Parenting your PDA Child or Teen: Navigating Boundaries, Regulation, and Connection
Want to feel more equipped, supported, and informed in parenting your PDA child or adolescent?
The Kidd Clinic team can provide the knowledge, tools, and compassionate support to help you feel more confident in parenting your PDAer
We’re thrilled to welcome Karl Smith, father to PDAer young adults, who will be sharing his parenting journey and insights alongside our clinical team.
What you'll Learn
🔍 Looking Below the Surface – Understanding the underlying anxiety and need for control that drive PDA behaviours.
⚡ Meltdowns, Shutdowns & Demand Avoidance – Practical strategies to navigate intense moments while maintaining trust.
👨👧👦 Dads & Deeper Connections – Exploring the unique role dads play in PDA parenting and how to build strong, trusting relationships through connection and understanding.
🤝 Collaborative Parenting for PDA – Moving away from control-based approaches and towards co-regulation, partnership, and autonomy.
💙 Self-Care & Support Networks – PDA parenting is intense. Learn how to take care of yourself and find a community that truly understands.
Melbourne parents — don’t miss this practical and uplifting morning of training and connection over refreshments! Dads, we’d love to see you there!
"Evidence based information provided in a clear, concise and compassionate manner by professionals with lived experience. Fantastic and highly recommended! "
ND unschooling parent of a PDAer and Secondary School Teacher
Meet Your Presenters
Dr Theresa Kidd
Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director at The Kidd Clinic
Theresa is part of a neurodivergent family including two PDA children (now young adults). She is an clinical psychologist, research fellow and the clinical director of The Kidd Clinic, a private, national psychology group practice focused on Autism, ADHD, and mental health across the lifespan. Theresa has a background in Disability and Employment, Autism and Education (including home education, 'school can't', and founding a program for Autistic university students), and Autism and mental health. She is committed to helping neurodivergent individuals of all ages to minimise their challenges, harness their strengths and to achieve meaningful life goals.
Melanie Turner
Senior Counselling and Clinical Psychologist
Principal Psychologist, Clinical Operations Lead, Senior Counselling and Clinical Psychologist at The Kidd Clinic.
Melanie is an endorsed Counselling and Clinical Psychologist and has been practising for 17 years. Historically, she has worked across all areas of mental health and has vast experience with anxiety, depression, adjustment issues, emotional regulation and more.
Melanie is very interested in working with neurodivergent adults and older teens (16 and above) and has a special interest in late diagnosed Autistic/ADHD women challenges, harness their strengths and to achieve meaningful life goals.
Melanie has worked in not for profit community based organisations, custodial settings, university settings and private practice, , in clinician and management roles.
Kate Harman
Clinical Team Lead (Supervision) and Clinical Psychologist at The Kidd Clinic (Melbourne).
Kate is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience in working in multiple settings with a diverse range of people. Kate is passionate about creating a warm and calming environment in her sessions with clients to enable therapeutic growth. Kate is client centred and believes in meeting people where they are. She takes a strengths-based approach and is trained in several therapeutic modalities including CBT, ACT and CFT. Kate is a mindfulness meditation teacher and values fostering compassion and meditation practice both personally and professionally. She has worked with many neurodivergent clients and has multiple neurodivergent family members.
Karl Smith
Parent of Young Adult PDAers
Karl is the father of three young adults, two identified as having a PDA profile. He is also the Business Director of The Kidd Clinic, a psychology and allied health practice that focuses on supporting Autistic individuals across the lifespan. Working in the IT industry for most of his life has assisted Karl in using his passion for all things tech (and geeky) to connect with, support, and guide his children from unschooling to tertiary education and into employment.
Along the way, Karl has learned some valuable lessons, including how to undo the ways he used to think he ‘should’ parent. He is looking forward to sharing his journey of moving from just surviving as a neurodivergent father to feeling confident in his role and strongly connected to his now PDA adult children.
He has worked with and supported hundreds of diagnosed and undiagnosed Autistic men over the years in his prior field of IT and has mentored many dads of Autistic and PDA young people. Away from work, Karl’s special interests are mountain biking, swimming, and all things geek.
FAQs
Q. Can I request an invoice for NDIS purposes?
Yes! Please fill out the following form to request an invoice to be sent to you.
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
We understand that plans may need to change.
If you need to cancel your registration, including change of mind, please note the following terms.
• Cancellations must be made in writing to events@kiddclinic.com.au.
• Cancellations made 15 days or more prior to the event will incur a 50% cancellation fee.
• Cancellations made 14 days or less prior to the event will incur a 100% cancellation fee.
• Refunds will not be offered in the event of non-attendance.
Check out our full Terms & Conditions here: https://the-kidd-clinic.odoo.com/terms
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