Ep. 52 | Watchdogs, Possums & Owls: Decoding Baffling Behaviors w/ Robyn Gobbel (Pt. 1)

<p>SUMMARY - In part 1 of this 2-part podcast series, Eileen is joined by her dear friend and colleague, Robyn Gobbel, MSW. Robyn is an internationally recognized children’s mental health expert, author, and educator who has spent more than 20 years supporting children with vulnerable nervous systems and the families who care for them. She is the author of the bestselling <em>Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies That Really Work</em> and <em>The Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors.</em> She is also the host of "The Baffling Behavior Show" podcast and founder of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute.</p><p><br></p><p>TAKEAWAYS:</p><ul><li>How understanding what’s happening underneath behavior can shift the way we respond to kids with big, baffling behaviors.</li><li>Robyn’s memorable owl, watchdog, and possum framework for understanding different nervous system states—and how those states influence a child’s behavior and capacity in the moment.</li><li>Why a child’s behavior can look intentional or oppositional when their nervous system is actually responding to stress, threat, or overwhelm.</li><li>Why the owl brain—the part of the brain that allows for reasoning, flexibility, problem-solving, and connection—can become less accessible when the nervous system detects a threat.</li><li>How recognizing whether a child is in an owl, watchdog, or possum state can help parents better understand what their child needs rather than focusing solely on stopping the behavior.</li><li>Why felt safety and regulation are so important for helping kids access the skills and capacities we know they have.</li><li>How a brain- and nervous-system-based understanding of behavior can help parents move from “How do I get them to stop doing this?” to “What is happening for my child right now, and what support do they need?”</li></ul><p><br></p><p>RESOURCES:</p><p><a href="https://robyngobbel.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Robyn Gobbel website</a></p><p><a href="https://robyngobbel.com/books/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Robyn's Books</a>- <a href="https://robyngobbel.com/books/raising-kids-with-big-baffling-behaviors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work</a> and <a href="https://robyngobbel.com/books/guided-journal-for-raising-kids-with-big-baffling-behaviors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target=