Being Julia - A Personal Account of Living with Pathological Demand Avoidance

by Ruth Fidler, Julia Daunt, Judy Eaton (Foreword by)

Overview

Diagnosed with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) at aged 12 and writing this memoir at age 37, Julia Daunt depicts the ins and out of PDA and its symptoms, while maintaining a positive outlook on what is possible to achieve. Co-written with professional specialist Ruth Fidler, it covers how PDA impacts Julia's life, including meltdowns, sensory issues and communication in relationships.

Including examples of school reports and handwritten letters, a chapter written from Julia's partner's perspective and even an example of Julia's favourite recipe, this warm and personal look at living and thriving with PDA is informative and inspiring.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849056816
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	08/19/2021
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	753,526
Product dimensions:	8.98(w) x 5.98(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Ruth Fidler is Assistant Head Teacher at Sutherland House School run by the autism charity NORSACA. She works throughout the school (aged 3-19) developing whole school approaches to working interactively with children across the autism spectrum, with a particular focus on social and emotional well being.

Dr Judy Eaton is a clinical psychologist. She has assessed and worked with many girls with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with mental health issues in both in- and out-patient settings. She lives in Norfolk, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. What is PDA?; 2. Childhood - the younger years; 3.Childhood: Growing up; 4. Making sense of my PDA; 5. My avoidance; 6. Sensory differences; 7. Language and communication; 8. Friendships and relationships; 9. Meltdowns; 10. Events and Appointments; 11. Julia through Paul's lens; 12. Now and next; References

Editorial Reviews

This is a unique personal insight into PDA, following Julia and her family from early childhood to present day adulthood and relationship with her partner Paul. Julia is honest about the challenges throughout, with the benefits of a positive approach and acceptance shining through. PDA individuals, family members and professionals will all benefit from reading this book.

The PDA Society trustees

This biography has been put together so it describes PDA like a text book whilst simultaneously telling Julia's individual story, making clear that it's her personal experience, and other PDA experiences will be different. Being a fellow adult PDAer, I had been excited to read Julia's biography, and quickly discovered astounding similarities between us, as well as differences, revealed in her honest account. I think this is what makes Being Julia so important: it shines a clear light, from the inside outwards, onto what PDA is.

Sally Cat

Being Julia is a hugely insightful and eye-opening account of living with PDA. Honest, from the heart and with humour, this book is very informative and will give hope to parents who are wondering what happens when their children become adults. Being Julia is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand more about PDA.

Steph Curtis