At Peace Parents Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 115 - Journey of a PDA Parent with a PDA Child Jun 03, 2025

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In this episode I speak with Paradigm Shift Program alumna Aoife, who shares her journey as a PDA parent of a PDA child. I hope you find her insights and experiences helpful as you navigate your own journeys.

Ep. 114 - Is PDA always Autism? May 27, 2025

Show notes

I think PDA is its own neurotype, different from non-PDA Autism and ADHD. That doesn't mean PDA kids, teens and adults can't also be Autistic or ADHD - many are, including at least one of my sons. But it means there's a different logic for how we support PDA children and teens - even if they are also Autistic or ADHD - based on the unique way their brain and nervous system works.

Ep. 113 - You're Not Parenting Your PDAer Wrong! May 20, 2025

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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!

Ep. 112 - Alumna Talks About Parenting PDA and Two Other Neurotypes May 13, 2025

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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!

Ep. 111 - Compulsive Eating by Your PDA Child or Teen May 06, 2025

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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,

Casey

Ep. 110 - Speech Dude and I Talk School Accommodations for PDA Children and Teens Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

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.

Ep. 109 - My Conversation with Physician and Founder of All Brains Belong, Dr. Mel Houser Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

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.

Ep. 108 - 10 Tips to Improve Connection and Communication with your PDA Child or Teen Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

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,

Casey

Ep. 107 - 20 Things I'd Tell Myself About My PDA Child's Restrictive Eating Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

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.

Ep. 106 - Screens and Your PDA Child or Teen Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

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.

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