Flight, Flight or Freeze: Anatomy of a Meltdown

What is the difference between a tantrum and a meltdown? What strategies are most effective when dealing with tantrums and meltdowns? In this workshop we’ll take the perspective that all behavior has meaning. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, frustrated and even angry when a child is having a meltdown. It’s not pretty and it’s not easy to live through for anyone! Utilizing a sensory processing perspective to help us understand what triggers a child’s meltdown, we’ll discuss the stages of a meltdown and how to determine what to do and how to help the child when a meltdown is occurring. By understanding the felt experience of what happens to the body when feeling under attack and helpless, therapists and caregivers may be able to adapt the environment and support the child during a meltdown.