Rachel Rouse Counseling, PLLC

08/27/2025

PDA isn't the only type of 'Demand Avoidance', and it's a very rare presentation.

Here is a little bit of information on the different types of demand avoidance, it's important we investigate them when a child/adult is demand avoidant so we can understand the real reasons behind it. Here's a little bit of information on these...

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AVOIDANCE
This is when certain tasks prove difficult due to executive function difficulties or impairments - such as starting a task or using one's working memory. We have 7 executive functions that are constantly in use every day. Give them a google to understand more!

SENSORY AVOIDANCE
When an environment isn't a 'sensory match' for a person, it can be overwhelming or over/under-stimulating and this can naturally lead to a person avoiding that environment. We have 8 senses and it's important we understand them and how environments affect them in order to know if sensory avoidance is an issue.

LOW SELF-ESTEEM BASED AVOIDANCE
When a person has low self-esteem and low self-efficacy it stands to reason that they will fear failing and this can put huge pressures on them. The easiest way to rid that pressure is to avoid the activity altogether. With neurodivergent individuals Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria may also play a part in this.

ANXIETY DRIVEN AVOIDANCE
Think about it... If a person, environment or object causes anxiety in someone it's very natural and rational for them to avoid the cause of the anxiety. It's a way of keeping oneself safe.

PATHOLOGICAL DEMAND AVOIDANCE
This is a really rare presentation and is linked to the demand (not necessarily the activity). The demand will trigger anxiety which leads for a 'pervasive drive for autonomy', or the desperate need to be in control in order to bring anxiety down. This need for control can often become the overriding factor in the situation, and can often appear 'irrational' where the demand avoidant response seems unnecessarily excessive or extreme. You may also find ALL of the other reasons for demand avoidance are present in a person with PDA.

Always great information from Sunshine Support❤️!

08/26/2025

08/24/2025

Action for Happiness ❤️

08/24/2025

ADHD is more than visible behaviors like hyperactivity and inattention.

What people see from the outside is just the tip of the iceberg, which is precisely where the ADHD iceberg analogy comes from.

There are many other symptoms that go unnoticed because they’re internal, like social anxiety, sensory sensitivity, shame, and executive dysfunction.

If you live with ADHD or want to support a loved one who does, consider speaking with a mental health professional to learn more about this condition and how to manage it. (PsychCentral.com ❤️)

08/22/2025

So often, executive functioning challenges are present in adults but we don’t stop and think, this isn’t how things have to be. In fact, there are everyday challenges that are very difficult for adults with executive functioning needs. Things like organization, planning, and flexible thinking can be a real struggle that impacts family life, work life, personal relationships, and the things we need to do every day.

For the adult with executive function disorder, challenges can present in many different ways. There may be no trouble with impulsivity or attention struggles, however other mental skills can be quite difficulty. Sometimes, seeing the “big picture” is the problem. For others, it’s just making decisions. Still others lack time management and have difficulty with multi-tasking. (The OT Toolbox ❤️)

08/19/2025

Melt down – it can seem to come out of nowhere. It’s one of the challenging or explosive behaviours we can see in our ADHD spouse, child, sibling, self or friend. Sometimes behaviours are shown as as poor self-esteem, yelling, rage or tears. Behaviours may also be very subtle and go unnoticed or worse still, diagnosed and treated as something else, such as anxiety disorder or depression.

The Connect ADHD Volcano model has been developed to explain and understand these challenging and explosive and sometimes hidden behaviours. It is a key educational piece that clearly represents the relationship between observable behaviours, diagnosis and the underlying factors of executive function skills development, and how brain chemistry impacts all of the above. (via ADDA ❤️)

Illustration credit: unknown

08/17/2025

Institute of Child Psychology ❤️

08/16/2025

Trauma can impact the brain's structure and function in many ways, including:

Emotional regulation
Trauma can affect the brain's ability to regulate emotions, which can lead to mood issues and mental health problems in childhood and adulthood.

Memory and emotions
The hippocampus is a part of the brain that controls memory and emotions, and people with PTSD may have a smaller hippocampus. This change may be linked to memory problems, flashbacks, fear, and anxiety.

Prefrontal cortex
During a traumatic event, the prefrontal cortex may not function as well due to the body's "Fear Circuitry" kicking in. This can make it difficult to think through the situation and make decisions, such as calling for help. Adults with PTSD may also have a smaller prefrontal cortex, which can make them feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety even when there's no real danger.

Learning and behavior
Trauma can impact brain development, which can affect a person's ability to learn, recognize emotions, and regulate their attention and behavior. This can lead to impulsive or aggressive behaviors, or withdrawal and inattentiveness.

Relationships
Early relationships with others, such as abuse or neglect, can have a long-term impact on children's brains. A brain that's adapted to survive in a threatening or unpredictable world may not function well in an ordinary environment, which can create "latent vulnerability". This can make children more likely to experience mental health problems in the future, and may make common experiences, like moving to a new school, feel more stressful and daunting.

Infographic via .mcgarry ❤️

08/13/2025

Dysgraphia is a neurological condition in which someone has difficulty turning their thoughts into written language for their age and ability to think, despite exposure to adequate instruction and education. Dysgraphia can present with many different symptoms at different ages. It’s considered a learning difference.

Writing is a complex process that involves many skills and brain functions, including:

Fine motor skills.
Spatial perception (ability to perceive the space around you).
Working memory (ability to hold and manipulate information in your mind).
Orthographic coding (ability to form, store and recall letters, numbers and symbols).
Language processing.
Conceptualization.
Organization.
Because of this, dysgraphia is somewhat of a catch-all term to diagnose issues with writing and can be difficult to diagnose.

Dysgraphia generally appears when children are first learning to write. This is called developmental dysgraphia. People can also develop dysgraphia suddenly after some type of head or brain trauma. This is called acquired dysgraphia.

Dysgraphia is considered a “specific learning disorder” — more specifically, a “specific learning disorder in written expression.” (Cleveland Clinic)

Image via 101 ❤️

08/11/2025

You've had headaches on and off, or possibly nausea, or muscle pain. It could be emotions, rather than a physical illness, driving your symptoms.

Blame your autonomic nervous system. This is a system in your body that you don't consciously control, but that regulates things like your heart rate, breathing, urination, and sexual function. It's also the system that reacts when you are under a physical threat. The autonomic nervous system produces your fight-or-flight response, which is designed to help you defend yourself or run away from danger.

When you are under stress or anxious, this system kicks into action, and physical symptoms can appear — headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, shakiness, or stomach pain. Doctors see it all the time — patients with real pain or other symptoms, but nothing is physically wrong with them. (HMX - Harvard Medical School)

Infographic from The Contented Child, Child Wellbeing Consultancy❤️

08/10/2025

Coaching With Brooke ❤️