Understanding Self-Regulation (Self-Reg)

Definition

• Self-Reg: A powerful method for understanding stress and managing energy levels.
• Stress: Anything that requires burning energy to maintain internal balance.

Complexity of Stress

• Stress is more complex than previously understood.
• Five Domains of Stress:
  1. Physical
  2. Emotional
  3. Cognitive
  4. Social
  5. Pro-Social
• Stress impacts all domains and they affect each other.
• Distinction between:
  • Overt (obvious) stress
  • Hidden stress
  • Negative stress vs. Positive stress

Positive Stress

• Positive stress burns energy but promotes growth or creates more energy.

Self-Regulation (Self-Reg) Process

1. Reframing

   • Recognize stress behaviors vs. misbehavior.
   • Identify signs of stress behavior in individuals.
   • Acknowledge individual differences in stress signs.

2. Identifying Stressors

   • Determine what constitutes stress.
   • Recognize that innocuous events can be stressors (e.g., Christmas for children).

3. Reducing Stress

   • Apply theoretical knowledge to reduce stress in real-life situations.
   • Examples: Turning Christmas into a joyous event by stress reduction.

4. Stress Awareness

   • Develop awareness of being overstressed.
   • Identify when we seek stimulating activities raising stress levels.
   • Learn the true feeling of calm and recognize agitation.

5. Restoration and Resilience Strategies

   • Develop unique strategies tailored to each child or family.
   • No one-size-fits-all; must be custom-tailored.

Custom Tailoring

• Strategies must be individualized, similar to custom-tailored suits rather than off-the-rack solutions.