Helping Children Understand and Regulate Their Emotions with the Zones of Regulation

Eve Mansfield BSc (Hons)
Feb 20, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Jun 28

How Can the Zones of Regulation Help?

You may notice your child finding emotions difficult to manage—big feelings that seem to appear suddenly, frustration that escalates quickly, anxiety that feels overwhelming, or excitement that tips into restlessness. Many parents know their child is struggling but aren’t always sure what will actually help.

Many children struggle with big emotions—feelings that seem to appear quickly and become overwhelming. This might look like anxiety, frustration, shutdown, or difficulty coping with change.

At Total Children’s Therapy (TCT), we support children to build emotional awareness and regulation skills using a structured, child-centred approach led by our Occupational Therapist, Eve Mansfield.

What is the Zones of Regulation?

The Zones of Regulation is a visual framework that helps children identify and understand their emotions and levels of alertness.

Feelings and states are grouped into four colour-coded zones, giving children a simple, consistent language to describe how they feel and what they need to help themselves regulate.

This approach is particularly helpful for children with:

Autism (ASD) or ADHD
Sensory processing differences
Anxiety or emotional overwhelm
Difficulty recognising or expressing emotions

Building the Foundations: Interoception First

Before children can regulate emotions, they first need to recognise them.

Eve’s approach begins with interoception—the internal sense that helps us notice what is happening inside our bodies (for example, tiredness, anxiety, excitement, or hunger).

Through structured, play-based and sensory-informed activities, Eve helps children to:

Notice internal body signals
Link sensations to emotions
Build awareness of their emotional state

This foundational work makes the Zones of Regulation more meaningful and accessible for the child.

How the Zones of Regulation Helps

Once interoceptive awareness is developing, Eve introduces the Zones framework to help children:

Identify which emotional “zone” they are in
Understand their levels of energy and regulation
Develop personalised strategies to support themselves

A shared language is used across home, school, and therapy sessions to ensure consistency and support generalisation of skills.

Who is the Zones of Regulation service for?

This service is suitable for children and young people who experience:

Emotional regulation difficulties
Sensory processing differences
Neurodivergence (including ASD and ADHD)
Anxiety or overwhelm
Challenges with transitions or change

How it works

Following assessment, Eve delivers individualised sessions tailored to the child’s needs.

Sessions are:

Play-based and practical
Sensory-informed
Adapted to the child’s developmental level

Support begins with interoception work and gradually builds towards the Zones of Regulation, alongside personalised strategies the child can use in everyday life.

Parents receive regular session summaries and guidance on how to support progress at home and in school.

Sessions can take place in clinic or at home, depending on the child’s needs.

Benefits of this approach

Children who develop stronger interoceptive awareness and emotional understanding often:

Notice their emotions earlier
Feel more in control of their responses
Develop practical self-regulation strategies
Experience greater confidence in daily life

The approach also provides a consistent framework that can support children across different settings and transitions.

Meet Eve Mansfield

Eve is a Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist (BSc Hons, HCPC registered) with experience working in specialist education, CAMHS, and inpatient mental health settings.

She takes a holistic, child-centred approach, supporting children and families to better understand sensory needs, emotional regulation, and neurodivergence.

Get in Touch

If you would like to find out more about Zones of Regulation support with Eve, please contact the TCT Office.