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The Shanker Self-Reg® Framework for self-regulation: the five domains

Shanker Self-Reg - Reframe the behaviour, recognize the stressors, reduce the stress, reflect: enhance stress awareness, and restore energy. 5 Domains represented by two cartoon people holding hands - biological, emotion, cognitive, social and prosocial
The Self-Reg Framework
  • Self-regulation refers to the way an individual deals with stress, in all its many forms, and then recovers from the energy expended.
  • An individual (child or adult) exposed to too much stress in the early years may develop a “kindled alarm system.” This may mean that even relatively minor stressors can send them into fight-or-flight or freeze.
  • A child who is chronically hypo- or hyperaroused as a result of excessive stress more readily goes into fight-or- flight, or freezes.
  • Self-Reg helps us consider self-regulation and stress across five interrelated domains: biological, emotion, cognitive, social and prosocial.
  • Within these domains stress can be obvious or hidden.
  • Shanker Self-Reg® is a powerful method for understanding stress and managing energy flow. Self-Reg is not a program, but rather a practical paradigm through which parents and teachers can better understand children’s stress, and enhance self-regulation via the five domains.

The Shanker Method® is a five-step method for enhancing self-regulation in children, youth, young adults, and adults. These are the steps:

Graphic illustrating the 5 domains of Self-Reg: biological, emotion, social, pro social and cognitive.
The Five Domains of Self-Reg

1. Read the signs of stress and reframe the behaviour
2. Recognize the stressors
3. Reduce the stress
4. Reflect: enhance stress awareness 
5. Restore energy

The 5 Domains of Shanker Self-Reg® are:

Biological

Emotion

Cognitive

Social

Prosocial

Continue the Self-Reg Learning:


Self-Reg Foundations Certificate Program

Self-Reg Framework 101 (individual access)

Next blog in the series: The Self-Reg Framework: Biological Domain