SRSS Mini-Talk by Self-Reg Learning Facilitator Program Alumni, Lorraine Purgret
Sometimes, even when we know what to do, life reminds us that knowing isn’t always the same as being able to do it.
In her deeply personal and moving talk, Lorraine Purgret, a professor at Fanshawe College, opens up about a time when everything she knew about Self-Reg — everything she taught, believed, and practiced — suddenly felt out of reach.
After a traumatic cycling accident, Lorraine found herself trapped in a cycle of stress, pain, and guilt. She understood the five domains of stress. She knew the theory of Self-Reg inside and out. But in the middle of trauma and exhaustion, all of that knowledge wasn’t enough to bring her calm.
And that’s what makes this video so powerful. Lorraine’s story reminds us that Self-Reg isn’t about knowing better — it’s about feeling safe enough to be better. Sometimes, we can’t do it alone. We need someone to co-regulate with us — to lend us their calm when we’ve lost ours.
Through her honest reflection, Lorraine reframes what it means to “know better” — not as a failure of will, but as a sign of humanity. Just as children can’t always access their strategies when their “red brain” takes over, adults too need safety, connection, and compassion before they can truly return to calm.
Watch Lorraine’s story, “I Shoulda Known Better,” and rediscover why safety and co-regulation are at the heart of every Self-Reg journey — for our students, our children, and ourselves.
It’s Never Too Early…
To begin planning for our annual Self-Reg Summer Symposium! Lorraine’s talk above was part of our 2021 Self-Reg Summer Symposium (SRSS), a fantastic time for Self-Reggers around the world to gather, to share their learning and to discuss their practice with a strong and supportive community. Explore symposia past and keep an eye out for our SRSS on the horizon…
