The PDA Parenting Podcast

• You Don’t Have to Fix Your Child: The Shift That Changes Everything

  In this episode, Amy speaks directly to the part of every parent that whispers, “You’ve got to fix this.”Drawing from her own journey - from years of researching and even attending graduate school to understand her child’s behavior - she shares what she’s learned about the nervous system, safety, and why trying to “fix” our children keeps both parent and child stuck in a cycle of stress.Listeners will hear how Amy reframed her approach to parenting a neurodivergent, PDA-profile child - and how understanding safety as the foundation for behavior can transform family life.This episode is a powerful reminder that parenting isn’t about control; it’s about connection, curiosity, and co-regulation.In This Episode, Amy Shares:Why the “fix-it” mindset is so common (and so exhausting) for parentsHow understanding the nervous system changes everything about behaviorThe role of safety and connection in regulating both parent and childHow parents can step out of fear and into curiosity - even on hard daysWhat it means to create “cues of safety” for both yourself and your childMentioned in This Episode:Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors – A Parent Course Developed by Robyn Gobbel, MSW, and adapted for PDA parents/led by Amy Kotha. ➡️ Join the Waitlist Here!Bonus Session inside the January 12-week course with Danielle Rodda, Neurodivergent Consulting: Exploring unschooling and homeschooling for PDA kids - how to lower pressure, rebuild trust, and make learning feel safe again.Related Resource: Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior - live workshop and ebook created by Robyn Gobbel, adapted for PDA parents and led by Amy Kotha ➡️ Learn More and Register Here!Connect with Amy:Instagram → @amykcoachWebsite → www.amykcoach.com

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• From Fear to Hope: Parenting Through Crisis with Compassion

  In this heartfelt episode, Amy opens up about a recent family crisis that brought her to her knees - and the quiet resilience that helped her rise again. Through personal reflection, she explores the science of co-regulation, the role of community in healing, and what clinical psychologist Dr. Matt Zakreski calls “psychological capital” - hope as something we can actively build through small acts of connection.You’ll leave with compassion, clarity, and a practical 5-step plan for crisis moments - so you can respond with love, not fear.Resources Mentioned:Dr. Matt Zakresky — In the Business of Hope: How to Keep Believing When Things Feel ImpossibleDr. Mona Delahooke — The Developmental Iceberg: Looking Below the Surface of Challenging BehaviorsCrisis & Suicide Lifeline (U.S.) — Call or text 988Find a Helpline (International) — findahelpline.com📄 Download Amy’s ND-Accommodating Family Safety Plan - a neurodivergent-affirming guide to help you stay grounded and prepared during emotional storms. ❤️ Get your free copy by clicking HERE Join the waitlist for Amy’s new 12-week parent course: “Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors - a course for parents” - created by Robyn Gobbel and led by Amy Kotha.  Adapted for families raising sensitive, PDA, or neurodivergent kids who need a new kind of understanding. Join the Waitlist → Click HERE

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• Why Hygiene is Hard for PDA Autistic Kids (and How Parents Can Help)

   Why is hygiene such a struggle for PDA autistic kids? And why does pushing only make it harder?In this episode of the PDA Parenting Podcast, Amy explores the real reasons behind resistance to toothbrushing, showering, and other daily self-care routines. You’ll learn how nervous system responses, sensory sensitivities, and demand avoidance all play a role, and why it’s never about laziness or willfulness. Amy shares practical, creative strategies that ease the pressure, support autonomy, and restore connection - so parents can move away from shame and toward compassion. Whether it’s silly characters like “Ms. Helga,” salon visits, or scaffolding with small steps, this conversation offers hope, empathy, and tools for families walking this path.Want more support? Join the waitlist for my upcoming 12-week parent course, Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors (developed by Robyn Gobbel, led by me, Amy K). You’ll be the first to know when doors open! 👉 Join the waitlist here:  https://amykcoach.myflodesk.com/bafflingbehaviors

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• Scaffolding Through Life Transitions: Supporting PDA Teens with Safety & Collaboration

  Parenting a PDA teen means our role is always evolving - and nowhere is that more clear than during big life transitions like starting college, a first job, or moving away from home. In this episode of The PDA Parenting Podcast, Amy Kotha shares how scaffolding, cues of safety, and collaborative strategies can help PDA teens and young adults navigate overwhelming changes without collapsing under the weight of demands.Drawing on neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and her own experience supporting her PDA autistic daughter as she transitioned into college life, Amy explores:What scaffolding really means for PDA kids, teens, and young adultsWhy cues of safety* (sensory, emotional, relational) are not extras but nervous system essentialsHow to lower demands and support autonomy through collaborationWhat these transitions mean for parents, whose nervous systems are also adapting and shiftingWhether your child is starting a new school year, leaving home, or facing any big change, this episode will help you reframe scaffolding as a strength - a bridge toward growth, safety, and connection.Because while this path is hard, your presence, your love, your being - is enough.* Gobbel, R. (Host). (2020–present). The Parenting After Trauma Podcast [Audio podcast]. Robyn Gobbel, LLC. https://robyngobbel.com/podcast

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• Voice, Vision, and Validation: A Conversation With Diane Gould on Empowering Neurodivergent Lives

  In this powerful episode of The PDA Parenting Podcast, host Amy Kotha is joined by Diane Gould, LCSW - a veteran therapist, late-diagnosed autistic woman, and Director of PDA North America. Diane shares her personal journey to discovering her neurodivergence and how it informs her professional mission to amplify PDA awareness and advocacy across the continent.Together, Amy and Diane dive into what it truly means for neurodivergent individuals - especially those with a PDA profile - to find their voice in a world that often misunderstands them. From school struggles and masking to identity, self-advocacy, and parenting with presence, this episode is rich with insight, validation, and practical wisdom.Highlights:Diane’s late autism diagnosis and the surprising story behind itThe founding and mission of PDA North AmericaThe power of lived experience in supporting PDA familiesRethinking behavior through the lens of curiosity and nervous system regulationWhat it means to scaffold our kids' voices — not replace themA vision for a truly neurodivergent-affirming worldResources & Contact:📚 Navigating PDA in America by Diane Gould & Ruth Fidler🌐 PDA North America  www.pdanorthamerica.orgPEERS®-Inspired Friendship & Relationship Program  https://dianegouldtherapy.com/peers/📧 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]✨ To learn more about Amy’s work or to get coaching support, visit www.amykcoach.com

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