Summary
Highlights
Practicing various reactive plans with kids or clients, such as what to do when upset, helps reduce the cognitive processing needed during escalation. This is because the situations have already been mentally rehearsed.
Without a practiced plan, individuals are forced to use multiple cognitive skills during escalation, which is problematic since cognitive skills drop significantly when upset. This can lead to more primitive responses to stress.
People with developmental disabilities, mental health issues, trauma, or developing brains often struggle with the skills necessary for emotional regulation. Emotional regulation is a result of multiple executive functioning skills working together, which can be missing or underdeveloped.
Practicing plans allows individuals to shortcut to emotional regulation by processing information and making 'right choices' ahead of time. After identifying coping strategies, regular practice sessions, structured or random, help solidify the responses.
During escalation, a nonverbal prompt, like pointing to a designated object, can remind the person to follow their practiced plan. It's crucial to avoid talking, as it demands cognitive skills that are impaired during distress. The goal is for them to calm down and use coping skills independently over time.
If a practiced plan doesn't work, discuss it only when both parties are calm, potentially on a different day. Analyze why it failed and adjust the plan, ensuring to practice any changes made. Sometimes, simply more practice of the original plan is needed.
The next video will cover unhelpful responses parents and professionals might have during escalation and how to avoid them. The creator also encourages viewers to support the channel through Patreon, by arranging trainings, or by subscribing, liking, and following on social media.