top of page
Life-changing content and community for PDAers and our family members. Join our mailing list to allow periodic emails from Rabbi Shoshana to come to you:
Rabbi Shoshana's Blog
What is Oppositional Defiant Disorder & What makes it controversial? By Kaligirwa (@BlackSpectrumScholar)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a controversial diagnosis with racialized diagnostic criteria.
Feb 217 min read
Am I PDA? Is My Child? A big list of common PDA traits
Written by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman, PDA Coach Kory Andreas, LCSW-C Jenna Goldstein, Psychologist Who wrote this list? We are a PDA...
Jan 2815 min read
6 steps to make doctor appointments more accessible to PDA kids & teens
by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman How can we drop demands & offer autonomy, control, and social equality in a medical setting? How can we...
Nov 23, 20245 min read
What medications help PDAers & what if taking meds is outside the person's safe circle?
‼️ I am not a doctor & this is not medical advice. ALWAYS talk to YOUR doctor before stopping or starting any medication. I am speaking...
Jul 25, 202411 min read
What is PDA? Well, PDA Autism is NOT...
by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman What is PDA? PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance, or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy. In the UK...
Apr 14, 20245 min read
What is the difference between "Oppositional Defiant Disorder" and Pathological Demand Avoidance?
by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman I’m getting questions from educators & parents about how to tell if a defiant child or student is ODD or...
Mar 6, 20246 min read
My Autism Self-Diagnosis Story
by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman When my son was 3, we started bringing him to a private Occupational Therapist to help with sensory...
Feb 17, 20244 min read
I think my child might be Autistic but the pediatrician says "not to worry." What should I do?
by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman As parents we look to our pediatricians to be experts in child development. But actually, most general...
Feb 11, 20243 min read
bottom of page