Holly Pack Squires, LMFT

02/19/2026

02/19/2026

When your child is melting down, it’s not about being “naughty” or “out of control.”
It’s about a nervous system that’s reached its limit.

In that moment, logic isn’t available — safety is what matters most.
Your calm presence helps their brain find its way back to regulation.

Save this visual for those tough moments — and remember, it’s not disobedience, it’s distress.

Find more strategies in our Managing Big Feelings Toolkit ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in our Bio.

02/18/2026

02/17/2026

02/17/2026

02/17/2026

Bring this parts language into session with my new workbook Embracing Our Fragmented Selves.

Order now – https://tinyurl.com/4t2mfw5u

02/17/2026

02/16/2026

Following today’s series on the five Protective Responses, I wanted to share an additional reflection — one that comes from over 30 years of working in schools and supporting children through dysregulation.

Sometimes, when a child’s flight response is activated and they’re prevented from escaping — being stopped, cornered, or told to stay put — the nervous system shifts into fight.
Not from aggression, but from fear.
When the way out is blocked, the body switches from “I need to get safe” to “I have to defend myself.”

Over the years, I’ve advised schools to create safe spaces to run to, rather than restraining or blocking a child in distress.
A pre-agreed, calm space — where adults know where the child is and can offer quiet supervision — allows the nervous system to regulate before re-engagement.

This can be supported through a simple social story (depending on age and understanding), helping the child know when, how, and where they can take space safely.
When safety is predictable, the need to fight often disappears.

You can also explore our Timeline of a Meltdown visual to understand how these protective responses unfold in real time — printer-friendly A4 portrait and landscape versions available via Linktree Shop in Bio ⬇️

02/16/2026

02/15/2026

Today we’re sharing a new series exploring the five protective responses — Fight, Flight, Freeze, Flop, and Fawn.

These instinctive states aren’t bad behaviour. They’re the body’s way of saying, “I don’t feel safe right now.”

When we understand which response a child is in, we increase our ability to respond with empathy instead of frustration. We see the fear beneath the reaction, and we learn how to meet it with calm connection.

We begin today with the Fight Response — when fear shows up as anger.

Understanding these patterns helps us support regulation, rebuild safety, and move from chaos toward connection.

Comment PROTECT if you would like this series made available in our Resource Store with printer friendly duplicates.

You can also download our Timeline of a Meltdown visual — a practical guide for recognising these states in real time. Printer-friendly A4 portrait and landscape versions available via Linktree Shop in Bio ⬇️