By Alissa Striano, a volunteer at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center
As a volunteer at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center and as a yoga and Pilates instructor, I’ve always been fascinated by the mind-body connection. In my work, I see firsthand how breath, movement, and mindfulness can help regulate the nervous system. But it got me thinking: How do kids learn to calm their bodies and emotions when they’re feeling overwhelmed?
What does it really mean when a child has a dysregulated nervous system? What tools are available to help them feel calm, safe, and in control? And how do modern approaches like sensory rooms and art therapy make a difference?
To explore these questions, I sat down with Dr. Susan Cohen, Director of Clinical Services at the Marks Family Right from the Start 0-3+ Center. With over 30 years of experience at the Guidance Center, Dr. Cohen offers a wealth of knowledge on how emotional regulation develops and how the Guidance Center is meeting the growing mental health needs of children and teens through a variety of creative, therapeutic modalities.
“Kids are showing more anxiety,” says Dr. Cohen. “Especially since the pandemic, children are not as well-equipped to regulate their emotions.” After three decades at the Guidance Center, Cohen has seen the landscape of mental health shift dramatically and today’s children are facing emotional challenges at increasingly younger ages.
One of the reasons? Co-regulation, or rather the lack of it. “This can be brought on by the changes in society that have promoted increased leniency and a lack of boundaries,” she explains. The result is often a cycle of stress and reactive behavior that makes emotional regulation difficult for the whole family.
So, what does a dysregulated nervous system look like in a child?
“There are several layers to it,” Dr. Cohen says. “Some kids are hyperactive, can’t sit still, can’t focus. Others can’t tolerate frustration or being told ‘no.’ They fly off the handle with even mild stress.”
For younger kids especially, it’s not just about behavior; it’s about language. “They don’t have the vocabulary yet to express their feelings,” she says. “So, they act out physically with hitting, tantrums, and meltdowns. Older kids might slam doors or use inappropriate language, but younger ones just don’t have the words.”
That’s where the Guidance Center’s Sensory Room comes in.
A child-centered, multi-sensory environment filled with tools like bubble tubes, tactile walls, weighted blankets, and color-changing fiber optic curtains, it’s a place where over-stimulated children can reset.
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Dr. Cohen explains. “Therapists tailor the experience to the child’s needs. One boy who couldn’t make it through traditional sessions without tantrums now finds calm in that space and is even able to talk more openly.”
The goal is to carry what works in the Sensory Room into everyday life. Dr. Cohen encourages parents to try simple tools at home like noise-canceling headphones, weighted stuffed animals, or even Velcro under a desk for discreet tactile input. “There are a lot of little tricks that can make a big difference,” she says.
The Guidance Center also supports children through nature-based therapy in their outdoor garden, The Friends of Nancy Marks Nature Nursery. “We plant vegetables, do arts and crafts outside, and keep the kids unplugged from screens,” says Dr. Cohen. “It’s a different kind of sensory experience. It’s grounding and real.”
Art therapy is another modality used regularly, particularly in group settings like the Girls Empowerment Group. “We use art to help kids build confidence and process emotions,” says Cohen. “It’s especially helpful for those who have trouble expressing themselves verbally.”
What gives Cohen the most hope for the future?
“That parents want help,” she says. “They come here seeking support, connection, and guidance. That tells me people are beginning to understand how important emotional work is and that healing is a process we don’t have to face alone.”
