What You will Learn

This training explores how understanding the brain-body connection and the autonomic nervous system can provide a framework for supporting executive functioning in children and adolescents. Participants will examine how physiological regulation influences attention, flexibility, emotional control, and goal-directed behavior. The workshop bridges the gap between creating a sense of safety and strengthening higher-order cognitive skills, emphasizing practical, developmentally-informed strategies that can be applied directly in clinical work. Attendees will leave with tools to help young clients strengthen self-regulation and executive functioning through co-regulation, mindful awareness, and skill-building interventions.

  • Participants will be able to describe how autonomic nervous system states influence executive functioning in children and adolescents.

  • Participants will be able to explain how disrupted safety cues and early stress experiences can impact regulation and higher-order cognitive processes.

  • Participants will be able to apply neurobiologically-informed strategies to support self-regulation and executive functioning in children and adolescents.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    From Safety to Strategy: Linking the Nervous System to Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents

    • Welcome to your CEU Webinar

    • Course Objectives

    • Course Review Survey

Instructor(s)

PhD, LCPC, LBS1

Michelle Magida

Dr. Michelle Magida is the Founder and Clinical Director of Therapy Etc., a successful group practice dedicated to improving social, emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning. She has over 15 years of experience in helping children, adolescents, young adults, families, parents, and schools achieve social, emotional, behavioral, and academic success. Dr. Magida’s background in special education and expertise in executive functioning helps in treating individuals with anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, and/or attention/focus issues. In addition, she enjoys partnering with parents as they develop new tools to diminish power struggles and establish healthy boundaries within the family system. Dr. Magida has presented in numerous venues on such topics as understanding executive functioning, how to avoid the dreaded power struggle, classroom management, and Polyvagal Theory in therapy. She has also created a parenting course titled Connection Before Correction. Before founding Therapy Etc., Dr. Magida worked as a special education teacher in the therapeutic day school setting. She also served as the Behavior Intervention Specialist for District 60 in Waukegan, Illinois, providing training and support to district social workers, psychologists, and administration. Dr. Magida earned her Bachelor’s in Science in Education from Illinois State University. She received her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, with a counseling specialization and a concentration in children & adolescents, from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She earned her Doctorate in Counseling Education & Supervision from Adler University.