The PDA Parenting Podcast

S2E20 What Has Fear Convinced You Is Your Job? (And Why You're So Exhausted)

Many parents of PDA, autistic, and other neurodivergent children find themselves exhausted, overwhelmed, and constantly worried about their child's future. But what if fear has quietly convinced you…

S2E19 When Boundaries Break Down: Parenting PDA Kids Through Unpredictability, Nervous System Safety & Letting Go of Control

After a break for health and recovery, Amy returns with a powerful conversation on boundaries, unpredictability, and nervous system regulation.If you’ve ever felt like you’re on an emotional…

S1E18 PDA, Food Preoccupation, and Weight Gain: Nervous System Parenting for Neurodivergent Kids

If you’re parenting a PDA child or teen and food feels scary right now, this episode is for you.Many PDA kids experience food preoccupation, binge-like eating, weight changes, or rigid food…

Why Traditional Parenting Programs Don’t Work for PDA Families - and What I Do Instead

Traditional parenting programs often don’t work for PDA families - not because parents aren’t trying hard enough, but because the structure itself creates pressure.In this episode, I share why I…

S1E16 When Learning Shuts Down: PDA, School Trauma, and Why Traditional Education Stops Working (Part 2)

S1E15 When Learning Shuts Down: PDA, School Trauma, and Why Traditional Education Stops Working (Part 1)

What happens when learning shuts down - at school, at home, everywhere?In Part One of this two-part conversation, I’m joined by educator and consultant Danielle Rodda to talk about why learning…

S1E14 The “Good Mom” Myth: How PDA Parents Can Break Free from Holiday Judgment and Comparison

The holidays hit PDA parents harder - and it’s not your fault. In this episode, we break down why judgment, comparison, overwhelm, and the “good mom” myth intensify this time of year - and what’s…

S1E13 Talking About Adoption, Autism & Identity: What to Do When You’re Afraid to Get It Wrong

In this episode, Amy explores why some kids - especially adopted, autistic, or PDA-identifying kids - avoid talking about their story, whether it’s adoption, trauma, or a new diagnosis. Using…

S1E12 You Don’t Have to Fix Your Child: The Shift That Changes Everything

In this episode, Amy speaks directly to the part of every parent that whispers, “You’ve got to fix this.”Drawing from her own journey - from years of researching and even attending graduate school to…

S1E11 From Fear to Hope: Parenting Through Crisis with Compassion

In this heartfelt episode, Amy opens up about a recent family crisis that brought her to her knees - and the quiet resilience that helped her rise again. Through personal reflection, she explores the…

S1E10 Why Hygiene is Hard for PDA Autistic Kids (and How Parents Can Help)

Why is hygiene such a struggle for PDA autistic kids? And why does pushing only make it harder?In this episode of the PDA Parenting Podcast, Amy explores the real reasons behind resistance to…

S1E9 Scaffolding Through Life Transitions: Supporting PDA Teens with Safety & Collaboration

Parenting a PDA teen means our role is always evolving - and nowhere is that more clear than during big life transitions like starting college, a first job, or moving away from home. In this episode…

S1E8 Voice, Vision, and Validation: A Conversation With Diane Gould on Empowering Neurodivergent Lives

In this powerful episode of The PDA Parenting Podcast, host Amy Kotha is joined by Diane Gould, LCSW - a veteran therapist, late-diagnosed autistic woman, and Director of PDA North America. Diane…

S1E7 Life with a PDA Sibling: A Raw Conversation with Devi

What is it really like to grow up with a sibling who has PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) autism? In this powerful episode, I sit down with my daughter Devika -an autistic, ADHD teen herself - to…

S1E6 Supporting the Siblings of PDAers: Roles, Repair, & Real Talk

How does growing up with a PDA sibling shape a child’s identity, needs, and voice? In this episode of The PDA Parenting Podcast, Amy Kotha explores the often overlooked experience of siblings in…

S1E5 Inside the PDA Experience: Conversations With Maya on Feeling Trapped

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Amy is joined by her daughter Maya - who shares her lived experience as a PDA autistic teen. Together, they explore the PDA experience of feeling…

S1E3 When Their Struggles Become Ours: Parenting Through the Ups and Downs

In this reflective solo episode, Amy Kotha shares a deeply personal story about parenting her PDA daughter through a major life transition - and how her daughter’s struggles unexpectedly derailed her…

S1E2 PDA & Social Masking: Understanding Hidden Struggles

In Part 2 of our introduction to Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), host Amy Kotha explores the social characteristics that make this autism profile so complex - especially masking, fluctuating…

S1E4 Feeling Trapped: What it's Like for PDA Kids - and Parents

In this episode, Amy Kotha explores the powerful theme of feeling trapped - a core experience for many PDA autistic kids and a familiar reality for their parents, too. She breaks down what “trapped”…

S1E1 What Is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)? A Parent's Guide

In this inaugural episode of The PDA Parenting Podcast, host Amy Kotha - parent coach and mom to a teen with PDA autism - introduces the concept of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Learn about…