Understanding And Supporting PDA Individuals

by PDA North America and Peer Projects

Awareness of the PDA profile is spreading across America. This full day workshop at Danversport, a beautiful waterfront location outside Boston, will introduce PDA to parents, therapists, educators and others with the focus on effective ways to support these anxious, autistic demand avoidant individuals. Understanding PDA also has the benefit of providing a broader and more accurate understanding of autism. 

Joining us for this event are three incredible speakers - Diane Gould (Founder of PDA North America and author of Navigating PDA in America), Linda Murphy (author of Declarative Language Handbook and founder of Peer Projects) and Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman (PDAer and PDA coach).  

A light breakfast, coffee/tea, and lunch are all catered by the venue and included in the ticket price. Lunch is buffet style and you'll have a full hour to get to know the other parents and practitioners in attendance while enjoying the setting of the beautiful marina. 

NOTE: We are working on adding social work CEs so stay tuned!

AGENDA:

8:00am - Light Breakfast and Registration (breakfast sponsored by Achieve New England)

8:30am -  Talk: Intro to PDA and Supporting PDAers

10:45am Talk: The PDA Safe Circle™: A Strengths-Based Approach to PDA Thriving (including Q &A)

12:45pm - Lunch break & Networking (lunch will be included in ticket price)

1:45pm - Talk: Using Declarative Language with PDAers

3:15pm - Closing and Q & A

About Diane Gould: 

Diane is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that specializes in serving autistic individuals. As the Executive Director and Founder of PDA North America, she founded the annual PDA North America conference held in Chicago that has changed the lives of hundreds of PDA families. Diane is also the author of the newly published book, Navigating PDA in America. dianegouldtherapy.com

About Linda Murphy: 

Linda is a speech language pathologist and RDI® Consultant. She founded Peer Projects, a clinic in Beverly, MA dedicated to helping kids and families by using a positive, thoughtful communication style that emphasizes understanding, patience, respect, and kindness. Linda has been working with individuals with social learning differences for over 30 years. She leads trainings on the topic of supporting communication and learning across social learning styles, and authored Declarative Language Handbook and Co-Regulation Handbook. She is a Certified Early Intervention Specialist, trained in Natural Language Acquisition (NLA)/Gestalt Language Processing, and holds Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates in Training from PDA North America. Linda lives north of Boston with her husband and their two busy lovable boys, who are now entering their teenage years. declarativelanguage.com

About Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman: 

Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman is a late-diagnosed Autistic PDAer who loves bringing her skills and perspective to teach about this misunderstood neurotype. In addition to unschooling her PDA child, she coaches PDAers, their family members and allies, and is developing a strengths-based approach to PDA thriving called The PDA Safe Circle™. Before her journey into the neurodiversity movement, Shoshana served as a congregational rabbi and Jewish educator, and as an organizer in the climate movement. Her writing on the spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis has been published in many venues, including The New York Times, YES! Magazine, WBUR’s Cognoscenti and several anthologies. Her first picture book The Tide Is Rising, So Are We: A Climate Movement Anthem is forthcoming in 2025. She was ordained by Hebrew College, and lives in Boston with her husband and son. Find her coaching practice and free resources on PDA @rabbishoshana on Instagram and at rabbishoshana.com.

For financial assistance contact ruth@pdanorthamerica.org. 

Please be aware: The following states do not accept National CE Approval Programs and require individual program/provider application processes: New Jersey, New York, West Virginia

The Following Board does not have Continuing Education Requirements: Puerto Rico