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Cultivate a "Support Replaces Correction" Mindset
Instead of thinking “What is this child doing wrong?” “What behavior needs correction?” “I should give them information about what I...
Keri Schouten
Apr 24, 20254 min read


Navigating Impossible Demands: How to Engage with Unrealistic Expectations
Sometimes, equalizing behavior for PDA'ers can manifest in what I think of as “impossible demands.” This is when the child (or adult!)...
Keri Schouten
Apr 5, 20254 min read


Perspective Taking: Reducing Stress and Equalization Needs by Increasing Relational Equity
One of the first things I like to talk about in coaching sessions is to challenge my clients to shift to verbally reflecting the child's...
Keri Schouten
Apr 5, 20256 min read


How to say "no" by starting with "yes!"
Your needs as a parent, teacher, spouse, friend–your needs matter too, and it is okay to say no! But how we say no can be the difference...
Keri Schouten
Apr 5, 20252 min read


Proactive Equalizing with PDA'ers: “Power Games”
One way we can proactively equalize is by pretending to be confused, startled, exasperated, outraged, embarrassed, etc, but playfully,...
Keri Schouten
Apr 5, 20255 min read


Proactive Equalizing with PDA'ers: Recognizing and Reducing our own Leveling Behaviors
Regardless of neurotype, most adults “level against” other people consistently, in largely unconscious ways. PDA'ers tend to be...
Keri Schouten
Apr 5, 20259 min read


"Rules" are Largely Irrelevant in Collaborative Relationships
When my kids were 12 and 15, we were approved to become an unrestricted foster home for teens 12 and up through DCF. When we received...
Keri Schouten
Apr 5, 20254 min read


"Whose Problem Is It?" Leveraging the Power of Collaborative Communication
When I discovered Parent Effectiveness Training in 2016, a collaborative parenting system founded by Thomas Gordon (at around the same...
Keri Schouten
Apr 4, 20255 min read


Release Hidden Levers of Control, Including Praise
Levers of Control include: blame, shame, judgment, praise, questioning, ordering, advice, lecturing, disagreeing, teasing, sarcasm, etc...
Keri Schouten
Apr 3, 20254 min read


Proactive Equalizing with PDA'ers: Seek Opportunities in Every Interaction
When we see through an autonomy focused lens, most interactions with children provide opportunities to help them either co-regulate or...
Keri Schouten
Apr 3, 20251 min read
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