“What I Wish My Family Knew About Pathological Demand Avoidance / Pervasive Drive for Autonomy” was a presentation featuring Tessa Watkins and Liz Peace, LPC, at the 13th annual Disability & Mental Health Summit co-hosted by Representative Jessica Benham and Rep. Emily Kinkead. This talk was given in person on May 7, 2026, in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Note: due to technical difficulties, the recording abruptly ends during the 9th slide as we discuss strategies and tools. Since that document was separate, you didn’t miss much (except for my awesome poses at the end when I told people to whip out their phones to take a picture of the last slide that had the link to this webpage with all the resources and contact information).
Video Transcript—coming soon, still being generated & proofread
TBA, thank you for your patience.
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), colloquially known as Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, is one of the most challenging obstacles faced by neurodivergent families. Join Tessa and Liz in a discussion about what it feels like internally, how to recognize episodes, and access strategies and tools to reduce stress and duration.
Speakers
Tessa Watkins (they/them),
Autistic Adult & Parent
Tessa was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of 29. Despite receiving the diagnosis later in life, they were still autistic since birth. Their specific presentation of autism went undiagnosed for nearly 30 years. Tessa and other autistic people like them are often still doubted, denied supports, and discriminated against due to the lack of autism awareness in mainstream society because they don’t fit the stereotypes depicted in media. Tessa has a Bachelor of Science, works as a programmer in the digital marketing industry both for a local advertising agency as well as a freelancer for startups and new/small businesses because solving problems with technology is one of their special interests. Tessa is also married and together they are the proud parents of a spirited toddler that’s also on the spectrum.
Connect with Tessa
Liz Peace (she/her), LPC,
Owner and Clinical Director, Eclipse Counseling
Liz Peace, LPC, obtained her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Chatham University. During her time as a student, she worked as a research assistant and contributed to research related to social justice and counseling advocacy. Liz has been working in the counseling field since 2019 serving a diverse population of clients throughout her career. She began as a drug and alcohol therapist at a residential treatment facility for men exiting incarceration. There, she realized her passion for working with neurodivergent clients and decided to pursue this as a specialization. She is currently the owner and clinical director of Eclipse Counseling, a boutique counseling practice catering to neurodiverse adults and parents of neurodiverse kids. Liz is neurodiverse herself and appreciates the opportunity to blend lived experience with evidence-based treatment in a neurodiverse-affirming approach to treatment. Liz’s greatest inspiration for the work that she does and her involvement with advocacy is her late grandmother, who taught her to embrace difference and the importance of being a light for those who feel alone in the dark.
Connect with Liz
Resources
These are the documents and resources directly from the presentation.
- PowerPoint Slide Deck (PDF)
- Strategies & Tools for Managing PDA Episodes (printable Google Document)
- Resources for Autistic Adults
- General Autism Resources
- Eclipse Counseling
Media Credits
These are the media credits that were used in the presentation.
- Slides 1 & 10, the 13th Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit logo from their media kit.
- Slide 2, hands holding brain background image by Antonio Gravanate.
- Slide 3, hands writing on paper background photo from Psychological Perspectives LLC’s website (providers page).
- Slides 4 & 6, linen tablecloth texture by Vyacheslav Korneev on Scopio.
- Slides 4 & 6, abstract rainbow painting by Lin Watchorn on Scopio.
- Slide 6, GIF image from the 2000 DreamWorks’ movie “The Road to El Dorado.”
- Slide 8, notebook background photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.
- All other graphics were created by Tessa Watkins for this presentation.
