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STEPS Together
The STEPS for Development podcast offers practical support for adults who are nurturing children's growth and development. Hosted by Debra Johnson, MS, OTR/L, pediatric occupational therapist, parent coach, educator and parent. STEPS Together dives into topics including typical development, neurodevelopmental differences, understanding what lies beneath challenging child behaviors, and exploring strategies that work to improve skills, strengthen relationships and empower parents and caregivers who are invested in helping children thrive and succeed.
STEPS Together
Self-Regulation Is A Journey, Not A Destination
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Self-regulation is one of the most talked-about topics in child development today. But too often, it’s treated like a destination: a place we expect kids to arrive at with enough strategies, visuals, or practice. In reality, self-regulation is a lifelong journey that grows through relationships, experiences, and co-regulation with trusted adults.
In this episode, Deb Johnson, pediatric occupational therapist and founder of STEPS for Development, explores why expecting children to “stay in the Green Zone” or “use their strategies” misses the deeper picture of how regulation develops. You’ll learn how to shift your mindset from viewing self-regulation as something obtained through a curriculum, to accepting the ups and downs of regulation as we travel through life and our daily activities.
Whether you’re a parent, educator, or therapist, this episode will help you see self-regulation not as a skill to master, but as a developmental process we grow through together.