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News and Research
Science-backed Information for Better Care
ScienceWorks is a modern telepsychology practice offering evidence-based care for: Autism & ADHD, Anxiety & Depression, OCD, Trauma, Insomnia, Kids & Families, and more.
These conditions frequently co-occur, can be difficult to diagnose, and also difficult to treat - often requiring specialist knowledge and direct clinical experience to achieve the best possible outcomes.
That's why research and training are the foundation of our work.
Our goal is sharing our knowledge with our friends, clients, and partners to build a stronger, more informed mental health community.
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Demand Avoidance in Adults: When Everyday Tasks Feel Like Threats
Last reviewed: 03/02/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If demand avoidance in adults shows up in your life, you may recognize the feeling: a simple request (send an email, make an appointment, start the dishes) can land in your body like a threat. You might even hear yourself thinking, “why do I resist everything?” even when you genuinely want the outcome. In this article, you’ll learn: What “demand avoidance” means and how it relates to PDA-style patterns Why autonomy can fe

Ryan Burns
Mar 28 min read


Medical Trauma Therapist: Signs Your Body Is Still Bracing (and How Therapy Helps)
Last reviewed: 02/23/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re looking for a medical trauma therapist , you might be carrying something that’s hard to name. Maybe you’re “fine” on paper, but your body tenses when the portal notification pops up. Maybe you cancel appointments you actually need. Maybe you’re exhausted from being on alert. Medical trauma isn’t only about one dramatic moment. It can come from pain, frightening procedures, serious illness, repeated exposures, or

Ryan Burns
Feb 238 min read


Perimenopause Sensory Overload: When Noise, Heat, Clothes, and Touch Become “Too Much”
Perimenopause sensory overload can turn everyday input—noise, heat, seams, and touch - into “too much.” Learn why thresholds shift, how autism/ADHD can intersect, and practical ways to prevent shutdowns and recover faster.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 1210 min read


ADHD Insomnia in Perimenopause: “Wired but Tired” and the 3AM Brain
Last reviewed: 02/12/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you are in perimenopause and dealing with adhd insomnia , you may recognize the same nightly script: you are exhausted at 9PM, wide awake at 11PM, and then your brain turns on like a searchlight at 3AM. This “wired but tired” pattern is not a character flaw. It is often a predictable interaction between hormonal transition, stress physiology, and an ADHD brain that has a harder time downshifting. 💡 Key takeaway: When

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 129 min read


AuDHD Traits in Women That Often Show Up as Burnout, Shutdowns, or “Functional” Perfectionism
AuDHD traits in women can look like “high functioning” success on the outside while the inside feels like burnout, shutdowns, or relentless perfectionism. Learn how to tell the difference from depression, why demand avoidance can be protective, and how assessment can turn patterns into practical supports.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 46 min read


PDA Profile: Meaning, Signs, and Support That Doesn’t Turn Into a Power Struggle
A pda profile describes when everyday requests (even enjoyable ones) can feel like a threat to autonomy—triggering intense avoidance, big emotions, and “power struggle” cycles. This guide explains signs across ages and offers dignity-preserving supports.

Kiesa Kelly
Dec 21, 20258 min read


Adult ADHD Therapy for Overwhelm: Micro‑Demands, Emails, Quick Asks, and the Freeze Response
If you have ADHD, you may know this pattern intimately: a single email arrives, a colleague asks for “one quick thing,” or a message bubble pops up—and suddenly your body tightens, your mind blanks, and you can’t start.
This article is about adult ADHD therapy for overwhelm when the overwhelm isn’t coming from one big project, but from a hundred small ones. You’ll learn what “micro‑demands” are, why they can trigger a freeze response, and what actually helps in real life—e

Kiesa Kelly
Dec 15, 202510 min read


Low-Demand, Autonomy-Supportive Therapy for PDA-Style Demand Avoidance: Low Demand Therapy Demand Avoidance
If you’ve lived with PDA-profile demand avoidance (in yourself or in your child), you already know the frustrating paradox: the more someone pushes, the less it works. What looks like “refusal” or “opposition” on the outside is often an internal nervous system threat response to demands —especially when those demands feel trapping, controlling, or impossible to escape. This is where low demand therapy for demand avoidance can be a game-changer. A low-demand, autonomy-suppo

Ryan Burns
Dec 15, 20259 min read


Insomnia Isn’t Just in Your Head: How Mind and Body Learn Sleeplessness (and How to Unlearn It)
CBT-I helps retrain the mind–body system so insomnia isn’t “stuck on.” In this post, you’ll learn how stress and conditioned arousal sustain sleeplessness—and how practical breath, light, movement, and cognitive tools (plus when to add CBT-I with ScienceWorks) can help you unlearn insomnia.

Kiesa Kelly
Oct 16, 20257 min read
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