PDA and School:
Understanding Demand Avoidance and Learning
A self-paced online course for individuals and professionals with 2.5 hours CPD certificate and resources
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) — increasingly reframed as Persistent Drive for Autonomy — is a neurodivergent profile most commonly associated with autism and, in many cases, ADHD. PDA is not about opposition, defiance, or poor behaviour. It reflects a protective nervous system response to demands that feel overwhelming, unsafe, or threatening to a person’s sense of autonomy and control.
In school environments, where expectations, transitions, social pressures, and evaluation are constant, students with PDA profiles can experience significant emotional, sensory, and physiological distress. When these responses are misunderstood, students are often labelled as “non-compliant” or “challenging,” rather than recognised as experiencing genuine nervous system overload.
In this neuroaffirming course, Barb Cook explores PDA in school through lived experience, clinical practice, and current understanding of neurobiology. The course moves away from behaviour management and compliance-based approaches, centring instead on regulation, autonomy, trust, and connection as the foundation for learning, wellbeing, and engagement.
Course at a Glance
PDA and School: Understanding Demand Avoidance and Learning
$69.00 AUD
2.5 hours of on-demand video content
Certificate of Completion (2.5 hours Professional Development)
60 days access to complete the course
- Presentation Slides and Resources
Who This Course Is Designed For
Autistic, ADHD, and PDA individuals
Parents, carers, and families
Teachers, educators, and education support staff
School leaders and wellbeing teams
Allied health professionals and support workers
Anyone supporting students experiencing school distress or demand avoidance
What This Course Covers
What Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is and how it presents in school settings
Reframing demand avoidance as a protective nervous system response, not defiance
The neurobiology of demand avoidance, including the role of the amygdala and stress response
Emotional regulation, overwhelm, shutdowns, meltdowns, and delayed reactions in school
Masking, internalised distress, and the impact of chronic stress on learning
The overlap between PDA and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)
Sensory processing and interoceptive differences that contribute to avoidance and anxiety
How communication style, tone, hierarchy, and language can escalate or reduce distress
Low-demand, collaborative, and autonomy-supportive teaching approaches
Flexible routines, interest-based learning, and reducing pressure without removing expectations
Movement, proprioceptive input, and regulation through physical activity
Supporting students experiencing school distress, avoidance, or functional non-attendance
Relationship-based strategies that prioritise trust, safety, and connection
Key Takeaways
By the end of this course, participants will gain:
A clear, neuroaffirming understanding of PDA in school contexts
Insight into why demands can trigger intense distress and avoidance
Language to describe PDA without shame, blame, or behaviour-based framing
Greater confidence in supporting autonomy while maintaining learning engagement
Practical strategies to reduce anxiety, support regulation, and build trust
Tools to support self-awareness, self-advocacy, and emotional safety in students
About the Presenter
Barb Cook is an autistic, ADHD, and dyslexic Developmental Educator, researcher, and practitioner with extensive experience supporting autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, and PDA individuals across the lifespan. Her work is grounded in lived experience, clinical practice, academic training, and evidence-informed approaches that prioritise emotional regulation, wellbeing, and sustainable capacity.
Drawing on her professional practice and lived understanding of intense emotional experiences, Barb brings a compassionate, neuroaffirming approach to rejection sensitive dysphoria. Her teaching helps make sense of complex emotional reactions and translates current knowledge into practical, supportive strategies that reduce overwhelm and support emotional safety in everyday life.
Access & Professional Development
2.5 hours Professional Development
Certificate of Completion available upon course completion
May be claimable for self- and plan-managed NDIS participants (check with your plan manager or LAC)
Learn at your own pace with flexible, on-demand access
Learn at your own pace — CPD certificate on completion
You’ll be redirected to my secure learning platform to complete access.
Explore Other Courses
If you’re interested in related learning, you may also like:
Executive Functioning & Capacity
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)
Understanding Sensory Environment in School
- Exploring Aggression in School and at Home
Each course offers practical, neuroaffirming learning designed to support everyday life, professional practice, and sustainable wellbeing.