Support for professionals
Most of us qualified without covering this. It appears in almost no curriculum, and the families arriving in the room have often done more reading on it than we have had the chance to.
PDA is better recognised than it used to be. There is no evidence it is becoming more common, so what has changed is that people can name it and ask for it by name. Recognition has moved faster than training, and that gap is where this work sits.
PDA in Clinical Practice
Five narrated modules, about fifty-five minutes altogether, with a chapter marker on every slide so you can drop straight into whichever one you came for. No completion tracking, nothing that auto-advances, and every module written to stand alone.
It comes with a workbook, five practitioner handouts, an evidence map module by module for the times you have to account for your approach, a scope note, and an audio-only download.
Not accredited, and no certificate attached. Check what your own college requires before buying.
Against the Grain
A practitioner community for people working with neurodivergent clients across clinical, educational, allied health and coaching settings. At launch it is an archive rather than a feed, which is deliberate: write-ups filed by theme, reading notes on the primary papers including the ones arguing against the framework, a monthly piece from Meghan, and a live session in a slot that does not move.
Most people who join a community like this never post. The archive is built to be worth the money on its own.
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Training for teams and organisations
For therapists, educators, occupational therapists and helping professionals working with neurodivergent clients, and with families interrupting intergenerational patterns. Training covers the PDA profile and autonomy-supportive practice alongside trauma and attachment, with the evidence base mapped out so you can account for your approach when someone asks you to.
Autonomy Sensitivity Theory
The training rests on a theoretical account of why some nervous systems register ordinary requests as threats to self-determination. It is set out in Autonomy Sensitivity Theory, with the foundational paper available as a preprint.
Letters for practitioners
Occasional letters on working with neurodivergent clients and the families around them.
New writing, tools and training as they are released, with the reasoning underneath rather than just the announcement. Reading notes on the primary literature, including the papers that argue against the framework.
Clinical, educational, allied health and coaching settings all welcome.
Sent by email. You can leave the list whenever you like, and nothing else goes out without your say-so.
The signup form loads here in a moment. If it has not appeared, write to meghan@elarainstitute.ca and you will be added by hand.
Not ready to give an email address? The writing is on Substack too, free to read and open to anyone. Read the Substack →
The Elara InstituteBreaking Cycles / Building Connection
meghan@elarainstitute.ca