The Sensory vs. Emotional Dysregulation Protocol for SLPs

If you've ever handed a chewy tube to a dysregulated child only to watch them toss it on the floor, you already know the problem: we're guessing at solutions instead of diagnosing the real need. A child who's throwing materials because of sensory overload needs a completely different approach than a child who's throwing because the demand is emotionally overwhelming. The same behavior, two entirely different root causes—and if you can't tell the difference, your intervention won't work. This protocol gives you the clinical decision-making framework Jessie uses with over 200 kids a week at her clinic—the same approach that has new therapists walking in and saying, "I've never seen a clinic where kids don't have big behaviors." You'll learn exactly how to assess whether a behavior is rooted in sensory dysregulation or emotional dysregulation, then match it to the right support strategy so you can stop managing behaviors and start working on communication. You'll walk away with a repeatable, phase-by-phase system: how to observe and gather data in the moment, how to test your hypothesis with quick environmental or routine tweaks, what regulation success actually looks like (hint: it's not a still body), and how to troubleshoot when your first approach doesn't land. This isn't theory—it's the hands-on protocol Jessie has refined through years of working with autistic kids, AAC users, and neurodivergent learners. If you're tired of behavior plans that fail and interventions that miss the mark, this is the reset you need.