TPP 315: Dr. Lori Desautels on Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline in Schools, and at Home

I found about Lori’s work recently and after reading her book Connections over Compliance: Rewiring our Perceptions of Discipline, I really wanted to bring her on as a guest because I believe the work she is doing is revolutionary. 

Lori’s work centers around helping educators, parents, and any adults who work with children shift the way they think about discipline by reaching for sustainable behavioral changes through brain state awareness rather than compliance and obedience. She’s actively pushing back against reactive and punitive practices that can potentially reactivate the developing stress response systems of children, and is advocating for stronger co-regulation practices and regulated brain and body states for adults. 

During this conversation, we consider why there is such a powerful foundational belief that discipline and punishment go together, what happens when the traditional methods of punishment are imposed on children who are coming to school with trauma or a heightened nervous system, and why it’s so important for educators to take responsibility over their own nervous system regulation. 

About Dr. Lori Desautels

Dr. Lori Desautels, has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016 where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education.

Lori’s passion is engaging her students through the social and relational neurosciences as it applies to education by integrating the Applied Educational Neuroscience framework, and its learning principles and practices into her coursework at Butler. 

Lori is the author of 4 books. Her most recent book, Connections over Compliance: Rewiring our Perceptions of Discipline was released in late 2020. Her new book will be published in January, 2023 entitled, “Intentional Neuroplasticity, Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth.”

 Things you'll learn from this episode

Why there is such a powerful foundational belief that discipline and punishment go together

What happens when the traditional methods of punishment are imposed on children who are coming to school with traumas or a heightened nervous system

Why we should be moving away from the behavior management model

Why it’s so important for educators to take responsibility over their own nervous system regulation

Strategies for helping teachers (and parents) better show up for dysregulated kids

 Resources mentioned

Revelations in Education, Dr. Lori Desautel’s website

Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline by Dr. Lori Desautels

Eyes Are Never Quiet: Listening Beneath the Behaviors of Our Most Troubled Students by Dr. Lori Desautels

Resources from Revelations in Education

Dr. Bruce Perry

Dr. Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast episode)

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