I will meet you exactly where you are in your parenting journey.
I am thrilled to provide private, trauma-informed 1:1 coaching sessions for parents looking to gain clarity and problem solve the complexities of raising "2E" PDA children (Gifted and PDA!). I also specialize in helping parents navigate larger family dynamics and balance the costs and benefits of boundary-setting, screens, and sibling dynamics in a nuanced way.
As a late-identified PDA autistic parent to four young PDA children, I use both my lived experiences and At Peace Parents' original methodology and framework to support you.
Together, we will:
- Identify necessary and attainable supports for YOU.
- Trouble-shoot where you are getting stuck.
- Help you find agency within challenging constraints.
You deserve specialized support.
At Peace Parents' coaching methodology combines:
- A scientific approach to understanding your child's unique brain.
- An experimental method that has helped hundreds of parents discover exactly what works for their children and families.
- A spirit of mindfulness, radical acceptance, and non-judgment, to move toward peace in your identity as a mother/father.
Who is Private 1:1 Coaching with Kendahl for?
Parents who want to radically shift their way of being with their child, but haven't found the right tailored support for their neurotype or nervous system. At least one parent in the package must be ready to do the difficult work of changing as a parent in order to become the catalyst for transformation for their PDA child.
Parents who are ready to take immediate action, but need help navigating the complexities of having multiple children in the home. Finding peace within a larger family will require radical shifts in your behavior and a commitment to experimenting with creative approaches.
Parents who want to take a scientific approach to parenting. This is not a "parenting philosophy." The tools are science- and evidence- based, and will be guided by the data your child gives us.
Coaching is NOT for parents who:
Are looking for a therapist or crisis intervention.
Are looking for a another set of rules, dogma, or a "only one way of doing things" parenting approach.
Are not willing to change their own behavior, thought patterns, or take responsibility for their agency within the constraints they face.
Are looking to fix their child and gain compliance using reward-sanction approaches or traditional parenting techniques.
If you're anything like my clients...
- You are sick of feeling demoralized and want to find meaning and purpose in the parenting journey you are on.
- You may secretly loathe coming home at night to your child after work or even resent having a child in the first place.
- You want to feel connected to your child, but you meet resistance to feeling that connection.
- Ultimately, more than anything, you want to lay your head on your pillow knowing in your bones you did everything you could to ensure your child can thrive for the rest of their life.
It's all OK.
You are not alone and we can get there together.
About Kendahl Damashek
Kendahl brings her unique experience as a PDA Autistic mother raising four PDA humans under the age of 10 to her work as a coach. She has an educational background in psychology and neuroscience and a B.A. from Amherst College. Kendahl was the lead research assistant on a project studying Therapeutic Alliance at UMass Amherst and worked with middle school children in San Francisco before focusing her energy and creativity on parenting and caregiving.
Kendahl specializes in supporting parents with "2E" PDA children (Gifted and PDA) and larger or more complex family dynamics.
She brings her warmth, passion, and logical brain to her area of expertise: supporting parents unpack the complexity of their situation with creative solutions and needle-moving insights.
There is another way to parent a Pathologically Demand Avoidant (PDA) Child or Teen. (PDA).
Join the 100s of other parents of PDA children and teens who have found peace
Take a look at what people have said...
Kendahl really understands the nuances of bigger families. She was so helpful when suggesting ideas of how to deal with sibling energy and dysregulation, I implemented her advice straight away and it worked perfectly.
Lisa Y.
Kendahl is the lifeline you always knew you needed. She *gets it* on so many levels. She has such incredible strategies and ideas to share that are individualized to each family, that will help you feel empowered and so not alone.
Lilly P.
Kendahl listens with warmth and curiosity. She dispenses knowledge with confidence and humility. She has the wisdom and groundedness of an experienced mother who has been tested and persevered. She understands that the task is impossible. Somehow she's still convinced that you can do it!
Rebecca R.
Having access to Kendahl for a month, we were able to get immediate feedback regarding real-time events that were going down in our family. We were able to pinpoint what aspects of our daily life were the most challenging for our son and ourselves and make the appropriate accommodations in order to see measurable outcomes. The coaching program helped funnel the information into just a few key starting points that we could then immediately incorporate into our daily routine, as well as his school environment.
Christina M.
Working with Kendahl has been so transformative. Her deep understanding of the challenges, worries, feelings, and desperation that parents of PDAers can feel is genuine and empathetic. It was really a first for us to be able to openly talk about our experience - and be met with zero judgment, tons of affirmation, and ultimately be led to feelings of hopefulness. We are still very much in the trenches, but she has helped shine a light on a path to more stable ground - and in a way that recognizes the very hard work of our PDAer, and us as parents. Thank you so much for the love and care you've shown us.
Lisa T.
In our sessions, Kendahl helped us find clarity so that we could focus on the things that we can change in our home to make it more supportive for our son. Perhaps more importantly, she healed our relationship with one another so that we are now able to support each other better and, in doing so, show up for our son better. Our home is a safe and happy place again and we would not be here if not for our breakthroughs working with Kendahl.
Liliana A.
Kendahl is a compassionate, smart, thoughtful, experienced coach who fuses her work with her own lived experience as a PDA'er and as a parent of PDA kids. She listened intently, did her homework, and used our needs to guide our sessions. We went into this as an experiment and are coming out with a trusted resource. We will continue coaching with Kendahl and feel so much gratitude to have found her and At Peace Parents.
