OT solutions for PDA
From PDA Society Podcast by PDA Society
April 30, 2026 · 41 min · Season 1 · Episode 27
About this episode
The episode discusses how sensory needs impact individuals with PDA, featuring insights from an occupational therapist and a parent.
Welcome to the final episode of season one! We'll be back in May, after a short break, with a whole bunch of new conversations around PDA. When season two rolls around we'll start to archive earlier episodes, but they'll remain available on our training hub. See you soon! In this episode, Sarah Stewart from the PDA Society is joined by Tracy Weiner, a former Occupational Therapist and parent of a PDA young person, to explore how sensory needs can impact PDA individuals and their daily lives. Tracy brings both professional insight and lived experience to the conversation, sharing how sensory differences can shape behaviour, emotional responses and overall wellbeing. Together, Sarah and Tracy discuss how sensory needs are often misunderstood, particularly when they present as avoidance, distress or heightened reactions to everyday situations. The episode explores how sensory sensitivities can interact with anxiety and demand sensitivity, making environments such as home, school and public spaces feel overwhelming. Tracy reflects on how recognising these needs can help reframe behaviour, shifting the focus from "what is going wrong" to "what might this person be experiencing". The…
People in this episode
Host: Sarah Stewart
Guest: Tracy Weiner
Topics covered
- PDA
- occupational therapy
- sensory needs
- anxiety
- behaviour
- wellbeing
Keywords
- PDA
- sensory sensitivities
- occupational therapy
- anxiety
- behaviour
- wellbeing
- daily life
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: PDA Society
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- Animal therapy for children with SEND · May 28, 2026 · 29 min
- The Hidden harm of School Behaviour Policies · May 21, 2026 · 32 min
- Why Diagnosis Matters for PDA Adults · May 14, 2026 · 30 min
- Learning to Drive · April 27, 2026 · 29 min
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