Demand Avoidance

Resistance or avoidance of everyday demands and requests, impacting participation and cooperation

  • Create a safe space and establish a trusting relationship with me to help me feel secure and manage my anxiety.
  • Avoid using direct commands with me and instead use indirect phrases like "I wonder if..." or "Maybe we could...".
  • Offer me choices to increase my sense of autonomy.
  • Minimize pressure through offering me self-directed learning, project-based activities, and incorporating my special interests.
  • Prepare me for changes in advance and offer flexibility where possible, particularly if I will really struggle with the change.  
  • Work with me to understand what situations and demands trigger my avoidance and help me develop strategies to cope with these.
  • Prioritise essential demands and be flexible with less critical ones.
  • Teach me relaxation techniques, e.g. mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing.
  • Provide me with a safe space both prior to and after episodes of dysregulation, with tools and resources available to support my self-regulation.
Resource Description Pricing Stage
AET - A Practitioners Guide to Understanding Behaviour and Expressions of Overwhelm Distressed behaviour, what it is and how professionals can provide the right support. Free Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
AET - Traffic Light Tool Strategies that can help an autistic student before and during episodes of distressed behaviour. Free Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
Zones of Regulation The Zones of Regulation builds emotional regulation and behavioral skills for life. Paid Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
Emotion Coaching Uses moments of heightened emotion and resulting behaviour to guide and teach Paid Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
PACE Effective, empowering interactions with children and young people who have experienced trauma Paid Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
The Incredible 5 - Point Scale Helps autistic individuals to understand, identify and manage emotions and behaviours. Paid Primary, Secondary, Post 16
Energy Accounting Advice, guidance and practical tools regarding energy accounting. Paid Primary, Secondary, Post 16
AET - Star Chart Tool Recording and analysing instances of distressed behaviour for proactive strategies. Free Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
National Autistic Society - Demand Avoidance Advice and guidance regarding Demand Avoidance. Free Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
PDA Society - What is PDA? Advice and guidance regarding Pathological Demand Avoidance. Free Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16
A Teachers Guide to Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Advice and guidance For Teachers regarding Pathological Demand Avoidance. Free Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Post 16