Secret Agent Society (SAS)
An emotion regulation learning program for neurodivergent children
Help a child regulate their emotions
Do you know a child who often feels strong emotions, like anger and anxiety? When children don’t have strategies for staying calm in new or uncomfortable situations, their emotions can become overwhelming. Secret Agent Society (SAS) equips them with powerful relaxation tools and emotional regulation techniques that can help them feel calmer and braver more often.
What is emotion regulation?
Emotion regulation is the ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences. Some emotions are positive, whereas others can take a toll on our mental health and energy if we experience them for a long time. It’s normal to feel emotions every day and learning how to regulate them helps us adapt to daily challenges and surprises that are bound to arise. Diffusing strong emotions also gives us space to understand what’s going on in a particular situation and to make a plan that leads to an experience that makes us feel better.
Why is emotion regulation important?
Emotions can build up and become overwhelming if we don’t have a way to regulate them. This can lead us to avoid certain situations or people that give us negative emotions, reducing our ability to foster diverse relationships, enjoy a variety of experiences, and work on our goals. However, when we know what triggers emotions like anger and anxiety, the thoughts that run through our mind at the same time, and our physical reactions in confronting situations, we can break the cycle with behaviours that make us feel good.
How can emotion regulation improve a child’s life?
If a child often gets overwhelmed with anger, anxiety, and confusion, emotion regulation can help them stay calm and get more enjoyment out of life. Calming strategies help them feel more empowered and in control. You can even create communication strategies and secret codes that help children signal when their emotions become difficult to handle. This gives everyone the opportunity to do something that burns off the extra energy. They can then use these regulation strategies in important situations throughout their lives, like tough conversations and job interviews. This empowers them to keep working toward their goals and deal with discomfort, even when they’re faced with challenges.
How SAS equips children with emotion regulation tools
SAS helps neurodivergent children crack the code of emotion regulation. Kids go on fun, spy-themed learning missions throughout the program, picking up new emotion-regulation tools like breathing techniques, physical energy release, mindfulness, body scanning, reframing of thoughts, and using calm sensory experiences. All of their learning is guided by a trained facilitator, who equips their mentors and teachers with emotion regulation resources too.
Frequently asked questions about Secret Agent Society
Secret Agent Society is full of fun activities that equip children with new techniques for regulating emotions. For example, kids love using SAS Relaxation Gadgets like the Fire Engine, Helpful Thought Zapper, O2 Regulator, Thought Tracker, and Enviro-Body Scanner to regulate their emotions.
Many of the professionals in our network deliver Secret Agent Society’s emotion regulation learning activities with a neurodiversity-affirming approach. The resources and tools provided in the program are flexible, which means they can be used in a way that honours each individual child’s unique goals and strengths. The program also continuously evolves, based on new research and importantly, feedback from the Facilitators, families, educators, and children experiencing the program. You can learn more about how Secret Agent Society values neurodiversity HERE.
Secret Agent Society started as a PhD project at The University of Queensland and delivered the most clinically significant change published in the world for a children’s social skills program of its kind. Since then, it’s continued to make a positive impact on children, families, and educators throughout the world. It draws upon widely researched Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy tactics. In addition, there are now over 22 publications that have demonstrated its effectiveness. You can learn more about its evidence-base and demonstrated impact on emotion regulation HERE.
Connect with an SAS Provider
SAS is backed by a growing evidence base for a range of diagnostic and neurodiverse profiles, including autism, ADHD, anxiety, and FASD. It’s also delivered by an international network of providers, including neurodivergent-affirming psychologists, schools, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists.
You can use our search map to connect with a provider offering face-to-face, telehealth, or hybrid services that suit your family!
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SAS has a suite of 25 skills that are preparing children and the adults who support them for so many of life’s challenges. Here are 4 Skill Snapshots:
The Thought Tracker (#8 of 25)
