Parenting a child with a PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy/Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile can feel like living in a constant state of “nothing works.”
You may have tried strategies that help other kids - visual schedules, sticker charts, consistent consequences, even play-based approaches - only to find that your child escalates, shuts down, or melts down harder. You might be carrying a mix of exhaustion, grief, guilt, and confusion… while still trying to stay regulated enough to keep your home (and your relationship with your child) intact.
This group is here to offer a different framework: one that is nervous-system-centered, attachment-focused, and trauma-informed, and that actually fits the reality of a PDA nervous system.
Who this group is for
This group is for parents and caregivers who:
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Suspect their child has a PDA profile (formally diagnosed or not)
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Feel stuck in cycles of escalation, shutdown, avoidance, or explosive behavior
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Are overwhelmed by parenting approaches that rely on compliance or external control
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Want practical strategies that prioritize connection, safety, and regulation
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Want support that is grounded, compassionate, and realistic
What we’ll focus on
Across six sessions, we’ll build a shared understanding of the PDA profile and translate it into concrete, usable parenting tools. Topics include:
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What PDA actually is (and what it’s not)
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Why demands (even small ones) can trigger threat responses
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Nervous system regulation: co-regulation, prevention, and repair
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Reducing demand without becoming permissive
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How to use language and pacing that lowers threat (and increases cooperation)
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Moving from power struggles to collaboration
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Supporting sibling dynamics, school demands, and daily routines
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What to do when things fall apart: meltdown/shutdown responses that protect the relationship
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The long game: building skills, trust, and nervous system capacity over time
This is not a “fix your child” group.
It’s a support + skills space for caregivers learning how to parent in a way that works for this profile.
Format & Schedule
6-session virtual group
🗓 Every other Tuesday, starting February 3
⏰ 12:00–1:30pm (Central Time)
💻 Held online (live, interactive)
💵 $300 per participant
What you’ll leave with
By the end of the group, caregivers typically leave with:
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A clearer understanding of the PDA profile and their child’s behaviors
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Practical tools to reduce escalation and increase felt safety
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More confidence responding to dysregulation without overcorrecting or collapsing
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A sustainable strategy for daily life (not just crisis moments)
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A sense of support and validation from other parents who get it
Important notes
This is an educational and supportive group, not a replacement for individual therapy.
Participation is welcome whether your child has a formal PDA diagnosis or you are exploring whether the profile fits.
Interested?
To inquire about joining the next group cycle, please contact Dr. Kai at kai@kaigunty.com or use this form.