Emily Wilding Fackrell of CalmFamily, hosts an evening with Harry Thompson and Jodie Isitt at the Winchester Guildhall. This awesome opportunity to hear talks and be involved in conversations on the topic of Pathological Demand Avoidance - a behaviour profile within the autism spectrum. You cna expect an enlightening and honest account of life with Pathological Demand Avoidance.

The very eloquent author and speaker (and adult living with PDA), Harry Thompson, will deliver a talk in which he will offer unique, descriptive insights into PDA from a first person perspective. This will be followed by a Q & A session where you will have the opportunity to ask Harry and whatever you want. Harry Thompson is a PDA Expert & Consultant, Public Speaker and the author of The PDA Paradox - The Highs and Lows of My Life on a Little-Known Part of The Autism Spectrum.

Jodie Isitt will be offering a fantstic insight into parenting PDA. She introduces herself as:

"a mother of three amazingly determined Autistic children and I am also a carer for my daughter Lola aged 9. Lola is Autistic with a demand avoidant profile and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She had an extremely difficult time whilst attending a mainstream primary because of her ability to mask her difficulties. She also had some trouble regulating her sensory differences which were perceived as bad behaviour. When Lola transferred into a specialist primary school I found that I was having trouble accepting I would always be a carer, and I wanted to use my creativity to help others realise that you can build something around being a parent/carer and whilst doing that helping to change peoples perceptions of disabilities including autism."

About the host:

Emily Wilding Fackrell is a neurodivergent (ADHD/PDA) activist, entrepreneur, self-directed scholar, educator and mum of 4. Her children are a wonderful cocktail of neurodivergences and she is home educating her PDA son. Emily runs a not-for-profit education community with a mission to change the way we raise children in our society for a better future.

Important details:

Doors open at 18:00 for a 18:15 start. The programme will finish at around 20:30 with refreshments and an opportunity to meet and chat with the speakers afterwards.

There will be opportunities to network after the event.

We do hope you are able to make this wonderful opportunity to engage with some of the people who are most able to explain how life works - and doesn’t - with Pathological Demand Avoidance.