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Self-Regulation and Emotional Regulation: What School Staff Need To Know

Self-regulation vs. emotional regulation is a distinction that comes up often in school-based practice, yet the two terms are frequently used as if they mean the same thing. For occupational therapists, physical therapists, school counselors, special educators, and other support staff working with students who have neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability, […]

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ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation – What Does the Research Say?

ADHD and emotional regulation are closely connected for many children in school settings. While inattention and hyperactivity are the most recognized signs of ADHD, difficulties managing emotions are also a common and significant part of how this condition shows up in daily life. These emotional challenges can affect how children perform in class, interact with […]

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Pathological Demand Avoidance in Students

Pathological demand avoidance in students is one of the more misunderstood profiles that school-based professionals encounter. Students who experience this profile may appear defiant, unpredictable, or emotionally volatile, but what looks like willful noncompliance is more accurately understood as an anxiety-driven, neurological response to perceived loss of control. For educators, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and […]

20 Ways to Teach Emotional Intelligence

Supporting children’s emotional intelligence helps them understand their feelings, build empathy, develop self-control, and navigate social situations successfully. The 20 ways to teach emotional intelligence make it easy, fun, and meaningful for kids at school, in therapy sessions, or at home. Read below or watch the video. Don’t forget to check out the complete Fun […]

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Music and Emotions Activity Free Printable and Video Lesson

Helping children explore the connection between music and emotions is a powerful way to build self-awareness, self-regulation, and emotional intelligence. This free activity is an easy, engaging lesson you can use in the classroom, therapy sessions, counseling groups, or at home. Best of all, you can download a FREE printable reflection worksheet and pair it […]

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How Self-Talk Can Help Students Regulate Emotions and Stay on Track

Affirmations are everywhere in education right now: posters, sticky notes on desks, locker mirrors, and classroom doors. For students, those simple phrases like “I can handle this,” “I’m still learning,” or “I can calm my body” aren’t just feel-good slogans. They are one small piece of a much bigger system: how children use language with […]

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Understanding the Emotional Intelligence Brain: How the Amygdala Shapes Student Behavior

When students seem to “snap,” shut down, or lose control, it is easy to assume they are being defiant or disrespectful. In reality, many of these reactions come from automatic processes inside the emotional intelligence brain, the system that helps us identify emotions, read social cues, and regulate behavior. At the center of this system […]