The Developers

Rachelle Manco, LCSW & Justin Manco, CMHC

Developers of the RELATE framework for Pathological Demand Avoidance. Licensed mental health clinicians specializing in autism and complex neurodivergent presentations in residential and intensive outpatient treatment settings.

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Rachelle Manco, LCSW

Co-Developer, RELATE Framework

Rachelle Manco, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and clinical director for a residential treatment center serving neurodivergent individuals with complex profiles. Rachelle co-developed the RELATE framework and has presented at national conferences on Pathological Demand Avoidance, autism, and evidence-informed treatment. Her training spans trauma-informed care, neurodiversity-affirming approaches, and crisis intervention.

info@relatepda.com

Justin Manco, CMHC

Co-Developer, RELATE Framework

Justin Manco, CMHC is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor with extensive experience in residential and intensive outpatient programs. Justin co-developed the RELATE framework and works with autistic individuals navigating depression, anxiety, OCD, and substance use, delivering neurodiversity-affirming care across complex presentations.

info@relatepda.com

Our Mission

Closing the gap between awareness and action

The PDA field has been growing in awareness for years. Parents are learning the term. Clinicians are starting to recognize the profile. Conferences are filling up. But when a professional asks "I have a PDA client, what do I actually do?" there hasn't been a structured answer.

RELATE is that answer. Not the only possible answer. Not the final answer. But a rigorous, mechanism-based, clinically informed framework that gives professionals concrete tools, assessment instruments, and implementation protocols. Right now, while the evidence base continues to develop.

We built it from clinical experience. We refined it across hundreds of cases. And we structured it so other professionals can learn it, implement it, and track outcomes, contributing to the evidence base as they go.

The RELATE Library

Books and resources for every audience

The clinical manual is the foundation. Everything else extends the framework to the people who need it.

Clinical Manual

The complete 16-chapter professional training framework with assessment instruments and implementation guides.

Available Now →

Parent Book

Daily implementation, school coordination, sibling dynamics, burnout prevention. Ages 3 through young adulthood.

Available Now →

Adult Book

Self-directed RELATE, self-regulation, workplace navigation. Written for adults, not about adults.

Available Now →

Educator Guide

Classroom modifications, IEP language, teacher-family collaboration.

Forthcoming

Rachelle Manco, LCSW & Justin Manco, CMHC