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About Self-Regulation

Vanessa Kay
Self-Regulation Consultant
As a Self-regulation Consultant, Vanessa Kay builds her client’s ability to become more aware of their arousal states and unique sensorimotor profile. This understanding builds the capacity to support regulation when aroused, by using the appropriate sensorimotor strategy.
More About Vanessa
Vanessa Kay Innerwise Education

Related Articles

Self-Regulation: A Key to Emotional Fitness and Mental Well-Being

Self-regulation is the ability to attain, maintain, and change arousal appropriately for a task or situation. It involves understanding the brain-body responses to stress, including expenditure, recovery, and restoration. Developing self-regulation skills is vital in maintaining emotional fitness, mental well-being, and optimal function.

Factors That Impact the Ability to Self-Regulate

The ability to self-regulate can be affected by sensory defensiveness, motor challenges, low emotional intelligence, poor interoceptive awareness, biological challenges, trauma, excessive stress, and environmental factors. Dysregulated states can often lead to misdiagnoses, as the presentation of symptoms is similar.

Dysregulated states and misdiagnosis

When individuals experience dysregulated states, their behaviours and emotional responses can be misinterpreted or misdiagnosed. This can lead to incorrect interventions that may not effectively address the root cause of the issue, which is often related to stress and self-regulation. By understanding the principles of self-regulation and the role of stress in dysregulated states, it becomes possible to identify and address the true underlying issues, leading to more effective support and improved overall well-being.

The Importance of Co-Regulation in Developing Self-Regulation Skills

Co-regulation is the foundation of self-regulation and the starting point for helping those in our care learn this valuable skill. Through co-regulation and developmental growth, children become more sophisticated in their ability to choose, use, and refine sensorimotor strategies for self-regulation.

Research on the Benefits of Self-Regulation Development in Early Years

Research shows that focusing on the development of self-regulation skills in the formative years can reduce long-term emotional, social, and mental health challenges. Vanessa is passionate about preventive care and being proactive in building emotional, mental, and social fitness by explicitly teaching the skill of self-regulation.

Further Reading:

  1. Self-Regulation Skills: Why They are Fundamental.
  2. Supporting Self-Regulation in the Early Years.
  3. In Brief: Executive Function: Skills for Life and Learning
  4. Alert Program® Literature and Research.
  5. The MEHRIT Centre - Shanker Self Reg®
  6. The Alert Program®: Self-Regulation made easy.
How Vanessa Can Help