Vicki Parnell is inspiring families around the world by sharing the magic of fully immersing in the Self-Reg Process
An autism consultant, a Self-Reg Consultant, the Self-Reg Parenting Group Administrator, and an “extremely enthusiastic “Self-Regger,” Vicki has tirelessly advocated for the value of Self-Reg for parents and families.
Why Self-Reg
I first registered for the Self-Reg Foundations program assuming that it would be a useful continuing education opportunity. I had no idea at the time how life-changing the course would be for me personally.
Big Picture
Shanker Self-Reg® has completely changed the way I work. I recognize now that self-regulation is truly the foundation of everything else – if a person is not regulated, if a family that hires me is caught up in a stress cycle, then my first job has to be to help everyone get regulated.
Process at this Point
I went to a mental health bookstore in Vancouver and asked “Do you have anything for teachers about self-regulation?” The bookseller put a copy of Calm, Alert and Learning into my hand and said confidently, “EVERY teacher should read this book.” I brought it home, assuming that I’d give it a quick look and then pass it along to the teacher of the student I was supporting but next thing I knew, I had spent the entire day reading. As soon as I finished the book I began my Self-Reg Foundations learning as part of cohort 2. I was so eager and determined, I persistently e-mailed Susan Hopkins asking when TMC would make resources for parents. I believed so strongly in Self-Reg’s potential to help families all over the world that it was hard to wait. Eventually, Susan suggested that I start a Self-Reg Facebook group for parents.
If you want to get more out of Foundations, take the time to really immerse yourself in the course content. Seek out the source material, watch the videos again and again, take notes, read the Self- Reg blogs and newsletters, and attend The Self-Reg Summer Symposium.
Challenges
I have found it challenging at times to support stressed-out parents and educators who are waiting for someone to give them that one magic strategy that will make the child’s stress behaviours go away. I sure wish that I had that magic strategy! The reality is that each of us has to go through the process of applying the five steps – learning, understanding and then applying Self-Reg to each individual child. You can’t skip past that.
Fond Memory
Early on in the Foundations courses I was watching the video about allostatic overload and it was like being hit by a thunderbolt – I had all four of the signs Stuart mentions. It was an immensely humbling realization that quickly led to an understanding that this course was – in fact – an opportunity for me to change my life.
Hope!
There are no quick fixes or easy strategies in this model. What Self-Reg offers is much bigger than that. The gift of Self-Reg is that – if you let it – this model will completely change the way you see and relate to others and will transform your understanding of yourself.
