SCIENCEWORKS
BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE
Edited and reviewed:
June 10, 2026
Complete Care for all Neurotypes
Therapy | Assessments | Coaching
Reviewed by:
PDA SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
PDA and demand avoidance family support in Tennessee
PDA family and parent support across Tennessee — learn low-demand approaches that lower conflict at home and steady the whole family, by secure telehealth.
Daily requests turn into meltdowns or shutdowns
IS FAMILY SUPPORT RIGHT FOR YOU?
A good fit if any of this sounds familiar
Parent coaching in low-demand, collaborative approaches at home
Help reducing conflict, meltdowns, and daily power struggles
Support for caregivers' own stress, not just the child's behavior
Licensed Providers
Telehealth Nationwide*
Neuro-affirming
Private & Secure
HOW FAMILY SUPPORT WORKS
Helping families lower demands and conflict
When a child has a demand-avoidant profile, ordinary parenting tools — reward charts, consequences, firm instructions — tend to escalate things rather than calm them. That's not a failure of parenting. PDA is an anxiety-driven response to everyday demands, so pressure makes avoidance worse, and families often end up exhausted and on edge.
Family support shifts the focus from controlling behavior to lowering the anxiety underneath it. We coach parents in low-demand, collaborative approaches — offering real choice, using indirect language, picking battles, and building flexibility into the day. We also tend to your own stress, because supporting a PDA child is draining. The goal is fewer meltdowns and a steadier household. Because PDA is an emerging area, we're honest about what's well-established and what isn't.
KEY STATISTICS ABOUT PDA AND AUTISM
Up to 20%
of autistic people may show a PDA profile
Source:
1 in 31
of U.S. children are identified with autism
Source:
2.2%
of U.S. adults are estimated to be autistic
Source:
WHAT TO EXPECT
Simple to start, support for the whole family
1
Free 15-minute consult.
We hear what's hardest at home and what you've already tried — no judgment.
2
3
Ongoing telehealth coaching that adjusts as your family does, across TN.
You're paired with a clinician who coaches families through PDA.
Matched with a PDA-aware clinician.
Build a low-demand home plan.
Payment options
As a specialty practice, we're out-of-network so we can offer the most effective, customized services.
Our payment options are transparent and flexible:
-
Self-Pay: All major credit cards; FAS/HSA eligible
-
Payment Plans: 6-months interest-free for approved clients via CareCredit
-
Superbills Provided
-
Out-of-Network: Up to 90% reimbursement for qualifying plans
WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH
Specialized, supportive, clinically reviewed
Your family is supported by licensed Tennessee clinicians experienced with demand-avoidant profiles and the realities of parenting a PDA child. We coach the whole household and look after caregiver stress too — care is supervised, clinically reviewed, and honest about what the evidence shows.
Dr. Kiesa Kelly (she/her)
Owner & Psychologist
Ryan Burns (he/him)
Practice Director
WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE SCIENCEWORKS
For the child and the caregivers
Because we're independent, support fits your family's real life — not a standardized behavior program or insurance-driven session limits.
You work with a clinician who coaches families through PDA — including your own stress — not a generalist with a behavior chart.
Coaching is delivered by secure telehealth across Tennessee, so support reaches your family right where the hard moments happen.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common questions
Is family support online or in person?
ScienceWorks provides PDA family support entirely online by secure telehealth, for caregivers located in Tennessee during sessions. There's no in-person option — parent coaching by video fits around your schedule and lets us support you in your real home environment.
Does my child attend, or is it parent coaching?
Often the most effective PDA support works through the parents, who carry it into daily life. Depending on your child's age and needs, sessions may focus on caregiver coaching, include your child, or both — we'll figure out the right mix together.
Do you need a PDA or autism diagnosis first?
No. PDA isn't a formal diagnosis, and you don't need one to start. We work with the demand-avoidant pattern you're seeing at home, whether or not your child is formally autistic. If an evaluation would help, we can talk it through.
*Therapy and assessments available in the following states (coaching available worldwide):
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
Disclaimer: This page provides general educational information and is not a substitute for mental health diagnosis or treatment. Reading this page does not create a therapist–client relationship with ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare. S If you are in crisis or may be at risk of harm to yourself or others, call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or call/text 988 (U.S.). Additional emergency support can be found here: Emergency Resources.