Helping Children Understand and Manage Their Emotions

At Bridging Behavior ABA, we know that managing emotions is just as important as learning to communicate or socialize.


Emotional Regulation Training helps children recognize their feelings, understand why they feel that way, and learn healthy, positive ways to respond.


For many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or developmental challenges, emotions can feel overwhelming. Frustration, anxiety, or sensory overload may lead to meltdowns, aggression, or withdrawal. Our goal is to teach children the tools they need to identify, express, and cope with emotions — building the foundation for self-control, confidence, and success in everyday life.

What Is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional regulation is the ability to recognize, manage, and respond to one’s emotions in a way that is socially appropriate and helps meet personal goals.
It’s what helps a child:

• Calm down after being upset

• Wait their turn

• Express frustration without aggression

• Handle changes in routine

• Recover from disappointment

• Stay focused even when feelings are big

When children learn to manage their emotions, they can participate more successfully in school, build stronger relationships, and experience greater well-being.

Why Emotional Regulation Training Matters

Emotional regulation challenges are common among children with autism and developmental delays because they may struggle to communicate their feelings or understand others’ emotions.
Without these skills, small frustrations can escalate quickly into tantrums, meltdowns, or avoidance behaviors.

By teaching emotional regulation, we help children:

• Recognize and label emotions (happy, sad, angry, scared, frustrated, etc.)

• Understand triggers that cause strong emotions

• Use coping strategies to calm down

• Communicate emotions effectively instead of through problem behavior

• Build resilience and adaptability in challenging situations

These skills not only improve behavior but also lead to stronger emotional awareness, self-control, and social connection.