Susan Hopkins EdD

Susan Hopkins EdD Susan Hopkins is a passionate advocate for children, families, early years, schools & communities.

Susan Hopkins, EdD, Executive Director of The MEHRIT Centre

Susan has over 20 years of experience in all levels of education, including roles as teacher, vice-principal, curriculum developer, and inclusion coordinator. Through her work in Canada and internationally with The MEHRIT Centre, Susan's leadership has advanced Shanker Self-Reg® learnings, amplifying Self-Reg initiatives that support children, adults, and communities. Susan co-authored the Self-Reg Schools Handbook for Educators with Dr. Stuart Shanker. LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanhopkins5/

Twitter
https://twitter.com/susanhopkins5

Learn Self-Reg with Susan Hopkins:
- Certificate Programs
- Online Courses
- Presentations and Workshops
- Mentoring and Consulting

Email info@self-reg.ca for more information

10/10/2025

The gap between who I want to be and how I show up on hard days isn’t failure - it’s a sign my stress backpack is full.

Self-Reg is not about enforcing willpower - it’s about replenishing energy so that resilience becomes possible.
10/08/2025

Self-Reg is not about enforcing willpower - it’s about replenishing energy so that resilience becomes possible.

🍁 Fall invites us to gather - around a table, a fire, or even a screen. Some of the richest learning happens when we com...
10/05/2025

🍁 Fall invites us to gather - around a table, a fire, or even a screen. Some of the richest learning happens when we come together to share and reflect. This season, our live courses offer that chance to connect with others on the Self-Reg journey.

✨ Live Online Courses
💻 Co-Regulation in Practice — starts Nov 4
📚 Reframed: A Self-Reg Revolution Book Club — starts Oct 15

🌟 You’ll find these and more in the ✨Shanker Self-Reg® Learning Hub✨: self-reg.com

💻 Explore more: https://www.self-reg.com/

Stuart Shanker & Co. The MEHRIT Centre, Ltd.

🍂 Fall always brings with it a mix of excitement and busyness. New routines, fresh possibilities, and sometimes a sense ...
10/04/2025

🍂 Fall always brings with it a mix of excitement and busyness. New routines, fresh possibilities, and sometimes a sense of “too much.”

That’s why it can be such a powerful time to pause and engage in learning that helps us find more calm, resilience, and energy - for ourselves and for the children, teens, and communities we care about. This season, we’re offering a wonderful lineup of facilitated Self-Reg courses, each one a chance to slow down, reflect, and grow together.

Level 1 Certificate Programs:
🌟 Self-Reg in Early Childhood Development — Oct 16
🌟 Self-Reg Foundations Program — Oct 30
🌟 Self-Reg and Leadership in Schools — Nov 6

ASK and Level 2 Facilitated Courses
🌟 Enhancing Resilience in Children & Youth — Oct 9
🌟 Reframing Bullying — Nov 13
🌟 Self-Reg Facilitator’s Program — Nov 20

🌱 If one of these speaks to you, I hope you’ll join us: self-reg.ca/online

The MEHRIT Centre, Ltd. Stuart Shanker & Co.

10/03/2025

⚡️You know that 10-minute 'get out the wiggles' break? Don’t underestimate it. A couple of sprints around the yard, or a ‘stop, drop, and dance’ challenge, and suddenly they’re ready to focus and chill. Movement is the reset button they didn’t know they needed.

10/01/2025

What we call ‘bad choices’ are often a child’s desperate attempts to self-regulate. Our job is not to punish the behaviour, but to understand the stress that’s driving it.

09/29/2025

Yesterday she was calm, building quietly. When it was time to tidy up, she exploded - blocks crashing, voice sharp. Today she was quiet in the cozy corner. When it was time for gym, she froze - hood pulled up, eyes down, still as stone.
Two days. Same student. Same stress point: transition. Two very different stress behaviours.

Takeaway: When behaviour shifts dramatically, don’t ask, “What’s wrong with this child?” Ask, “Why might this moment be harder than it looks?” That’s the beginning of reframing.

Stuart Shanker & Co. The MEHRIT Centre, Ltd.

This is the why.Every time I read reflections like Stela Haralali’s, I’m reminded of the true purpose of this work. Self...
09/26/2025

This is the why.

Every time I read reflections like Stela Haralali’s, I’m reminded of the true purpose of this work. Self-Reg is not a program or just a certificate - it’s a journey of discovery, connection, and transformation that continues to unfold long after the “course” is done.

Congratulations, Stela, on completing the Self-Reg Facilitator’s Certificate Program, and thank you for sharing your experience so openly. Your story is a powerful reminder of the head-and-heart shifts that happen when we give ourselves (and each other) the space to reflect, to see differently, and to grow.

Here’s to all the new beginnings this step will bring - for you, and for those you’ll support through the lens of Self-Reg.

Stuart Shanker & Co. The MEHRIT Centre, Ltd.

🌞 Screens are designed to keep us hooked—and our stress levels high. Try this: For every hour of screen time, give yours...
09/24/2025

🌞 Screens are designed to keep us hooked—and our stress levels high. Try this: For every hour of screen time, give yourself at least 30 minutes of tech-free time. Notice how much calmer you feel.

This sweet story from Self-Reg Learning Facilitator alum Kaitie Westbrook is such a beautiful reminder of the quiet powe...
09/22/2025

This sweet story from Self-Reg Learning Facilitator alum Kaitie Westbrook is such a beautiful reminder of the quiet power children bring to our shared moments.

A long day on the farm. A stressful mistake. And then—without being asked—two children responded with care. One offered a jelly bean. The other, a hug. And just like that, you could feel the shift.

What Kaitie captures so thoughtfully is the science behind that shift—how co-regulation unfolds in real life, not just in classrooms or training sessions, but in barns and backyards and everyday moments.

Thank you, Kaitie, for sharing this gentle moment and helping us see how deeply children understand stress - and how naturally they offer connection.

🧡 Read the blog here:
https://self-reg.ca/through-the-eyes-of-a-child-a-jelly-bean-a-hug-and-the-science-of-co-regulation/

In what ways have you seen a child engage in co-regulation - with you, with others, or with each other?

Stuart Shanker & Co. The MEHRIT Centre, Ltd.

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