In episode 1 of PDA: Resistance and Resilience, co-hosts Marni Kammersell and Chris Wells sit down for an unscripted, personal conversation about Pathological Demand Avoidance as a lived experience.
Together, we explore what it means to question the dominant narratives around PDA, especially as adults who have spent a lifetime resisting internal and external demands. This episode highlights what is often missing in the public discourse: a diversity of adult perspectives, the complexity of experience, and the possibility of reframing PDA as something other than a pathology.
Topics include:
Why “resistance to compulsion” feels more accurate than “pathological”
The personal cost of being misunderstood as gifted or oppositional
How fantasy, internal avoidance, and world-building can serve as survival strategies
The ongoing tension between autonomy and belonging
Navigating PDA traits without self-erasure or shame
Living with integrity when structure and systems don’t fit
We share our own stories as humans, figuring things out as we go. This episode opens the door to a different kind of conversation—one rooted in curiosity, mutual respect, and a deep commitment to honoring neurodivergent lives.
PDA remains a developing concept within the neurodivergent community. Many people resonate with its traits but struggle to find clear definitions or supportive frameworks. Our conversation points to the need for more dialogue about the adult experience, since most existing literature focuses on children. By sharing our stories and insights, we hope to expand the conversation and reflect the complexity of adult lives shaped by PDA.
*Show notes created with the help of AI, but our conversations are always 100% human!
Connect With Us
Wandering Brightly with Marni Kammersell
Positive Disintegration and cosmic cheer squad with Chris Wells
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