Understanding and Responding to Challenging Behaviour: 7 Steps to Staying Grounded

Training

Schedule

Self-paced

Duration

1 hour 25 minutes

Cost

120

This course builds a practical, evidence-based framework for understanding and responding to challenging behaviour across disability, education, and care settings. Drawing on over 26 years of experience in trauma-informed positive behaviour support, Jenn Colechin guides learners through the neuroscience behind behaviour, the human needs that drive it, and a memorable 7-step model — the BREATHE framework — for staying grounded when things get hard.

Whether you work in disability support, education, out-of-home care, or simply want to better understand the people in your life, this course offers both the why and the how in an engaging, relatable format.

Included Resources

Decision Making Guide (clinical and everyday use)
Functions of Behaviour Quick Reference Guide

The school has been closed during coronavirus outbreak and the classes have moved to e-learning platform.

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Suitable for:

Disability support workers
NDIS practitioners
Disability organisational team leaders, supervisors, and operational managers
Teachers, school staff, learning support aides
Out-of-home care workers and foster carers
Allied health professionals and behaviour support practitioners
Support coordinators and case managers
Child protection workers and managers

What you'll learn:

Define challenging behaviour and understand what it communicates about unmet needs
Explain how the brain develops and functions during moments of stress or dysregulation
Identify the four key functions of behaviour using a behavioural analytic framework
Apply the BREATHE 7-step model to real-world situations
Use unconditional positive regard and strength-based language in supportive relationships
Implement co-regulation strategies to help others (and yourself) regain calm
Apply collaborative problem-solving principles drawn from the work of Dr Ross Greene
Engage in meaningful reflective practice to continuously improve responses

What you'll gain:

Understanding Behaviour and the Brain An accessible introduction to brain development — from the brain stem and limbic system through to the prefrontal cortex — and how stress and unmet needs affect thinking, regulation, and behaviour. Includes Dan Siegel’s “flipping the lid” model and Bruce Perry’s neuro-sequential framework.
Functions of Behaviour A practical breakdown of the four behavioural functions — connection/attention seeking, tangible access, escape/avoidance, and sensory/automatic — with real-world examples and a visual reference guide.
Unconditional Positive Regard and Strength-Based Language Grounded in the work of Carl Rogers, this section explores how to separate the person from the behaviour, avoid the “tyranny of low expectations,” and shift to language that teaches rather than labels.
Co-Regulation and the PACE Model An introduction to Dr Dan Hughes’ PACE model (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy) as a framework for connection and de-escalation.
Collaborative Problem Solving Based on the work of Dr Ross Greene (The Explosive Child), learners explore how to assess, plan, and intervene using a shared-goals approach — covered in greater depth through the included Assessment and Planning Tool resource.
Reflective Practice and Self-Care Guidance on building a “tribe,” seeking support, and recognising your own role and reactions as a key variable in every interaction.

Ready to turn knowledge into positive action?

Discover a world of transformative Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) training with our engaging and interactive online courses. You’ll learn specialised skills and strategies that you can immediately put into action.

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Meet your presenter

Jenn Colechin

Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)

Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner

Director of Specialist Behaviour

Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis (MS ABA)

Master of Health Science in Disability Studies (MHS Dis Studs)

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (BA)

Graduate Certificate in Criminology (Forensic Disability)

Hello and welcome! I’m Jenn Colechin, a behaviour support specialist and Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) with over 26 years of experience.

My journey into the field of complex positive behaviour support is a deeply personal one, beginning with my own experiences as a trauma-affected child right through to becoming a kinship carer and permanent carer myself.

After pursuing extensive education in understanding human behaviour and disability care, I began working as a behaviour support analyst and therapist. I’ve supported individuals and their carers within schools, out-of-home care, and family-based settings.

My practice is grounded in evidence-based behavioural science and trauma-informed principles, offering comprehensive clinical support, including functional behaviour assessments (FBAs), individual supervision, and tailored interventions.

My experiences within the sector and the challenges faced by support professionals and the individuals they care for are what led me here.

I started Specialist Behaviour to build a community of learning and growth that drives much-needed change in the support sector.