Understanding PDa through the nervous system, not simply behaviour

A smiling woman with curly blonde hair, wearing a gray sweater decorated with white pearls, outdoors in a natural setting with blurred trees in the background.

I help neurodivergent children feel safe, understood and able to participate in everyday life through neuroaffirming occupational therapy.

You’re in the right place if..

  • traditional behaviour approaches are increasing distress

  • your child seems “fine” at school but falls apart at home

  • mornings feel impossible for everyone

  • regulation strategies “should” help but don’t

  • your child experiences the world intensely

  • you are exhausted from constantly trying to co-regulate

Two young girls in white t-shirts with yellow flower designs sitting in a pink teacup-shaped amusement park ride, with a girl smiling at the camera and a girl looking away. The background shows a crowded covered area with colorful lantern decorations hanging from the ceiling.

Your child does not need to be fixed.

They need environments, relationships, and support that allow their nervous system to feel safe enough to access themselves.

My core philosophy

  • Children flying a colorful kite with butterfly-shaped and bird-shaped designs on a breezy day.

    Safety changes capacity.

    When nervous systems feel safe, access to communication, connection, and daily life increases.

  • Three children lying on a grassy field with small white flowers, birds flying nearby, and a white dog resting.

    Regulation cannot be forced.

    Connection, predictability, sensory safety, and autonomy support regulation far more effectively than pressure or compliance-based approaches.

  • Colorful illustration of children sitting and hanging from the branches of a large, leafy tree, engaging in activities like reading, playing guitar, and drawing, with a bicycle parked at the base of the tree and a dog running nearby.

    Reduced access is not refusal.

    When capacity reduces, communication, flexibility, and participation become harder to access.

Young woman with curly blonde hair smiling, wearing a gray sweater decorated with white pearls, outdoors in a park during autumn.

Hi, I’m Sorcha.

I’m an AuDHD Occupational Therapist with a PDA nervous system myself. My work combines lived experience, nervous system science, sensory processing, and trauma-informed practice to help families better understand regulation, burnout, autonomy, and reduced access.

My Story

Experience & expertise

As an AuDHD PDA’er and Senior Occupational Therapist with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, I specialise in supporting neurodivergent children, families, schools and professionals through a nervous system-informed, neuroaffirming approach.

Alongside my clinical work, I am an International Speaker and trainer, guest lecturer for RCSI and have delivered training for the Tralee Education Centre, Navan Education Centre, TUSLA and Occupational Therapists, educators and healthcare professionals both nationally and internationally.

My instagram

You can follow me on Instagram at @ot_sorcharice, where I share educational content, reflections, and perspectives shaped by both my lived experience and clinical background.

The views shared are reflective of my personal experiences and professional understanding and are not intended to replace individual medical or therapeutic advice.

View fullsize ✨ Create a simple, low-cost cause & effect board that supports regulation, predictability, and exploration for neurodivergent children. Comment “DIY” below and I’ll send you the FREE guide! 💛 #NeurodiversityAffirming #Occupat
View fullsize A little collection of my recent glimmers 🌼✨ From time with my nephew, long forest walks, vision boards, beach trips, strawberries, coconut lattes, and celebrating big life moments with people I love. When life feels heavy, these are the moments th
View fullsize I think one of the biggest misunderstandings about my PDA nervous system is that people assume I don’t want direct communication. Actually, I need it. The problem is that people have sometimes seen my PDA response before and understandably th
View fullsize People often ask me what I’d change in secondary schools to better support regulation. Before I start, all of the things from my primary school post still apply here too. Teenagers don’t suddenly stop benefiting from reduced sensory over
View fullsize I think a lot of people see weather as “just weather,” but for my nervous system it changes everything. Temperature affects how my clothes feel, how I sleep, how I regulate, how much energy I use coping, and even how aware I am of my own
View fullsize I think people massively underestimate how dysregulating classrooms can actually feel for some nervous systems. Visual clutter, sitting still for hours, fluorescent lighting, nowhere to move, nowhere to hide, constant sensory input. A lot of childr
View fullsize uniforms are never “just uniforms” for me. As an AuDHD PDA’er, clothing can completely change how safe, regulated, and comfortable my nervous system feels. For many neurodivergent people, clothing isn’t superficial. It&rsquo
View fullsize Every job I’ve had before becoming a senior occupational therapist shaped the person and therapist I am today. From volunteering with the homeless population in Florida, to working in a busy ER, to supporting children with additional needs, to
View fullsize The last year has been A LOT 😂 (obviously not my hardest year ever but it’s been difficult) Moved from Dublin back to Wicklow, changed jobs, helped set up an OT service and sensory centre, got engaged 💍, applied for a mortgage and now we&rs
View fullsize Questions during meltdown can feel like more and more pressure being added onto an already overloaded nervous system. As an AuDHD PDAer, this is the closest way I can explain what meltdown communication actually feels like from the inside. Sometime

You don’t have to figure this out alone.