Freedom, the ability to act, speak, change or move without constraints, is something everyone wants. But, at its deepest level, freedom is not just political or social, it’s also about being free of the individual constraints that can interfere with self-actualization. In this talk Dr. Shanker will apply a Self-Reg lens to expand our ideas of freedom.

• What does research tells us about how factors like anxiety, depression, electronic media, junk food and other modern phenomena keep our children and youth from exercising their fullest freedom?

• How can Self-Reg help us identify stressors and other external factors that impinge on children’s (and our own) ability to grow, thrive, learn and pursue personal goals?