Yesterday, Tash from Ready Rocket Resources attended the Inaugural PDA Conference in Perth, and it was an experience that left a lasting impression.
“It was an incredible feeling to be in a room of 700 therapists, parents, and teachers, all with a shared passion for learning, educating others, and advocating for our neurodivergent children.”
The event was filled with insight, connection, and hope. It reinforced what we at Ready Rocket truly believe: understanding behaviour begins with understanding the nervous system, and children thrive when we meet them with curiosity, compassion, and respect for their autonomy.
Here are some of the standout takeaways we’re bringing back with us.
💫 PDA Is Rooted in a Survival Drive for Autonomy
Just as humans have an innate drive for hunger, thirst, and shelter, PDAers (individuals with a Pathological Demand Avoidance profile) have a deep survival drive for autonomy. This isn’t a choice or defiance. It is a biological need for control and safety within their world.
Recognising autonomy as a core need helps reframe the way we support PDAers, moving from compliance to connection and from control to collaboration.
🌬 PDA Is a Nervous System Response
One of the most powerful reminders from the conference was this:
“PDA is a nervous system response, like a sneeze or a yawn to an external demand.”
When we understand PDA through a neurobiological lens, we can begin to shift our focus away from behaviour management and towards regulation and relational safety.
💬 “Something Inside of Me Says No, When I Want to Say Yes.”
This phrase, shared by a PDAer, beautifully captures the inner experience of internal conflict. It describes the push and pull between wanting to meet expectations and feeling an overwhelming need to resist. It’s not oppositional behaviour. It’s a nervous system trying to protect itself.
When we approach this response with empathy and flexibility, we create space for growth, learning, and genuine connection.
🌈 Shifting the World Around the PDAer
The goal isn’t to change the PDAer. It is to shift the expectations of the world around them. Supporting PDA means adapting environments, reducing pressure, and meeting children where they are. It’s about co-regulation, not correction.
❤️ Relationships Before Everything Else
Every speaker echoed one universal truth:
Relationships, safety, and trust are the foundation of learning.
Before strategies, visuals, or behaviour plans comes connection. Children learn best when they feel seen, safe, and supported.
🌱 Regulation Before Education
A beautifully simple but powerful message to end on:
Regulation before education.
Without regulation, learning can’t happen. Emotional safety must always come first for both the child and the adult supporting them.
The PDA Conference was a powerful reminder that neuroaffirming practice isn’t about fixing children, it’s about understanding them.
At Ready Rocket, we’re more inspired than ever to continue creating resources that celebrate individuality, promote regulation, and help therapists and educators teach emotional skills in ways that feel safe and empowering.
✨ Here’s to more learning, more listening, and more compassion for our incredible neurodivergent kids.
🧠 Explore our full range of neurodivergent-affirming emotional regulation tools - designed to support therapists and empower kids through play-based learning.
PDA Conference: https://www.facebook.com/InauguralPDAConferenceAustralia2025
