Episode Details
Back to EpisodesEP 234: Polyvagal Theory, Hope, Dysregulation, and Repair
Description
What if dysregulation isn’t the problem?
I know I know- that’s really hard to wrap our brain around! At least, it was for me.
In this episode, I continue the conversation from last week’s interview with Deb Dana and take a deeper dive into one of her most powerful insights: that dysregulation is simply part of being human—and it’s the absence of repair that becomes the real challenge.
But I think for parents of kids with big, baffling behaviors, we need to pause and explore that a little more. Because- in your home- dysregulation is a real problem!!!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why dysregulation is a natural part of being human, and how polyvagal theory reframes it with compassion and hope
- The difference between dysregulation itself and the behaviors that can emerge from it
- How offering repair—even when it isn’t received—can create powerful shifts in your child’s nervous system and in your own
Resources mentioned in this podcast:
- Polyvagal Theory as a Path to Hope: Regulation, Repair, and Connection with guest Deb Dana {EP 233}
- The Club – my online parent community with resources, events, and connections!!!!
- The Attachment Series - eBook
- Free Resource Library
Read the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.co
Underneath every behavior is something happening in the body, specifically in the nervous system. When we support the body first, behavior often begins to shift. Even for kids who don't have a sensory processing disorder!
Join my March 24th webinar at 8pm eastern- Sensory Strategies for Dysregulated Kids with Baffling Behaviors
RobynGobbel.com/SensoryWebinar
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Let's hang out this summer at two different trainings for professionals!
Therapy with Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors- June 1 & 2 in Syracuse, NY RobynGobbel.com/NY
Presence in Practice- July 15, 16, & 17 in Rockford, MI (outside Grand Rapids) RobynGobbel.com/Michigan2026
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Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/book
Join us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClub
Sign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/Immersion
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Over on my website you can find:
Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)
eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)
LOTS & LOTS of FREE Resources
Ongoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The Club
Year-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute’s (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)