Wonderfully Wired

Author: Eloise Leher

Elle Leher helps parents see, support and celebrate their Wonderfully Wired child with neuro-differences such as Dyslexia, ADHD, giftedness, autism, twice exceptionality and more in order to grow, succeed and thrive. She acts as bridge between parent and expert to access and simplify information; advocate for a strength perspective on difference; and support Wonderfully Wired families
Be a guest on this podcast

Language: en

Genres: Education, Kids & Family

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

Trailer:

Get all podcast data

Listen Now...

What is Pathological Demand Avoidance with Liesel Smal
Monday, 3 November, 2025

Dive into the critical world of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in Part 1 of this essential two-part series with Liesel Smal, an Occupational Therapist (OT) and mom of a PDA child Liesel introduces PDA as a specific neurotype that requires "good accommodation" due to the serious "gravity" of the diagnosis. Learn why avoidance is rooted in an inability ("I can't"), not a choice, often manifesting as an "inner straitjacket" or a "contraction" in the nervous system. This episode exposes the confusing reality of masking; children often appear "compliant and good" or "high achieving" at school, only to experience severe "Coke bottle" meltdowns at home. Liesel offers a compassionate nervous system lens, validating parents who feel blamed or gaslighted. This discussion highlights how PDA is tied to a pervasive drive for autonomy and how understanding this difference is crucial for supporting these "uniquely brilliant" and autodidactic children. #PDA #PathologicalDemandAvoidance #AutismSpectrum #Neurodiversity #NervousSystem #SomaticExperiencing #LowDemandParenting #DemandAvoidance #Masking #WonderfullyWired