In episode 2, Marni and Chris dive into the question, What is PDA?—not just how it’s defined by others, but how it feels in our bodies and shows up across our lives. We explore how definitions grounded in childhood behaviors can fall short when you're trying to understand yourself as an adult—and why lived experience should be at the center of the conversation.

Together, we unpack:

* How PDA often first enters our lives through parenting or professional roles, and how recognition of ourselves comes later

* The tension between knowing we fit the profile and not fully resonating with how it’s described

* The emotional logic behind demand avoidance, especially in relation to autonomy, power, and safety

* The creative, sometimes subversive strategies we used to avoid demands as kids and teens

* The pathologizing of deep, intense relationships—and how “obsessive” interests in people have been both misunderstood and essential

* Our evolving understanding of masking and how we each navigate diplomacy, honesty, and authenticity

This conversation is part of an ongoing process of naming, questioning, and making sense of PDA from the inside out. If you’ve ever felt like the existing descriptions don’t fully capture your reality, we hope you’ll feel seen in this space.

*Show notes created with the help of AI, but our conversations are always 100% human!

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