Ruth S.
I immediately felt comfortable with and understood by Kendahl. Her compassionate, yet knowledgeable approach was ideal for coaching in this very tender area. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with her!
Abigail J.
My husband and I worked with Kendahl following an At Peace Program. It was a gift to be able to review the skills learned in the program, and explore with a trained, empathetic, experienced professional how to deploy those skills to help our family. We are so grateful.
Susan N.
Kendahl was such an amazing coach and partner. We were very well-versed on the fundamentals of low-demand, but having someone who can help think through and create specific plans/scripts for us and our 3 kiddos was life-changing. We have 3 kids with varying support needs and having the lived experience of her with her kids was also incredibly helpful. The cherry on top was being super affirming to our family's queer identity and alternative family setup.
Babbioro family.
I recently did coaching with Kendahl and it was life changing. She helped me and my husband quickly move through a decision we needed to make and she helped us with compassion and ease. Kendahl is a skilled coach with knowledge about PDA that transformed our household. My husband and I look forward to doing more coaching with Kendahl soon.
Sharon L.
Experiencing PDA coaching by Kendahl has been life-changing for us as parents, for our relationship and also for our family. Each week during our coaching session, we jumped right into addressing our specific questions or key aspects of PDA that related to our circumstances. And we unpacked how to generate awareness, apply PDA modifications and learnings matching our parenting styles and child. We have been relieved knowing that Kendahl, with her abundant personal and professional experience with PDA, is available to coach us with encouragement and practical, proven advice.
Jodi and Joyce.
Kendahl helped us make clear decisions to best serve our family using a neutral approach to cost benefit inquiry. She fully supported both of us and our unique parenting perspectives and brains. In so doing and with patient practice, Kendahl empowered us to develop the tools we needed to notice and respond to each other's cues, develop our framework for decision-making and ultimately live a more peaceful life even amongst the constant unknowns. We look forward to continuing coaching with Kendahl with each next shift!
Djuna O.
Kendahl is a gem and a life saver. We are so grateful to have found her - finally we have someone on our side who 100% gets it, knows it, lives it… Her ability to empathise and offer practical solutions, her clarity and deep understanding of PDA, have made us feel like we can trust our instincts better and not lose hope when things get super tough. Thank you!
Madeleine N.
Kendahl was able to immediately get on board with our son's PDA and how it gets expressed, as well as the toll it takes on our family. For once, we felt really seen for all of the parenting work we have been steadily doing for 9 years and were not subtly made to feel as though our parenting 'mayyybe could have been a little different' or better ... one of the best parts about Kendahl is that she knows first hand about the challenges of PDA in the family, and is open and forthcoming about what has been helpful for them personally over the years. Therapists (psychologists) aren't able to do this, but with Kendahl, we felt so safe, it was clear how deeply she understood, and could offer guidance from that place of true knowing. She is lighthearted and kind and funny which is really helpful and uplifting when discussing PDA. She definitely helps provide that boost and confidence a PDA parent needs to believe that things are getting, and will continue to get better.
Rachel C.
Working with Kendahl while participating in the PSP was a life-changing experience. It was crucial to my family’s progress to get personalized coaching that aligned with the exact work I was doing in PSP, and having Kendahl’s moral and emotional support as well was more than I had dared to hope for. 10/10 recommend!
Jennifer A.
It was really helpful for us to have a dedicated and safe place to process together the places where we were getting stuck (in some of the more nuanced and complex scenarios). Your ability to understand what we were saying, validate our experiences, and point out key pieces of information helped us get unstuck and/or feel more confident in our own capabilities and understanding.
Peri B.
Kendahl is amazing -- intuitive, thoughtful, empathetic, and so skilled at maximizing the time at our disposal. My husband and I came away from our one-hour session feeling heard, supported, and equipped with practicable information. Her profound understanding of PDA and her ability to respond to us exactly where we are in this parenting journey had such a positive impact on our outlook. I nearly cried. Thank you, Kendahl!
Sandra B.
Working one on one with Kendahl has been a transformative experience. Kendahl has a calm, comforting energy that made us feel at ease instantly, like speaking to a close friend. She is uniquely able to coach from experience, knowing first hand your struggles and concerns. Kendahl helped us reframe our approach, shift our perspectives and gave us the confidence we needed to intuitively parent our extra special PDA'er. These last 30 days of parenting have been exceptional for our whole family.
Lindsey W.
What if I told you that raising a PDA child or teen doesn't have to be terrible?
Not only is it possible, but as we stabilize your home, you will see that your child is a gateway to a deeper connection to self.
I will teach you how to approach your child or teen with a scientific mindset, so that you stop doubting yourself and can find what works for your family for years to come.
I will provide tools to help you stop banging your head against the wall and going in directions that aren't meant for you or your family.
We will also work on transforming your parenting identity, so that you feel more confidence, empowerment and ultimately, peace in your life.
At the heart of the work we do together is always love and connection.
- To find it again (or maybe for the first time) between parent and child.
- To find it again with yourself as a parent who is already good.
- And to be held by it as you explore this next evolution of your parenting identity with me, without judgment or limitations for what is possible for you, your child or teen and your family.
