Teachers

In our second episode of Who’s Regulating Who? we explore…What does it mean to be regulated—and why doesn’t it always mean being calm? Occupational therapist Carla Cay Williams draws on 40 years of experience to explore how the Alert Program® supports children, families, schools, and clinics, and what its body-first approach can teach us about life and work. Read more »

What if the everyday habits that help you relax, focus, or recharge are the very things that stress out someone you live with? We all have different sensory preferences, and what feels comforting to one person can be overwhelming to another. Explore how the Alert Program® helps us understand our own nervous systems, recognize the differences between us, and approach life under the same roof with a little more curiosity—and a lot less judgment. Read more »

What if “calm down” isn’t actually the goal? In this first episode of Who’s Regulating Who?, The Alert Program® explores the difference between being calm and being regulated—and why that distinction matters for occupational therapists, educators, caregivers, and anyone supporting another person’s nervous system. Read more »

The company behind the Alert Program®, TherapyWorks, Inc., has named Jennie Len Largent owner and CEO as co-founders Sherry Shellenberger and MarySue Williams, occupational therapists of 46 years, retire after sharing their self-regulation expertise with professionals, families, and communities worldwide. Read more »

In this guest article, writer and filmmaker Robert Koscik explores how the natural world—especially old-growth forests—can help us slow down, reconnect with our bodies, and find a steadier rhythm. Drawing from his own experience in the wilderness, Bob invites us to consider nature not simply as a place we visit, but as a powerful source of regulation and connection. Read more »

Most people come to the Alert Program® to help someone else. But as we learn to recognize regulation patterns in others, we often begin noticing our own—and how the state we bring into a room can shape the people and systems around us. This is the quiet reverb of regulation. Read more »

Seasonal shifts can nudge our alertness long before we notice the change — darker mornings, colder air, or sudden bursts of light can pull our engines higher or lower without warning. But these shifts aren’t “problems” to fix; they’re cues that the body is adjusting.

Self-regulation helps you work with those cues instead of fighting them. A quick movement break, bright light, deep breathing, or a brief sensory reset can bring your alertness back toward “just right,” making thinking and emotional strategies more effective. Starting with the body isn’t extra effort — it’s the groundwork that helps you adapt with more clarity, flexibility, and ease as the seasons change. Read more »

Many educators hesitate to weave sensory strategies into SEL for practical reasons: limited time, tight budgets, and the fear of “over-pathologizing” students. But sensory readiness isn’t an add-on — it’s the foundation that makes SEL work. When schools embed simple sensory supports into daily routines, they’re not adding complexity; they’re re-sequencing the steps so every student can access emotional learning. A quick movement break, a fidget tool, a calming visual cue, or shared regulation language can shift a classroom from scattered to centered. By starting with the body, we give students the physiological stability they need to fully engage in reflection, empathy, and problem-solving — making SEL strategies stick. Read more »

Some children can’t dive into “feelings talk” until their bodies feel safe and steady. When educators and therapists pause to notice posture, breathing, or fidgeting, they spot clues about readiness. A gentle sensory cue — a stretch, a texture, a deep breath — can bring a scattered learner back to center. Over time, weaving these body-first supports into lessons helps students stay present, connect with others, and gain the full value of social-emotional learning. Read more »

Emotional learning works best when the body is ready to receive it. By noticing your physical state during everyday moments—like standing in line, walking down the hall, or settling into your chair—you can spot signs of high or low alert. Choosing a simple sensory shift in these small pauses builds the “just right” foundation for focus and connection. Over time, these quick adjustments make regulation second nature and show others that readiness starts in the body. Read more »

Busy days can derail even the best self-care plans. But you do not need special tools or extra time. By noticing your alert level during small daily moments such as waiting for coffee, walking to your car, or pausing before a meeting, you can choose simple strategies to get to “just right.” This turns routine into built-in support and models for others that steady, intentional self-care is both normal and essential. Read more »