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Drawing on research in interpersonal neurobiology, Polyvagal Theory, and trauma-informed practices, we have developed a workshop aimed at fostering emotional regulation in schools. By blending these scientific insights with lived experience, our workshop provides practical strategies to support students in managing their emotions and building resilience.
Understanding dysregulation—what it is and what happens in the body when someone is dysregulated—is key to supporting students effectively. Recognizing these signs allows educators to respond compassionately and effectively, helping students regain a state of calm and focus.
This blog post offers a brief overview of dysregulation, exploring the science behind it and why it’s so important for educators and students alike to understand.
Neural Pathways, Emotional Regulation, and Learned Behaviour
From infancy, our brains are designed to develop through a process known as co-regulation with caregivers. This experience-expectant learning—where neural pathways are shaped by consistent experiences—teaches us how to meet our needs. For example, when a baby feels hunger, signalled by sensations like a rumbling tummy, the caregiver typically responds by feeding them. Over time, the child learns to associate the sensation of hunger with the need for food, which helps regulate the nervous system. This process is closely tied to interoception, our internal sense of bodily signals, which allows us to interpret and respond to our body’s needs.
However, when this co-regulation doesn’t develop in a balanced way, such as if caregivers respond with food to every cry (regardless of whether the baby is hungry), it can lead to misaligned neural circuits. The child may learn to view food as a solution to all distress. This can leave the nervous system dysregulated, as fundamental needs are not being accurately identified or met.
Emotional Learning and Big Emotions
As we grow, we begin to encounter and learn about complex emotions—like anger, sadness, and other “big” emotions that can be painful. Often, caregivers who themselves struggle with managing emotions may focus on teaching children what not to do with these feelings rather than guiding them on how to process and understand them. But emotions don’t simply vanish because we’re told to suppress them. Instead, unprocessed emotions linger in the nervous system and can resurface as “triggers”—felt bodily sensations that bring up unresolved anger, fear, or sadness each time similar situations arise.
Emotions as Energy in Motion
Emotion itself can be seen as “energy in motion,” a natural flow of information and energy within and between people. When emotions are suppressed or unaddressed—often due to a lack of co-regulation or tools for self-regulation—they remain in the body, leading to dysregulation and trauma. This unprocessed energy can create patterns of reactivity or behavioural control. For instance, if we haven’t learned to process our emotions, we may lash out at others, seek to control others’ behaviours to feel more secure, or internalize our pain, leading to suffering.
The Cycle of Dysregulation and Coping
To alleviate this internal suffering, we may look for ways to numb our pain through external means—like food, substances, gambling, or other compulsive behaviours. These coping mechanisms offer temporary relief but often reinforce dysregulation, as they do not address the underlying emotional needs or help us develop healthier neural pathways.
Neuroception and Learning TRUST
A key symptom of trauma is a lack of trust – both in ourselves and in others. Trauma shakes us at our very core. This is why it is essential to create a safe, compassionate, non-judgemental environment when we are dysregulated.
Our nervous system is constantly on the lookout, monitoring both internal and external environments, this is called Neuroception. When our nervous system perceives safety, it shifts us into a state of connection, known as the Ventral State. This state fosters social engagement and a sense of calm. However, when it detects a threat—whether real or perceived—it switches to a state of protection, triggering the fight-or-flight response to keep us safe. Judgement and criticism (real or perceived) are major triggers that put us back in the cycle of dysregulation. This automatic response helps us navigate our surroundings and respond appropriately to different situations, whether it’s connecting with others or defending ourselves from potential harm. Our bodies are wired to ensure our safety and social well-being.
When dysregulation builds in the body, we become more easily triggered by reminders of past negative experiences that haven’t been fully processed. These unaddressed events leave a pressure within us, and our bodies instinctively seek ways to release it. The more trauma we’ve experienced and left unresolved, the more deeply dysregulated we may become.
These inner pressures often trigger the body’s natural threat responses—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—causing us to react in ways that may feel beyond our control. In these moments of dysregulation, what we need most is a safe, supportive environment with calm, regulated adults. When others respond with aggression, control, or judgment, it only deepens our dysregulation, as we’re already in a state of heightened sensitivity. What truly fosters healing is TRUST.
When we are dysregulated, we need:
•Trigger identification and acknowledgment
•Reassurance and understanding
•Understanding and compassion from others
•Safety in our environment
•Truth and transparency in interactions
These elements help us calm down, restore balance, and re-engage the rational part of our brain.
Our team at A Positive Start CIC who support clients locally and worldwide, is made up of lived-experience practitioners who have spent over 40 years understanding and managing dysregulation in all its forms. Through first hand experience with dysregulation and trauma, we’ve learned that while each person’s journey is unique, there are shared themes that can guide healing. We draw on these commonalities to help others recognize, address, and heal from their own dysregulation and trauma. While many services currently offer support, what makes A Positive Start unique is our lived experience insight. We bring a genuine understanding of dysregulation, rooted in first-hand experiences, and commitment to putting people before profit. Not only do we prioritize meaningful compassionate support, but we also reinvest the profits we make back into our local community, ensuring our work creates a ripple effect of positive change. For further information about our services, including Supporting Regulation in Schools and Trauma Informed TRUST, please contact us.
References:
Emotional Dysregulation:
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
Marsha Linehan is often credited with pioneering the study of emotional dysregulation in the context of borderline personality disorder and the development of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
Polyvagal Theory and Neuroception:
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Stephen Porges introduced Polyvagal Theory, providing insights into how the autonomic nervous system influences emotions and social behaviours, and coined the term “Neuroception” to describe the subconscious process of detecting safety or threat.
Complex Trauma and the Body:
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York: Penguin Books.
Bessel van der Kolk’s work explores how trauma is stored in the body and impacts mental and physical health, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed approaches.
Emotional Flashbacks:
Grannon, R. (2013). Emotional Flashbacks: A New Way to Understand PTSD. Self-Published.
Richard Grannon has contributed to the understanding of emotional flashbacks, particularly in the context of complex PTSD and emotional regulation.
Interpersonal Neurobiology:
Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. New York: Guilford Press.
Dan Siegel’s work in interpersonal neurobiology emphasizes how relationships and emotional connection shape brain development and emotional health.
Lived Experience Insight:
Crozier, D. J. (2024). Lived Experience Reflections on Emotional Dysregulation and Trauma Support. Personal blog and social media posts.
Deborah J. Crozier’s lived experience insights contribute to understanding trauma-informed approaches, co-regulation, and the impact of attachment and nervous system regulation on emotional well-being.
Additional Support:
My blog posts are written from my own thoughts, ideas, learning and experiences. AI is used to help to articulate and create a more coherent experience for the reader. I reference AI to ensure credit is given where credit is due. Truth and integrity are essential.
ChatGPT by OpenAI. (2024). Contributions and support for information synthesis.