigm Shift Program at https://www.atpeaceparents.com/paradigm-shift-programTo learn more about and figure out if your child or teen is PDA, you can take my FREE Clarity Masterclass at www.atpeaceparents.com.You can also connect with me on:Instagram - www.instagram/atpeaceparents TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@atpeaceparentsFacebook - www.facebook.com/atpeaceparentsYouTube - www.youtube.com/@atpeaceparentsAnd information on my Courses, Programs, and Coaching is at my At Peace Parents website, www.atpeaceparents.comThanks for listening! You are an amazing parent.xoxo,CaseyMentioned in this episode:Paradigm Shift ProgramWant me to coach you as you learn and practice the skills and mindsets I talk about in my podcast? I'd love to work with you in my proven-effective Paradigm Shift Program. Click the link to learn more and join the program interest list. Paradigm Shift Program