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PDA Clinician Consultation Group 

Working with kids and teens who have a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile can be some of the most meaningful (and most complex) clinical work you do.

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These are often the clients who have tried everything: multiple therapies, school interventions, behavior plans, medication trials, intensive parenting efforts… and still remain stuck in cycles of escalation, shutdown, avoidance, rupture, and burnout.

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And as the clinician, you may find yourself wondering:

  • How do I reduce demand without reinforcing avoidance?

  • What does “exposure” or “skill-building” look like when demands trigger a threat response?

  • How do I support parents without turning therapy into parent coaching only?

  • How do I keep the relationship safe when the young person is oppositional, controlling, or socially strategic?

  • What do I do when the system (school, treatment team, family court, etc.) is escalating the problem?

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This consultation group is a space to slow down and think clinically with a PDA-informed, nervous-system-centered, attachment-based lens.

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Who this consultation group is for

This group is designed for clinicians who work with children, teens, and families, including:

  • Therapists (LMFT, LICSW/LCSW, LPCC, psychologists, etc.)

  • Neurodiversity-affirming clinicians supporting autistic and ADHD clients

  • Play therapists / child & adolescent therapists

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It’s a good fit if you:

  • Are already seeing PDA-profile clients (or strongly suspect the profile)

  • Want a clearer framework for case conceptualization and intervention planning

  • Need support navigating caregiver stress, school conflict, and high intensity presentations

  • Want practical tools that protect relationship and reduce escalation

  • Prefer consultation that balances clinical nuance and real-world application

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What we’ll focus on

This is a live, interactive consultation group with a strong emphasis on case discussion, clinical formulation, and practical interventions.

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Common consultation topics include:

  • Case conceptualization through a PDA + autonomic threat lens

  • Demand avoidance vs. anxiety vs. ODD vs. trauma responses

  • Identifying hidden demands and “double binds” in therapy and home life

  • Treatment planning that supports autonomy, agency, and safety

  • Working with young people who resist therapy or feel “controlled” by support

  • Parent work: how to guide caregivers without moralizing or oversimplifying

  • Co-regulation, repair, and relational safety as core intervention strategies

  • School collaboration and advocacy: reducing escalation within systems

  • Risk management: shutdown, school refusal, aggression, suicidality, and burnout

  • Clinician nervous system care: staying regulated, boundaried, and effective

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This is not a manualized training - it’s an ongoing clinical thinking space for clinicians who want to deepen their work and feel less alone in the complexity.

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Format & Schedule

Virtual clinician consultation group
🗓 Meets every other Tuesday (live)
⏰ 12:00–1:30pm (Central Time)
💻 Held online (interactive, consultative format)
👥 Designed for active participation and case-based discussion

Cost: $100 per session

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What you’ll leave with

Clinicians typically leave the group with:

  • More confidence treating PDA-profile presentations with nuance and precision

  • Practical tools you can apply immediately in sessions with kids/teens and caregivers

  • Stronger language for conceptualizing PDA in a way that reduces shame and blame

  • Increased clarity around pacing, demand reduction, and relational safety

  • Support navigating systems and team conflict without burning out

  • A shared professional community of clinicians doing this work thoughtfully

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Important notes

This is a consultation group, not formal clinical supervision.
Participants are responsible for ensuring that consultation fits within their licensure requirements and scope of practice.

Case material should be de-identified, and clinicians should follow their ethical standards regarding confidentiality.

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Interested?

To inquire about joining, please contact Dr. Kai at kai@kaigunty.com

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