When Learning Shuts Down: PDA, School Trauma, and Why Traditional Education Stops Working (Part 1)
Description
What happens when learning shuts down - at school, at home, everywhere?
In Part One of this two-part conversation, I’m joined by educator and consultant Danielle Rodda to talk about why learning becomes unsafe for so many PDA and neurodivergent kids.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why compliance-based education doesn’t work for PDA nervous systems
- How school trauma and chronic pressure shut learning down
- Why “more supports” still aren’t enough
- The emotional weight parents carry when nothing seems to help
This episode is about context and permission - understanding that when learning stops, it’s not because you or your child are failing.
Note: This conversation continues in Part Two, where we shift into rebuilding safety around learning, unlearning harmful narratives, and what learning can look like once pressure is removed.
Support for Parents: 12-Week Course Now Open
If this episode resonates, I want you to know you don’t have to navigate this alone!
Registration is currently open for the 12-week parent course:
Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors, created by Robyn Gobbel and adapted specifically for PDA families and led by Amy Kotha.
✨ Bonus Session Included:
Danielle Rodda, Neurodivergent Consulting, will join us for a bonus session focused on PDA + learning, unlearning, and the return to learning.
🔗 Registration is open now: Click HERE for details!
To connect with Danielle Rodda:
@danielleroddaconsulting IG



