Shame, Power, and Pathological Demand Avoidance in Children and Teens with Dr. Gillian Boudreau | Ep. 172
About this episode
Dr. Gillian Boudreau discusses the impact of shame and power dynamics in children and teens with Pathological Demand Avoidance.
What does shame have to do with PDA? And why do behavioral approaches fail so consistently for this neurotype even when implemented well? I speak with Dr. Gillian Boudreau, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in autism, ADHD, and anxiety across children, families, and adults, to explore the roles of shame and power in PDA children and teens. Dr. Boudreau draws on her early career supporting high-need autistic students in a school system, her psychodynamic training, and her work with families to explain why these children frustrate adults, why that frustration is data, and what it looks like to help parents construct a resilient narrative from a place of compassion rather than blame. Key Takeaways What the Adults Around PDA Children Are Feeling and Why It Matters | 00:12:00 In her second year supporting high-need students in a school system, Dr. Boudreau shifted from behavioral interventions to asking the adults on the team a different question: what is this child bringing up in you? The answers were consistent: I feel like I don't know what I'm doing, I feel powerless, I feel like I'm going to lose control. Through a psychodynamic lens, clients often make helpers feel…
More episodes of At Peace Parents Podcast
- Why Lowering Demands May Not Be Enough For Your PDA Child | Ep. 171
- Using the PDA Lens to Change Your Parenting With Pathological Demand Avoidance | Ep. 170
- Addictive Behaviors and the Nervous System in PDA: A Conversation With Jan Winhall | Ep. 169
- Understanding the Root Cause of Pathological Demand Avoidance and Equalizing Behavior | Ep. 168
- School Advocacy for Pathological Demand Avoidance with Dr. Destiny Huff | Ep. 167
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