what is co-regulation?

Feb 14

Co-regulation refers to the process in which individuals, especially in relationships, mutually influence and help calm each other's emotional states and physiological responses. It involves the sharing of emotions, attunement, and supportive interactions to promote emotional safety, comfort, and connection.

What’s a Co-Regulation Relationship?

Parent-Child Relationships: Parents can play a crucial role in co-regulating their children's emotions. By providing a secure and supportive environment, parents can help children learn to regulate their emotions and manage difficult emotions effectively.
Therapeutic Relationships: In therapy, the counselor and client work together to co-regulate emotions. The counselor provides a safe and empathetic space for the client to explore their difficult emotions.
Close Friendships or Romantic Partnerships: Emotional support and understanding between friends or romantic partners contribute to co-regulation.

Need to Know

Sharing hardships and providing comfort can enhance both individuals' emotional well-being. Key features of co-regulation include:

Emotional Connection: the ability to understand and respond to each other's emotional cues.
Reciprocal Influence: providing comfort, reassurance, or empathy in response to emotional distress.
Supportive Interactions: behaviors and interactions that offer emotional support and assistance during challenging or stressful situations.
Validation: acknowledging and accepting the other person's feelings without judgment. You can validate an emotion without agreeing or disagreeing!
Presence and Attunement: active listening, reflecting, empathy, and understanding. I call this, “Listening to understand vs. Listening to respond.”

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Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Although I’m a mental health professional, no content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies or treatment recommendations.