The Positive Behavioral Support Program Designed with Caregivers in Mind
What is the Green Zone:
The Green Zone uses shapes and colors that relate to behavior in a way that is understandable and accessible to the people receiving and providing care, and other natural supports and professionals. The Green Zone aims to turn on its head the understandable tendency for care providers to exert high energy with individuals they support when the person is escalated, and to go into an energy conserving, coasting, or resting pattern when the individual is at baseline. This pattern can inadvertently reinforce crisis behaviors over time.
Intended Benefits:
- Increased caregiver wellbeing
- Decreased caregiver stress
- Increased demonstration of empathy and validation in interactions
- Increased caregiver confidence in support provided
- Increased ability to recognize and respond effectively to zone behavior
A therapeutic model directed to caregivers in support of those they serve.
Effectively directing caregiver energy to avoid burnout.
Training & resources with a foundation of mindfulness-based practices.
Content created for diverse program and caregiver audiences.
Coaching & self-care tools for care providers.
Get to Know the Zones
Click through the colors to get to know the Zones:
Be PROACTIVE in
the GREEN ZONE
Baseline, dealing with normal stress while we eat, sleep, work, learn, stay, play, and pray.
Grow the green!
- Model and reinforce skillful behaviors.
- Validate emotions and efforts.
- Encourage valued actions
Be PROTECTIVE in
the RED ZONE
Not in control. Outraged. Suicidal.
May be danger to self, others or property.
Protect the person/others from out-of-control behavior.
- Validate anger or fear
- Implement physical safety plan
- Focus on the surroundings
- Minimize words and voices
- Maintain kind and cool demeanor
- Don’t try to reason or plead for change
Be RESPONSIVE in the YELLOW ZONE
Anxious about new things or people? Overwhelmed?
Focused outward/forward?
Afraid of the future?
- Validate worries and fears
- Encourage and reinforce return to Green Zone
- Coach Any Zone Tools and HOPE Ahead plan
Be RECEPTIVE in
the BLUE ZONE
Focused inward/backward?
Sad or guilty about the past? Feeling hopeless?
Exhausted from RED?
- Validate sadness, loneliness, or guilt
- Watch for signs of regaining control and attempts to connect if coming down form Red Zone.
- Coach Any Zone Tools and HOPE Ahead Plans
