Pathological Demand Avoidance: An Introduction

Recorded November 7, 2023. This presentation introduces families to Pathological Demand Avoidance and how it presents in Autistic children. It discusses best practices and approaches for supporting children, supporting sibling interactions, and collaborating with the school. Challenges with assessments and how PDA is diagnosed in Canada are discussed, how to find support, and the importance of self-care for parents.

Presented by Amanda Preston, MPNL, RSW

Amanda Preston is a Registered Social Worker and a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She is the founder and CEO of Deer Creek Family Support & Therapy, a clinic that focuses on neurodiverse families, offering counselling, assessments, and other specialized services. She is the founder of a national charity that supports adoptive and foster families, and the co-author of Foster Parent Collaboration. She has hosted numerous conferences, workshops, round tables and symposiums and specializes in supporting neurodivergent families, and the adoptive and fostering community. She is also the parent to 8 neurodiverse children and is neurodiverse herself.

Beginner’s Book List

  • The Explosive Child by Ross W. Green
  • Low-Demand Parenting by Amanda Diekman
  • Declarative Language Handbook by Linda K. Murphy
  • Self-Reg by Dr. Stuart Shanker
  • Changing our Minds by Naomi Fisher
  • The Teacher’s Introduction to Pathological Demand Avoidance by Clare Truman
  • Lost at School by Ross W. Greene

Links from the presentation

Please note: The information given in this video was correct at the time of recording. If you are watching it at a later date, details could be outdated, and resources given may no longer be available.