fOundations4funcTion

02/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C3phJQPK9/

New research at the Sensory Motor Integration Laboratory Directed by Professor Torres is revealing that the brain has two fundamentally different learning st...

02/10/2026

Did you hear the Big News. fOundation 4 funcTion is now THE ZIGZAG FLOW, Therapy Services -serving New Jersey Families!

It’s official—The Zigzag Flow is officially open and ready to support our community! We specialize in DIR services, moving beyond "skills" to focus on what matters most: the connection between you and your child. Development isn’t always a straight line, and that’s okay. We’re here to help your family build the meaningful relationships that organize growth and celebrate your child’s unique way of moving through the world. 📍 Serving families across New Jersey ✨ Now accepting new clients! https://thezigzagflow.com
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Exciting News for NJ Families!
Introducing The Zigzag Flow, now open in New Jersey!

• DIR services that focus on connection over skills
• Celebrating your child's unique growth journey

Ready to build meaningful relationships and support their development?

Serving families across NJ | Now accepting new clients!
https://thezigzagflow.com

We offer developmental play therapy at The Zigzag Flow for joyful growth and family empowerment. Start today.

07/18/2021

Parents of newly diagnosed Autistic children are presented with an overwhelming array of therapies, many of which are very, very expensive. How do you know w...

07/18/2021

Co-regulation doesn’t have involve hugging. Some kids won’t calm when held but doesn’t mean that you can’t co-regulate. Being close and calm will still impact your child’s nervous system and eventually calm too. When you label the feeling for your child rather than reacting to the behaviour, they feel heard and understood. When they are ready you can work it out together

07/11/2021

This is such a great visual of co-regulation. Of course sometimes your child won't want to be held and don't force it. But if we can stay calm, meet the feeling not the behaviour then co-regulation can happen. When we hold our child there is a physical change. Their nervous system will mirror ours. We just have to wait for the fire to go out.

06/23/2021

In this episode, I talk with Professors Kristen Bottema-Beutel and Micheal Sandbank, who have done a systematic review and meta-analysis of 151 group design studies of interventions for young autis…

05/28/2021

Maybe I’ve spent one too many hours recently dealing with schools and therapists who want to continue implementing inappropriate and ineffective “behavior plans” for kids…and I’m feeling a little feisty about it.⁣
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If you aren’t focusing first and foremost on building safe trusting relationships with children who are struggling (or any child for that matter)-you’re doing it wrong. Full stop. You’re missing the necessary ingredient to help kids develop the skills needed for better behavior.⁣
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Adult-Child relationships are literally the foundation of all cognitive, communication, social, emotional, and behavioral development. Children form the neural connections they need for skill development in all of these areas through their relationships with others. ⁣
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We can thank psychologists and educators like Dr. Alan Fogel (Developing Through Relationships), Dr. Alan Sroufe (Emotional Development), Dr. Dan Seigel (The Developing Mind), Dr. Barbara Rogoff (Apprenticeship in Thinking), Dr. Peter Hobson (The Cradle of Thought), and many others for showing how the development of thinking, communication, emotional and behavioral regulation happens via relationship with caregivers. ⁣
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And we can thank people in the realm of behavioral neuroscience, like Dr. Stephen Porges (Polyvagal Theory), for helping us understand the physiological components of emotional/behavioral regulation.⁣
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There’s no question that relationship is at the heart of everything with kids. But when a child is having challenges (especially in the realm of emotions/behavior), relationships are often not what people look to as the primary “intervention”. Instead, they focus on tallying, giving stickers, time-outs, detention, calling parents, restraint, and many more strategies that are misguided at best-and damaging at worst.⁣
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When a child exhibits concerning behaviors, start with developing or strengthening caring, trusting, safe relationships with at least one adult in that environment. That’s not just the “nice” thing to do-it’s the right and only thing to do if you really want to improve a child’s development and behavior.⁣
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Leave a ❤️ if you agree, and feel free to share your thoughts.⁣

05/25/2021

Please sign RIGHT AWAY http://ow.ly/G52B50EU5bQ

New bill for autism treatment access SB 562 has passed three committees unanimously thanks to YOUR SUPPORT!

legislator just placed limit on the number of bills to advance~only 12 can. Author Portantino must choose which of 20 bills to advance.

Please sign and forward this link to everyone you know, friends, family, clients, staff, neighbors!

05/21/2021

The Polyvagal Theory provides a new perspective to explore how autonomic nervous system function relates to social behavior, emotional regulation, and health...

04/28/2021

A 60 second PSA on autism featuring people on the spectrum sharing their own voices.Help us caption & translate this video!http://amara.org/v/VCNb/

04/23/2021

If you believe that autistic children are filled with incredible unique qualities, and that sometimes they just need people to understand the way they think and play, this job might be for you.