This webinar, delivered by Project Resilience, explores Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a form of autism linked to extreme avoidance driven by anxiety. It explains how PDA differs from typical autism, why it challenges schools, and why many pupils disengage. Key strategies include supporting intrinsic motivation, understanding stress sensitivity, and using nonviolent communication to build trust. The recording will be made available afterwards.
Core characteristics; why it looks different from traditional autism profiles.
Understanding avoidance as a response to perceived threat, not defiance.
Why many PDA pupils disengage or exit the school system.
How to move away from rewards/consequences and support self-driven engagement using a neurodiverse-adapted model.
How stress sensitivity plays a role; building environments that allow "orchid" children to thrive.
Practical introduction to using nonviolent communication (NVC) to foster autonomy, trust, and collaboration rather than confrontation.
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