Self Regulation - YRDSB · 2015-04-21 · Resources Websites: Parents for Children's Mental Health...
Transcript of Self Regulation - YRDSB · 2015-04-21 · Resources Websites: Parents for Children's Mental Health...
Self Regulation Strategies for Parents
April, 2015
A case of the….
Ya buts………..
What is Self Regulation?
The ability to adapt our physical and emotional energy and out thinking and social skills when
we need to. (Hoffman, 2015)
It involves: sensory processing, executive functioning, and emotional regulation
3 things to consider
• Sensory Processing: hyper sensitive and hypo sensitive
• Executive Functioning: cognition, conscious control of thoughts …attention, working memory, self talk, making choices, planning, inhibition
• Emotion Regulation: monitor, evaluate, modify
Adapted from: Zones of Regulation
Both sides of the coin…
• Up Regulation
• Down Regulation
Self regulation is about changing the energy level.
Aim is for being calm and alert.
Understanding Self Regulation The Role of the Brain
• Designed to keep our body in balance
• Our body craves homeostasis
• The brain supports adaptive functioning
• It is hardwired to protect us
Why is this important?
Flight,
Fight,
or
Freeze
A Helpful Brain Model
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD-lfP1FBFk
Self Regulation: Putting on the Brakes
• We need our brain to have the
alarm system
• Dealing with escalating emotions – Higher level cortical functions
– Self-awareness and coping stress
• Training our brain – Plasticity allows us to strengthen our brains
Neither comprehension or learning can take place in an
atmosphere of anxiety. Rose Kennedy
The Significance of Safe Space
To learn students need to feel safe. When students don’t feel safe, the fight or flight
center of the brain, the amygdala, fires and incapacitates the hippocampus, the
new-learning center of the brain. Students then become survivors vs.
learners (Nussbaum, 2012).
School Based Approaches
• Calm, Alert, and Learning (Stuart Shanker)
• Zones of Regulation (Leah M. Kuypers)
Blue, green, yellow, red
Significance of the Parenting Relationship
• Provides predictability and routine
• Supports a trusting relationship
• Models self regulation
• Enables self regulation
What does this mean at home?
• Structure and predictability
Am I allowing the brain to know what it can expect/count on?
• Choices for up and down regulation
Am I creating options to allow self regulatory attempts?
• The impact of mirror neurons
What am I contributing to the interaction?
The Marshmallow Test Revisited
….teach me HOW to calm down
don’t just TELL me to…
Understanding the Triad
MIND Thoughts/Feelings
BEHAVIOR
How we act
BRAIN/BODY
Physiology
Thoughts/Feelings
Helping your child understand emotion
• Feelings charades
• Books
• Games
• Coaching/Naming emotions
• Engage them around both positive and negative emotions
• Set them up for success
Cognitive Reframing Adapted from: D. Bilsker, M. Gilbert, D. Worling & E. J. Garland
Situation Thoughts Thinking Error
Realistic Thoughts
All or Nothing Thinking Overgeneralization Mental Filter Disqualifying the positive Jumping to conclusions Magnification/Minimization Emotional Reasoning Should statements Labeling and Mislabeling Personalization
What proof do I have? Would most people agree with this thought? If not, what would be a more realistic thought? What would I say to a friend in a similar situation?
Self Compassion
Not about judging ourselves positively, but a way of relating to
ourselves kindly, embracing ourselves lovingly flaws and all
Impact of Self Compassion on Self Regulation
• Particular impact on willpower
• Donuts and Dieters: resultant increase in ability to self regulate (Adams &Leary, 2007)
• The power of self compassion/forgiveness is demonstrated to prevent relapse :
Alcohol
Quitting smoking (more effective than the patch)
Gambling
Procrastination
Self Compassion
The thing that is really hard, ,and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.
Anna Quidlen
http://www.self-compassion.org/
• Treating yourself as you would a good friend
Sensation/Physiology
Manage distress states, relaxation, deep
breathing
The Significance of Physical Engagement
• Physical contact
• Physical activity: using physical activity to moderate energy levels
• Sensory need regulation (plasticine, playdoh, stress balls etc.)
Modifying Physiology/Sensation Habituation
• A reduction of a person’s physiological response to a repeated specific stimulus
• We can change the way we experience a stimulus/stressor/anxiety invoking event by controlled, repeated gradual exposures
• Pairing NEGATIVE stimulus with a POSITIVE stimulus to retrain the brain
Analogy: cold lake
Strategies: Take up Smoking
Just kidding!
Why this works:
Taking a break physically from place/environment which generates stress
Deep breathing
Let’s practice…
Modifying Physiology/Sensation: Mindfulness
Paying attention to the present…
Without judgement
Without expectations
Without fear
Just accept it as it is….
How students feel about it..
http://www.shared-care.ca/vid.aspx?y=kk7IBwuhXWM
Mindfulness
• A seated meditation may be easiest OR a body scan
• MARC.ucla (Mindfulness Awareness Resource Centre) meditation recordings iTunes U
Guided Mindfulness
(free audio guided meditations)
Summing it All Up
Are you ready to change the lens?
http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?language=en
The 21 day Challenge
Daily:
1. Write down 3 new things you were grateful for that day
2. Journal one positive experience
3. Exercise
4. Meditation
5. One random act of kindness
Resources
Websites: Parents for Children's Mental Health Anxiety BC Anxiety BC Parent Toolkit Mind Your Mind Books: Building Emotional Intelligence (Linda Lantieri) Flourish (Dr. Seligman) The Mindful Child (Susan Kaiser Greenland) Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain (Daniel Siegal) The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World
Overwhelms Them (Elaine Aron)
Questions?