Emerging Leaders Advisory Program - Bishop García Diego High School

Session 4: Zones of Emotional Regulation - Complete Facilitator Guide

WELCOME + CHECK-IN 4 Minutes

Activity: Emotional Intensity Spectrogram

Instructions for Facilitators:

Setup: Designate two opposite walls in the room for each spectrogram measurement
First Spectrogram: Point to one wall as "high emotional intensity" and the other as "low emotional intensity." Have students stand somewhere along the spectrum that represents them
Second Spectrogram: Point to one wall as "able to feel and deal with highly positive emotions" and the other as "highly positive emotions are difficult to feel and deal with"
Third Spectrogram: Point to one wall as "able to feel and deal with highly negative emotions" and the other as "highly negative emotions are difficult to feel and deal with"

Purpose & Expected Outcomes:

Increase self-awareness about emotional intensity and regulation patterns
Normalize different emotional experiences and comfort levels
Introduce the concept that emotional regulation is a skill that can be developed
Set the stage for learning about emotional zones and regulation strategies

MINI-TEACH 8 Minutes

Zones of Emotional Regulation

The Zones of Regulation is a framework that helps us understand and manage our emotional states. Based on polyvagal theory, it identifies three main zones that describe our nervous system's responses to different situations. Learning to recognize which zone we're in and developing strategies to get back to "the green zone" helps us regulate our emotions and respond more effectively to life's challenges.

The Three Zones of Regulation

Red Zone — Too Much Emotion

Response: Fight or flight

Emotions: Rage, fear, anxiety

Impact: Hard to think clearly

Green Zone — Feeling & Dealing

Response: Calm but alert

Emotions: All emotions welcome, but managed

Impact: Able to think, connect, and act

Blue Zone — Too Little Emotion

Response: Freeze or shut down

Emotions: Numbness, shame, withdrawal

Impact: Disconnected from others

Key Point: None of these zones are "bad" — they're survival responses. But leaders need tools to return to Green so they can respond instead of react.

PRACTICING THREE REGULATION STRATEGIES Part of Mini-Teach

Deep Breathing:

Practice breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth with a focus on the rise and fall of the stomach. Have students place one hand on their chest and one on their stomach to feel the difference.

5 Senses Grounding:

Guide students through identifying:

What do you hear?
What do you see?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
What do you feel?

Grounding Through Feet:

Have students feel and press their feet against the ground, noticing the connection and stability this provides.

ACTIVITY: TELEPHONE CHARADES 15 Minutes

Materials Needed:

Pre-written emotion cards or list (happy, sad, angry, excited, nervous, confused, surprised, frustrated, etc.)
Space for teams to line up with room between each person
Timer (optional)

Game Instructions:

Team Setup: Split students into teams of no more than 6 people each
Line Formation: Teams line up facing the same direction with space between each person
Emotion Display: Show the first person in each line a written emotion (same emotion for all teams)
Silent Communication: The first person taps the second person's shoulder to turn them around and acts out the emotion silently
Pass It Down: Each person taps the next person and passes along what they think the emotion is through acting
Final Guess: The last person in each line says what emotion they think it is
Scoring: The team that guesses closest to the original emotion wins that round

 Facilitator Tips:
                Emotion Variety: Include emotions from all three zones (Blue, Green, Red)
No Talking or Sounds: Emphasize that only nonverbal communication is allowed

                    Encourage Creativity: Students can use facial expressions, body language, and
                    gestures
                  
                Multiple Rounds: Play 3-5 rounds with different emotions

                    Zone Connection: After each round, briefly identify which zone that emotion belongs
                    to
                  
                    Celebrate Attempts: Focus on effort and creativity rather than perfect accuracy

DEBRIEF 3 Minutes

Emotional Growth Reflection:

What is the most difficult emotion for you to feel, and what strategy might you use in the future to grow in feeling that emotion?

Consider which emotions you tend to avoid and how the regulation strategies we practiced today (deep breathing, 5 senses grounding, or feet grounding) might help you stay in the green zone when experiencing challenging emotions.

Session 4: Zones of Emotional Regulation

(Polyvagal Theory)