The 7th Annual
PDA North America Conference

3-Day Conference Coming February 27th (virtual for all), March 5-6th (hybrid) 2026

Early Bird Tickets now available!

Tickets for In-Person Attendees

(In-person tickets include Feb 27th virtual day. All tickets purchased are good for all three days.)

Tickets for Virtual Attendees

The PDA North America Conference is for parents/caregivers & family members of PDA individuals, professionals working with PDA people, and PDAers themselves. PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance, or is we prefer, Pervasive Drive for Autonomy. 

This is a hybrid conference, all done LIVE and recorded for later view, offering virtual and in-person options. Our in-person event takes place in Skokie, IL just outside of Chicago and we welcome you to join us in community!

Join us virtually or in-person for our 7th annual PDA North America Conference with hundreds of others looking to deepen their understanding and support of PDA individuals. 

All presentations will happen LIVE and be recorded for all ticket purchasers to have access post-event. There will be Q&A sessions available each day. 

If you are interested in learning about how you can sponsor the conference, please contact info@pdanorthamerica.org

This coming year’s 2026 conference format has some exciting changes based on your feedback! This year, we will offer three full days of new content, available to all ticket purchasers!

Here’s how it works:

Three Days for All Attendees: This year, all ticket purchasers will enjoy the 3-day experience, with the first day held online followed by two days offered in person and virtually.

    • Day 1 (Friday, Feb. 27th): Virtual Only
      The first day is fully online, with all speakers presenting LIVE remotely with audience Q&A’s after each larger presentation.

    • Day 2 & 3 (March 5th-6th 2026): Hybrid – in-person & virtual- 
      Day 2 & 3 will feature a full schedule of live presentations at our Chicago-area venue, with virtual streaming for the online attendees and also include live Q&A audience participation after each larger presentation.

We’re offering two ticket types for this year’s conference:

  • 3-Day Virtual Ticket – Attend all three days online from anywhere.

  • 3-Day In-Person Ticket – Join the first day online and the next two days in person.

New Option for In-Person Guests: We will offer topic-based Coffee Conversation tables each morning prior to beginning our sessions. A great opportunity for community connection in person! 

Tickets for In-Person Attendees
Tickets for Virtual Attendees

DAY 1 (February 27) DETAILS:

Feb 27th – PDA Health & Wellness

Live Presentations (all virtual & recorded)

Day 1 will be a fully virtual event and recorded for all ticket purchasers. All speakers will be tuning in virtually as will attendees. There is no in-person option. (All times listed in Central time.)

9:30am – 4:30pm Central – All Virtual Audience

Speakers & Topics:

  • Emelda “E” De Coteau – PDA-Informed Mindfulness for Caregivers

  • Laura Hellfeld – Supporting PDAers in Self-Care and Everyday Life

  • Melissa Houser, M.D. – Everything is Connected to Everything: Improving the Health of Autistic, ADHD, and PDA Patients through the Lifespan

  • Kelsie “Mick” Olds – Feeling All The Feelings: Regulation & Interoception

  • PDA Conversations with Young PDAers

DAY 2 & 3 (March 5th & 6th, 2026) DETAILS:

Live Presentations (Hybrid – virtual & in-person)

Presentations will be live from our venue outside Chicago. All presentations will be presented Live to our in-person audience and streamed live via zoom and recorded for all ticket purchasers.

DAY 2 – March 5th – 9:30am – 3:30pm Central – Hybrid audience

Virtual & in-person streamed Live from Skokie, IL outside Chicago

Speakers & Topics:

  • Diane Gould, LCSW, Executive Director of PDANA, Melissa McKenzie Ph.D. & Michele Kleinmann – The PDA Experience 2025 Research Survey Review

  • Jennifer I. Huffman, PhD, ABPdN – Unlocking the Power of the PDA Brain

  • Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman – The PDA Safe Circle: A Deep Dive Introduction and Workshop

 

DAY 3 – March 6th – 9:30am – 5:00pm – Hybrid audience 

Virtual & in-person streamed Live from Skokie, IL outside Chicago

Speakers & Topics: 

  • Sunita Kapahi Theiss – Attachment, Autonomy, and a Little Bit of Chaos: Parenting PDA as a Neurodivergent Mom

  • Zach Morris, M.Ed. – Demystifying Learning for PDAers of All Ages

  • Live Conversations with various PDA-Affirming Professionals

  • Lauren Brown – Adulting with PDA while Parenting PDA

In-person attendees will have the opportunity to attend a 8:30am morning coffee conversation with attendees for community connection.

Tickets for Virtual Attendees
Tickets for In-Person Attendees

2026 SPONSORS

FAQs

The Conference is held at The Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago North Shore in Skokie, IL conveniently located for O'Hare Airport just north of Chicago.

If traveling by plane, we recommend flying into O'Hare. 

If you plan on staying at the hotel here's the group code you can use to book. Or if you prefer to call to book, please tell them group booking code PNA. (Not to be confused with PDA!)

If you're interested in sponsoring our Conference please have a look at our sponsorship opportunities here then reach out to Sara O'Keefe: info@pdanorthamerica.org 

If you're interested in sponsoring a person to attend, please reach out to Sara O'Keefe: info@pdanorthamerica.org 

Yes we offer scholarships for virtual attendees. We do not turn anyone away from attending the virtual event. If you are in financial need, please contact Sara O'Keefe for a sliding scale: info@pdanorthamerica.org 

We at PDA North America love children. We do however worry that the conference is not a comfortable place for most children. There is a lot of quiet listening, sitting in one location for long periods and discussion on topics that may be uncomfortable.

We do not provide any groups or events for children but the hotel is child friendly overall, and does have an indoor pool.  At the same time, we respect that you are the expert on your child and should make the decision if they should or should not be included. Children will be treated like any additional family member and will need a ticket to attend as seats are limited. Thanks in advance for understanding. Feel free to email if you have questions. info@pdanorthamerica.org

Not currently at this time. At this time we are currently not but we are exploring options to better serve our community. We can send you a certificate of attendance if that would help with your licensing board. 

Please email us after the event if you are in need of a certificate: info@pdanorthameric.org

A light breakfast (bagels, muffins, fruit, etc.) are provided each morning. Coffee, tea and water will be provided all day each day. 

A delicious buffet lunch is included in your ticket price for Thursday & Friday. 

There will be a happy hour on Thursday night for all in-person attendees with light bites and soft drinks. (Alcoholic drinks available for purchase.)

Yes! The Zoom chat will be open throughout all presentations on all three days with moderators from PDA North America.

You can email info@pdanorthamerica.org and we will do our best to accommodate you.

If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact us: info@pdanorthamerica.org 

PDA North America does not provide a shuttle service, but there are many taxi and Uber services available at the airport. 

Now Available