Co-Regulation: The Foundation of Participation & Learning

Course Description:

Co-Regulation is getting a lot of attention right now—and for good reason! It’s one of the most powerful (and often most overlooked) ways we can support our clients—and ourselves. At its heart, co-regulation is about feeling safe, connected, and steady together. A big part of that is being curious about the signals our bodies send us—our sense called interoception.

In this course, you’ll learn the difference between co-regulation and self-regulation, and why both matter. You’ll also see how co-regulation offers an effective and far kinder alternative to traditional behavior management—one that focuses on connection, curiosity, and shared regulation instead of control. We’ll explore how noticing body signals can guide us toward the best ways to help ourselves and others feel regulated and ready to engage.

You’ll leave with practical strategies you can use right away to build interoceptive awareness, support the natural co-regulation-to-self-regulation developmental path, and help people participate more fully in what matters most to them.

7:30 - 8:00 check in/registration

8:00 - 3:00 course (1 hour lunch)

Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L

Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L, earned a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. She has been an occupational therapist for 20 years, serving school-aged children and adults. Kelly is the winner of multiple awards, including the 2020 American Occupational Therapy Association Emerging and Innovative Practice Award & a Mom’s Choice Gold Medal. She is an adjunct faculty member at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA as well as at Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. Kelly is a co-principal investigator in several research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, self-regulation, trauma & autism.

.6 CEUS

OT/PT/SLP EI Credits

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Northwestern Illinois Association