CPD Empower

This workshop is part of CPD Empower - OTA’s national CPD event series offering in-depth, OT-specific workshops across key areas of practice. Designed for both experienced clinicians and those ready to stretch themselves, each workshop stream delivers high quality immersive learning, expert facilitation, and practical insights you can take straight back into your work. For more information about the full CPD Empower experience, visit https://otaus.com.au/cpd-empower

 

Workshop Overview

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a complex and often misunderstood profile that can present significant challenges for occupational therapists and families alike. This workshop offers a comprehensive, neuroaffirming introduction to PDA, unpacking the role of anxiety, extreme demand avoidance, and the dynamic relationship between autonomy, engagement, and trust. Participants will explore how PDA can present and how it differs from other behavioural profiles.

Through a blend of evidence-informed insights, lived experience, and real-world practice examples, this training will equip OTs with the tools to better support children with a PDA profile. Practical strategies will focus on reducing perceived demands, using declarative language, prioritising true choice, and supporting sensory and emotional regulation. The training will also introduce the PASS model and a range of ready-to-use resources to guide your work with families and educators.

The session includes a strong focus on supporting parents and caregivers through mindset shifts, burnout prevention, and coaching techniques. Presenter Heidi Brandis, with an occupational therapy background and parent of an adult child with a PDA profile, brings a personal and professional lens to this training - bridging lived experience with clinical application to create a session that is both informative and impactful.

By attending this workshop, you will:

• Define and describe PDA and its key characteristics, particularly in the absence of formal diagnostic recognition.
• Differentiate PDA from other presentations of demand avoidance, including those associated with autism and ADHD.
• Explain the role of anxiety in PDA and how it contributes to extreme demand avoidance behaviours.
• Identify common challenges faced by occupational therapists when engaging children with PDA in therapy.
• Apply low-demand, flexible, and child-led strategies to support engagement and participation in therapy sessions.
• Implement practical approaches for supporting sensory and emotional regulation in children with PDA.
• Explore and apply neuroaffirming principles in occupational therapy practice when working with children with PDA.
• Utilise tools such as the PASS model and additional practitioner resources to inform support strategies.
• Coaching strategies to support parents, caregivers, and educators in managing PDA-related behaviours.
• Recognise the emotional and practical impact of PDA on families and reflect on the OT’s role in holistic support.
• Reflect on and adapt clinical practice to better meet the needs of children with PDA and their families.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

OTs at any career stage interested in increasing their understanding of PDA and best practice for OTs supporting PDAers and their families.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

DATE
Wednesday 17th September 2025 

TIMES
Registration: 8:30am - 9:00am 

Workshop: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Networking event: 5:00pm - 6:00pm

VENUE
Novotel Perth Langley

221 Adelaide Terrace, Perth

CPD HOURS
Total CPD claimable workshop hours: 6.5 hours

Please allow 48 hours for your CPD Certificate to be loaded in your CPD Tracker after course completion
All registrants will be provided with access to an online account via an email sent out upon registration.

REGISTRATION FEES 

OTA MEMBER

Earlybird - $695 - register on or before 7th Agust 2025

Standard - $770 - register on or after 8th August 2025 

NON MEMBER 

Standard: $1080

No early bird available for non-members

(All pricing is inclusive of GST)

*Registrations close 3rd September 2025, 11.55pm AEST.

Members must be logged in with username and password in order to register at the member rate.

Not already an OTA member? Sign up today here to enjoy great savings on CPD courses, events, conferences and unlimited access to local and international research publications, special offers from our partners and more!

INCLUSIONS
Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided. Please note any dietary requirements are confirmed at time of registration.

DISCLAIMER
All information is correct at the time of publication. OTA reserves the right to alter or delete items from the CPD calendar as required, and takes no responsibility for any errors, omissions and changes.
All workshop resources including copies of the presentation, along with all supporting documents and links are not for distribution and are the property of the presenter.
An OTA staff member or representative may be photographing this event for use in OTA publications and/ or on OTA social media sites. If you do not wish to be photographed, or have your image published please make this known to the OTA representative at your course or contact OTA on 1300 682 878 or at info@otaus.com.au

TERMS AND CONDITIONS (T&C)
T&C's are available here

CONTACT US
Please direct all enquiries to info@otaus.com.au or phone 1300 682 878