Emotional Control
Emotional control: being able to rationalize the appropriate emotional response to a stressor, the ability to regulate emotions to a healthy state in order to achieve a goal.. Emotional control and executive function are synonymous.
Teaching:
Teaching:
- Understanding the stress response
- Self Talk
- Visualization
- Teach vocabulary for emotions
- Provide a calm down place
- Anticipate and plan for difficult situations
- Avoid power struggles
- Give breaks
- Teach relaxation
- Use scripts and social stories
- Planning for upcoming events
- Process situations that have caused outbursts in a safe setting
- Practice response delay techniques- like leaving the room and counting
- Increase awareness of strength of emotional responses
- Take short breaks
- For impulsive behavior set clear expectations and provide an activity to keep the hands busy (hold onto the table, pockets, ect.)
- Manage triggers that cause outbursts
- Model appropriate emotional regulation
- Clear rules and expectations for behavior