PDA - Understanding and Supporting Autistic Children and Teens with PDA

PDA - Understanding and Supporting Autistic Children and Teens with PDA

Understanding Autistic PDA: A workshop for professionals to explore PDA traits, challenges, & neuroaffirmative support strategies.

By Amanda McGuinness Autism Specialist

Date and time

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:30 - 14:30 PDT

Location

Online

Refund Policy

No Refunds

About this event

Understanding Autistic PDA Experiences - A Workshop for Professionals

Are you a professional working with Autistic individuals who present with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance/Persistent Drive for Autonomy)?

This workshop is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of PDA, through both professional expertise and lived experience.

What You’ll Learn:

  • What is PDA? Understand the characteristics and neurobiology of PDA within the Autistic community.
  • The Autistic Perspective: Gain lived experience insights into how PDA is experienced by Autistic individuals, including their need for autonomy and its role in their behaviour.
  • Building Trust: Learn how to establish trust-based relationships that support emotional well-being and reduce anxiety.
  • Practical Strategies: Discover evidence-based, neuroaffirmative approaches to empower Autistic PDA individuals, support emotional regulation, and foster collaboration.
  • Navigating Challenges: Learn how to respond during moments of high anxiety or crisis with compassion, understanding, and effective de-escalation techniques.

Why Attend This Workshop?
This workshop will equip you with the tools and knowledge to provide effective, empathetic support for Autistic individuals with PDA. You will learn approaches grounded in the latest research and lived Autistic experiences, helping you to feel confident in your ability to make a meaningful impact in your professional practice.

What Sets This Workshop Apart?

  • Neuroaffirmative Approach: We prioritise strategies that respect the autonomy and individuality of Autistic individuals.
  • Specialist & Lived Experience Content: Led by Amanda McGuinness. Amanda’s professional expertise is enriched by her own lived Autistic PDA experience, as both a parent to Autistic PDA children and as a professional working daily with parents and professionals supporting Autistic PDA children and teens.
  • Practical Applications: This workshop is designed for immediate professional application, with strategies tailored for educators, therapists, and other professionals.

Who Should Attend?
This workshop is ideal for:

  • Teachers, SNAs, and education professionals.
  • Social workers, family support workers, and other allied health professionals.
  • Anyone working in a professional capacity with Autistic PDA individuals.

Will there be a Recording Available?

  • Yes there will be a recording available to watch back for 7 days after the event.

Frequently asked questions

Will there be a recording available?

Yes there will be a recording available for 7 days after the event.

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Organised by

Amanda McGuinness Autism Specialist

Amanda Mc Guinness is an Autistic Advocate and an Autism & Visual Supports Specialist.

She is a Law Graduate and is currently pursuing a Master of Childhood Speech Language and Communication Needs at University Galway.

AsIAm Irelands Autism Charity

Throughout her tenure at AsIAm - Ireland's Autism Charity, Amanda served firstly as a member of the Board of Directors and later as the Prepare Me AsIAm manager.

Amanda McGuinness Autism Specialist Ireland

Amanda is the creator of the "Auti" character, which she developed to educate and raise awareness about the lived experiences of Autistic individuals through her social media platform, littlepuddins.ie.

Autism Specialist Ireland

Amanda possesses extensive experience in supporting Autistic individuals and their families. She delivers keynote speeches and facilitates training sessions, both online and in-person, at national and international levels.

As a mother of four children, three of whom are Autistic, Amanda navigates varying support needs and co-occurring differences daily.

Amanda's areas of expertise encompass:

Autistic Lived Experience Education

Neurodiversity Education

Visual Supports & Communication

Autistic Identity & Culture

Autistic Masking

Autistic Meltdown Support

Autistic Burnout and Recovery

Autistic Communication

Pathological Drive for Autonomy

Toilet Learning

Autistic Life Transitions

Autism Visual Support Specialist

Amanda's expertise in Autism guides, handbooks, social visual guides and multimedia visual supports have supported the Autistic community and their families at both a national and international level.

As a Hyperphant with a photographic memory, Amanda's visual mind has been noted professionally as “exceptional” and it is her visual mind that conceptualises, constructs and deconstructs into minutiae the fine detail of her Autistic educational resources, programs and visual supports.

Amanda's visual supports have gained recognition and endorsement from numerous government bodies, organizations, charities, and associations globally, including the NHS, HSE, AsIAm, The National Autistic Society UK, The National Autism Association of America, and the New South Wales Government, among others.

The Little Puddins - Amanda's Family Life

Amanda and her family have been sharing their lives on-line since 2015 when Amanda launched Mayo’s first autism family blog -The Little Puddins Blog.

Amanda McGuinness & Family In the Media

Amanda's family's journey has been remarkable, featuring television appearances as Autism ambassadors on programs such as The Late Late Show, Prime Time, Ireland AM, RTÉ News, and Virgin Media. The McGuinness family has also been featured in various print and online publications worldwide.

Amanda McGuinness Autism Philanthropy

Amanda is particularly noted for her philanthropic efforts in designing and disseminating visual supports and educational resources for families of neurodivergent people through her family blog, www.littlepuddins.ie.