"What is the difference between internalized vs. externalized PDA from a parent perspective? 🧐 Gentle reminder that a child or teen can absolutely be both - for example, “externalized” at home and “internalized” at school. This video is an oversimplification for clarity. These are the patterns I have noticed after working with 100s of families with PDA children and teens. And these are reminders I have to give myself often. It is a daily mindset practice for me. What shifts for you when you rea

Is your child or teen an externalized expression of PDA (fight/flight) or more internalized (freeze/fawn)? Two things to remember: It can be a mix! And equalizing behavior for an intenalized expression of PDA can be turned towards self (e.g. hitting oneself, cutting, restricting one’s own eating, staying up late to get back to a place of nervous system safety, destroying one’s own things, etc). I often see parents come into my coaching practice and programs with internalized experssions later (t