BIGFeels NYC
SEL Coaching
Emotion Regulation
BIGFeels NYC helps children recognize and name their feelings, manage big emotions, and respond to challenges with confidence. With over 15 years of experience, our team uses evidence-based tools that promote lasting skills for children ages 3-10.
We coach holistically, not diagnostically. We frequently address emotional regulation alongside executive functioning and social skills to help children thrive in all areas. These are not separate services: we work with each child individually with custom goals to ensure well-rounded social and emotional development.
BIGFeels NYC serves children in New York City and virtually. No diagnosis required.
Understanding Emotion Regulation Skills
Emotion regulation skills help children understand their feelings and learn safe, effective ways to manage them—without shutting emotions down or letting them take over. These are teachable skills based in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the latest social science. Building skills like frustration tolerance, self-soothing, and distress management is essential for children to thrive at home, in school, and with friends.
Through joyful, play-filled sessions, we empower children to:
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Recognize and explain their feelings
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Connect feelings to what triggered them
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Manage intense emotions without melting down
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Cope with frustration and setbacks
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Choose effective coping strategies when feeling overwhelmed or under pressure
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Tolerate uncomfortable feelings without needing to escape or avoid them
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Embrace support from parents and caregivers to calm down from big feelings
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Bounce back from disappointments with resilience and positive self-talk
Your child isn’t behind—they’re getting started. Every child develops emotion regulation skills at their own pace.
We work with families to set goals and provide weekly reports with detailed updates and strategies for reinforcing learning at home.
Download our 5-4-3-2-1 Calm Down Technique:
Emotion Regulation Skill Areas
Big Feelings Can Be Hard For Little People
Our coaching targets three interconnected areas. Together, these building blocks help children navigate their emotional world with more confidence and ease inside and outside of the home.
Recognizing & Managing Emotions
Naming feelings, understanding what causes them, linking thoughts to emotions, and choosing healthy ways to respond.
Emotional Distress & Crisis Management
Staying safe when feelings are intense, tolerating discomfort, using support from adults, and getting steady again.
Self-Acceptance & Confidence
Using positive self-talk, bouncing back from setbacks, believing in their abilities, and being okay with imperfection..
"It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of his prolonged emotional reactions. Plenty of big feelings, but we seem to be learning tools to process and move past the feelings more quickly, which is huge."
— Parent of a kindergartener,
Brooklyn Heights