Dr Susan Hopkins on Shanker Self-reg® in Young Children

Dr. Susan Hopkins brings over 25 years of experience across early years, K–12, and post-secondary education, working in diverse contexts from Italy to the Northwest Territories. She is co-author of Self-Reg Schools (2019) and Restoring Resilience (2025), with Applied Self-Reg for Educational Assistants forthcoming in 2026. She has served for over 10 years as Executive Director of The MEHRIT Centre, Dr. Stuart Shanker’s organisation, leading Self-Reg work across Canada and internationally.

Discover the science-backed approach to understanding children’s behaviour through Dr Hopkins’ expert insights into Shanker Self-Reg®. You’ll learn to recognise the 5 domains of stress that influence young children’s behaviour and develop practical strategies for creating supportive environments that help children develop genuine self-regulation skills rather than simply compliance.

In this episode you’ll:

• Understand why a child who can’t sit still isn’t being defiant – their behaviour is communicating something deeper
• Discover the five domains of stress (biological, emotional, cognitive, social, and prosocial) that affect children’s ability to regulate
• Learn practical environmental modifications that support rather than overwhelm developing nervous systems
• Explore relationship-building strategies that prioritise connection over compliance with challenging behaviours
• Gain tools for recognising stress signals in yourself and children to prevent escalation before it occurs

Watch this episode to understand the neuroscience behind children’s behaviour and develop evidence-based strategies that support genuine self-regulation development.

Episode Links:

Find the main website here: https://self-reg.ca/

You can buy Dr Hopkins book here: https://shop.self-reg.ca/collections/self-reg-products/products/self-reg-schools-a-handbook-for-educators

https://self-reg.ca/publications/

and browse the many courses here:https://self-reg.ca/learn/

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https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMEHRITCentre