Zones of regulation
This zone is when you feel calm, focused, or ready
What is the green zone?
This breathing skill uses your nose to breathe in slowly and your mouth to breathe out
What is deep breathing?
“You make me mad” needs to start with this word instead.
What is ‘I’?
This means showing someone you understand their feelings.
What is validation?
The “Help” step means asking or offering this
What is support?
Yelling, pacing, and clenched fists are behaviors most often linked with this zone.
What is the Red Zone?
This skill helps your body release stress through movement.
What is exercise / movement?
“You don’t care about me” should be changed to name this first.
What is the feeling?
This validation skill includes nodding, eye contact, and body language.
What is non-verbal validation?
The “Heard” step means showing you were really ______.
What is listening?
Oversleeping, low motivation, and isolating point to this zone.
What is the Blue Zone?
This grounding skill uses all sight, sound, and body awareness.
What is 3-3-3 grounding?
When you’re annoying” should be replaced with this type of wording.
What is a specific behavior or situation?
Saying “That makes sense” is an example of this type of validation
What is verbal validation?
The “Hugged” step doesn’t always mean a hug—it can also mean this.
What is comfort or connection?
This zone can look “fine” on the outside but still needs coping skills on the inside.
What is the Yellow Zone?
This skill is talking to yourself in a kind and helpful way.
What is positive self-talk?
“Stop doing that” should be replaced with this part of the formula.
What is a clear request or need?
This mistake happens when we tell someone to “calm down” too fast.
What is minimizing or dismissing?
This step helps a person feel emotionally safe.
What is “Hugged”?
This is the first sign your body gives that you’re leaving the green zone.
What is a body cue or early warning sign?
This coping strategy uses slow, controlled breathing with the stomach movement to activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system and calm the stress response.
What is diaphragmatic (belly) breathing?
Turning blame into self-expression is the purpose of this tool.
What is an I-statement?
This validation step names the feeling you hear in the other person.
What is reflecting feelings?
Using all three steps builds this in families.
What is trust or connection?