Healthy Schools: emotion regulation

Emotion regulation is a life skill that takes time and patience for children to develop. These resources are provided by the Mental Health NHS Trust and the Anchor Approach and are based on J. Gottman’s research about co-regulation and emotion coaching.

Find all Healthy Schools resources here

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Understanding emotion regulation

Emotion regulation is a life skill that takes time and patience for children to develop. It can be acquired in a healthy manner if led by empathetic, kind adults. The following resources will help pass this on.

• Dan Siegal, clinical professor of psychiatry, describes the response to stress and need to regulate our emotions in terms of the ‘Window of Tolerance’, as demonstrated in the video below, and this 1-page model:  Engaging our Thinking Brain - Recognising Panic (PDF, 183KB)
  

  Note for iPhone users and Youtube. There is a known bug with iOS and Youtube, Two buttons are read before the player but provide no functionality. We advise that you skip these to access the content.

• This 1-page resource presents Dan Siegal’s Hand Model of the Brain - helpful to make sense of the science behind the stress response:
  • Hand Model of the Brain (PDF, 170KB)

•  This 30-minute Anchor Approach training video for school staff helps to understand emotion regulation better and support behaviour change:
  

  Note for iPhone users and Youtube. There is a known bug with iOS and Youtube, Two buttons are read before the player but provide no functionality. We advise that you skip these to access the content.
• Understand the different zones of feeling and energy levels in this 7-page document: 
  • Emotional Regulation at School (PDF, 330KB)

• This series of videos created by Trailblazer focuses on a wide range of areas related to emotions and wellbeing.

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Anchor Approach tools

• This document outlines how to ensure our universal needs are consistently well met to increase our ability to regulate our emotions:
  • Resilience Wheel - What Is It? (PDF, 178KB)
• This 2-page resource helps adults interpret what children do and say and suggests some strategies to try:
  • Hear and Say in all Universal Needs (PDF, 348KB)
• If you need a tool for primary children to remain calm in the classroom use this 1-page calm plan inspired by the Anna Freud Centre. It encourages pupils to develop coping mechanisms and self-awareness:
  • My Calm Plan - Primary (PDF, 178KB)
• We have also created a version for secondary students:
  • Keep Your Cool - Secondary (PDF, 167KB)

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Expressing feelings

• This 3-page fact sheet is a useful tool to help children and young people express feelings and needs:
  • Feelings When Our Needs Are Met handout (PDF, 484KB)

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Feeling better tools

• These simple tips from the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) for managing difficult emotions:
  • Tips for Managing Difficult Situations (PDF, 129KB)
• The EIF has also developed a list of exercises to help with regulating children’s and young people’s emotions:
  • Managing Difficult Emotions (PDF, 103KB)

• Use this 1-page resource to create a classroom poster with pupils, using these suggestions or asking them to come up with their own:
  • Ways to Feel Better (PDF, 143KB)

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Positive relationships

• These tips support the development of positive relationship skills.
  • Supporting Development of Relationship Skills (PDF, 153KB)
• Share this 2- page factsheet and tips to encourage families to co-regulate.
  • Emotional Regulation parent information (PDF, 500KB)

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