Post #47 Guest post from Charlie Swan on the 'Zones of Regulation'

You’re Inside Out, Upside Down and Topsy-Turvy… but you’ve got this!

In this motivational guest post, Charlie Swan considers the 'Zones of Regulation' and how to look after emotions in order to take on whatever the day brings. Follow Charlie @ShareInclusion

Dear wonderful parents, carers, children, young people and siblings… 

    I hope January has managed to welcome you with some kindness, hope and light, despite the ongoing turbulence of the world. I reflect daily on the strengths and resilience of the many families I work with. I’m confident that those around you also feel proud of how much you have accomplished in these lockdowns and the unexpected era of remote learning.  The era of amplified emotions! The era of ‘Does anyone actually know what they are doing?’ and the era of ‘You’ve left your Zoom mic on!”.

    I often think of the Disney-Pixar movie “Inside Out”. The story of young Riley who is suddenly uprooted from her family home and moved to San Francisco. Her very own emotions, the characters of Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness all conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school. Now, add a little pandemic to the mix and as you know, many more emotions join the cast of this transition! You’re not only feeling inside out… but upside down, topsy-turvy and feeling completely out of sorts! Therefore, it is no surprise that children and adults alike will experience more intense emotions and challenges.

     But it is not your fault. You have been tasked with responding to a situation that is, dare I say, so unprecedented, that any decision you make is enough. Your attempt is enough, more then enough! Think of social media, a place which can often seem like a world of pure perfection. It’s not. The same can be said for remote learning/home learning. You do you. You shape your day for your needs. Forgot about forecasting ahead, what are your needs in this moment? What are your feelings and emotions in this moment? What coping resources and strategies can you call upon in this moment? Because there is no greater home learning than learning to tackle the here and now.

     Some of you may have heard of ‘The Zones of Regulation’, if not that’s okay! I’ve left some links (below) for a further skim when you have a moment as this post is a simple signpost. In a nutshell, the Zones of Regulation (created by Leah Kuypers) is an approach that teaches a range of social and emotional skills to children, starting with the early emotional skills and moving onto self-regulation and navigating the world of social situations. Self-regulation can encompass resiliency, self-control, impulse control, anger management, sensory regulation and self-management. Overall, it is about being able to amend your own levels of alertness, channelling your emotions and behaviour in socially adaptive ways to not only achieve your goals, but stay emotionally safe and ready to take on your day. Even mastering just a fraction of self-regulation is one step towards bouncing back in such turbulent times.

     The Zones are split up into four colours to help identity how someone is feeling. Now bearing in mind that we are all feeling inside out, upside down and topsy-turvy you’d think we’d need a whole rainbow of colours for the dysregulation we have experienced! But the Zones are helpfully broken down into…

 Green Zone:

 The Green Zone is that ‘good to go’ area. You will feel happy, calm, focused and prepared to learn (But 2020 and 2021 has had other plans for reaching green!). For our own well-being it is essential we do what we can to reach this tranquil space, but again how idealistic does a green zone sound right now?! But remember, even flickers of feeling green can be enough to pull through. Hold tight to them.

 Yellow Zone:

The Yellow Zone refers to the stage where you may start to lose control and start to feel anxious, frustrated, silly, worried or even surprised! It is an area where we need to take some caution as things could destabilise very quickly (Again, 2020 and 2021 have kept our emotional oceans turbulent!)

 What could help? A movement-break? A stretch? First and then Board? Taking a break? Using a fidget? Taking some deep breaths? Talking to a supportive other?

 Red Zone:

The Red Zone is a place where emotions are so heightened and extreme, we feel anger, terror and aggression. It’s okay to be here but what’s even better is that we can acknowledge that good decision making is challenging here and we really need to stop, even if that means getting to a safe space. (With the pandemic and remote learning, do not feel guilty for ever reaching this stage more often – things are so rocky. Try to draw upon the regulatory resources you have available to reach equilibrium).

 What could help? Some Space? A Place to Cool Down? Deep breaths? Movement break? Counting to 10? A quiet sensory space?

 Blue Zone:

The Blue Zone is that feeling that the fuel in the car is slowly but surely running out! You can be tired, sick, sad or bored in this zone. Covid-19 has been a key contributor to such lethargy and for a number of reasons. Not only is the risk of symptoms going to push us into this zone, the impact of lockdowns, shielding, isolation and even burnout where we have taken on forever changing family roles and support bubbles. Remote learning itself can definitely be a trigger for this zone – increased screen time, increased logistical pressures… so remember to be kind and take breaks to avoid complete burnout.

 What could help? A Drink? A Snack? Movement-Break? A Hug? A Blanket? Your Favourite Music? Reflecting on Happy Thoughts? Deep Breaths? A Sleep?

 

I personally like to keep my own lanyard of emotions, as well as a set for the children I support. Using visual symbols and colours, paired with some corresponding supports to choose from. This only provides a snapshot of generalised supports but is a great reflective tool when needed.

 

    When you have some time, why not try and take inspiration from the zones at home? Even if it’s just a quick mental check in. Without wanting to set more homework, could you split a piece of paper up with some coloured pens and pencils? You could support a loved one to do this and build a resource that helps to voice “I’m feeling inside out, upside down and topsy-turvy” … but that’s okay, because I have some resources to lean on which can just make me feel a little bit better in the now, for these particular feelings. Because the now is important.

    Leah Kuypers has an informative video on creating zones in the home, which has a strong ethos about what works best for you and your family. She prompts you to gather personalised materials such as glue, paperclips, Lego… anything that makes your ‘zones space’ a place you can really engage with and relate too. See Kuyper’s Video on how to create a zones check-in at home:

Match strategies to each of the colours that can help you in times of need – whether it’s a movement break, favourite music, a snack, creating a sensory circuit or a cuddle with the dog!  You could share your creation with friends, introduce this as a whole family approach, even ask your child's teachers to have a look. I’m sure they would appreciate knowing where your emotions reside and what tools they can collaboratively support you with. A whole class zones check in? I’m sure this is something all children would benefit from right now. Who knows, teachers may also take personal inspiration as they are very much in the topsy-turvy space too! And they are likewise doing an incredible job.

    Please do look into the Zones and keep checking in on the Autism Home Learning blog. It houses so many strategies and ideas to help you explore your own repertoire of supports. I’ve had a good read and there are lots resources and transactional supports which can make social communication and emotional regulation a much smoother place in such difficult times.  To reiterate a core voice from Marie’s blog – “learning takes many forms and you do not need to try and replicate school.” Be kind to yourself (Remember that Kindness Jar from Blog 29?), you are doing your best in the most difficult circumstances.

 (P.S. Parents and Carers, it is perfectly acceptable to have your own zone supports, a favourite drink, a takeaway or a good bubble bath soak!)

Best Wishes, 

Charlie Swan 

(Trainee Early Years & SEND Teacher)

 Check out these links: 

Film: Zones of regulation - learn more

Article: The zones of regulation - an overview for parents