PDA Resources for Therapists

For Therapists: OT, PT, and SLP Resources

These resources are designed specifically for therapists supporting children with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and high-demand avoidance profiles.

They focus on reducing anxiety, protecting autonomy, and building regulation capacity — rather than increasing compliance or control.

Because therapeutic progress requires safety first.

Session-Based Application Guides

OT Adaptation Guide

Guides occupational therapy sessions with a focus on sensory, fine motor, and motor planning support:

  • Reduce visual and sensory load
  • Choice-driven sequencing of tasks
  • Support fine and visual motor skills without timed drills
  • Turn activities into playful, engaging “side quests”
  • Recognize early signs of overwhelm and respond with co-regulation

PT Adaptation Guide

Supports physical therapy with a focus on movement, strength, coordination, and transitions:

  • Incorporate preferred movements and pacing
  • Make exercises playful and story-driven
  • Break activities into micro-steps with choice-driven sequencing
  • Identify signs of rising anxiety or withdrawal and respond with low-pressure options
  • Support functional motor goals without pressure or judgment

SLP Adaptation Guide

Supports speech and language therapy, communication, and social engagement:

  • Flexible prompts for receptive and expressive language
  • Low-pressure strategies for fluency, pauses, or communication anxiety
  • Opportunities for pretend play, scripts, or role-play for engagement
  • Guidance for social cues and regulating responses
  • Identification of rising overwhelm and strategies to pause or redirect toward connection

Core PDA Therapy Principles

Across all sessions, these principles guide implementation:

  • Honor a child’s boundaries — including the ability to say “done” or request a break
  • Focus on regulation first, then skill-building
  • Adapt activities to the child’s pace, interests, and sensory needs
  • Encourage choice, collaboration, and autonomy-supportive engagement

Additional Clinical Tools

Case Notes Template

The PDA Case Notes Template supports therapists, educators, and support teams in recording observations and progress:

  • Track session details and goals addressed
  • Document PDA-specific observations, triggers, and autonomy-supportive strategies
  • Note communication strategies that worked or increased anxiety
  • Record strengths, successes, barriers, and plan for next sessions
  • Facilitate collaboration with families and educational teams

Why Our Resources Are Designed This Way

All of these tools are intentionally designed to be flexible, adaptable, and clinically-informed. They provide therapists with ways to:

  • Support children in a low-pressure, autonomy-respecting environment
  • Track and document progress thoughtfully and consistently
  • Promote co-regulation, emotional awareness, and self-understanding
  • Collaborate with families and educational teams while respecting boundaries

Licensing options are available for professional use, allowing integration into clinical or educational programs while maintaining fidelity to PDA-affirming principles.

Clinical Red Flags

The PDA Clinical Red Flags Sheet provides guidance for identifying early indicators of anxiety-driven demand avoidance:

  • Core regulation challenges
  • Behavioral and masking indicators
  • Communication and social cue patterns
  • Identity and autonomy considerations
  • Supports careful observation for assessment, school teams, or therapy planning

Designed for Clinical Integration

These tools are built to:

  • Support low-pressure, autonomy-respecting therapy sessions
  • Track and document progress thoughtfully
  • Align with school teams without escalating demand
  • Maintain clinical integrity while honoring PDA-affirming principles

Professional licensing options are available for clinic and educational use.