Developing Emotional and Self-Regulation Skills
Emotional and Self-Regulation Treatment and Therapy in Toronto
What is Self-Regulation?
Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and control your emotions and behaviour. It is an important skill learned in childhood and necessary for coping with challenging situations in a healthy manner. However, some children and youth may have difficulty managing their emotions and impulses which can result in behavioural, emotional, social, and/or academic challenges. Fortunately, there are many effective virtual and in-person treatments and therapies in Toronto that can help children develop their emotional regulation skills.
What are Common Self-Regulation Problems?
Children and youth with self-regulation problems may:
Act impulsively
Have increased temper tantrums
Have difficulty with communication and social skills
Have difficulty maintaining relationships
Have difficulty playing with others; prefer to play alone
Be easily frustrated or overly compliant
Have difficulty concentrating; easily distracted
Appear disinterested
Have difficulty sleeping
Have difficulty adapting to change or transitioning
Be energetic
Have a need for control
Be emotionally reactive
Engage in risky behaviours
How to Support Children with Emotional and Self-Regulation Problems?
Create and post a schedule where it is easily readable for the child to know what to expect
Allow use of a cool down zone for body breaks and when feeling overwhelmed
Use role-playing and modelling to teach the child positive body language and active listening skills
Use videos/stories/pictures to teach the child how to read facial cues and identify emotions
Teach the child self-regulation strategies to help them calm down (i.e. deep breathing, colouring)
Use small groups or partnered activities to encourage practicing social skills (i.e. problem-solving, communication)
Emotional and Self-Regulation Support for Families
For individuals and families in Toronto struggling with self-regulation problems, there are a variety of in-person and virtual treatments that may be beneficial, including:
Programs and groups for kids that focus on behaviour and emotional regulation
Social skills training
Emotional regulation training
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Dialectical behavioural therapy
Mindfulness training
Parent training programs that focus on behaviour management for kids