Zones of Regulation

What if we thought about behaviour as communication? The Zones of Regulation, created by occupational therapist Leah Kuypers, is a framework that sorts feelings and states into four colour-coded categories. It helps individuals of all ages recognize their emotions and levels of energy, understand what they may need, and develop strategies for regulation. Rather than viewing certain emotions or states as “good” or “bad,” the Zones encourages us to notice where we are and consider what support might help.

Bringing the Zones Home

The Zones can become a shared language for families. Instead of focusing only on what happened, try getting curious about what might be happening underneath the behaviour.