Reg Goes Swimming is a book with a message that supports parents and children in learning how to self-regulate their emotions.

Reg — short for Regulate and pronounced with a hard /g/ — is a black bear cub who likes to climb trees, eat snacks, and sleep. Most of all, Reg loves to swim in the creek. After waking up from his winter’s nap, he heads for a swim. Alas, obstacles slow him down, and as the story unfolds, Reg experiences and learns to regulate his emotions.

At first glance, Reg Goes Swimming is a story with a simple message around feelings, but there are deeper lessons for the reader. Throughout his day, Reg moves from being emotionally dysregulated by negative stressors to thoughtful self-regulation, where he returns to a state of calm.

Reg uses three useful self-regulation techniques to regulate his emotions: positive self-talk, belly breathing, and reframing. In every situation, Reg thinks out loud to examine his feelings and comes up with easy, practical solutions for his struggles. Once the solution for each of his problems has been identified, Reg returns to a state of contentment.

Lori Gard's profile page

Emma Martin's profile page

Lori Gard is the founder of Solution Talk Counselling, a virtual counselling clinic for clients of all ages. She is currently a K-6 school counsellor and was a teacher with the Public Schools Branch of Prince Edward Island and a registered counselling therapist at Your Life Design.
Lori is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and a nationally certified Solution Focused Brief Therapist with CCPC Global. She also has a certificate in SolutionFocused Brief Therapy through OISE at University of Toronto. She is currently pursuing her Advanced Certificate in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Guelph and has a Master of Science degree from the University of West Alabama, and a Master of Education from the University of Prince Edward Island. Lori specializes in working with children and their parents and works with youth, teenagers, couples, and families.
Lori has written for several online and print publications, including the Canadian Huffington Post, Edutopia, and the Yummy Mummy Club . She also contributes to PEI Living Magazine and PEI's Red Magazine . She co-edited Inside the Classroom: Stories of Curriculum and Creativity with Dr. Sean Wiebe. Reg Goes Swimming is her first children's book. She lives in Mill River East with her husband, Brian Gard, and their four children.
Reg Goes Swimming is illustrated by Emma Martin. Emma is an illustrator, fine artist, and appreciator of all things whimsical. When she's not making art, you can find her working as a barista at a local coffee shop, finessing her latte art skills.

“What a priceless gem! This book, beautifully illustrated by Emma Martin, is a well-researched and resourced guide that provides children valuable tools in naming, understanding, and regulating their emotions.” Dina Bednar, MA, RP, RMFT-SM, CSFT, associate director of the SFBT Certificate Program, University of Toronto, and co-director of the Canadian SFBT Centre

“Lori takes her readers on a journey of self-awareness and conscious self-regulation of feelings and thoughts through her simple and easy to understand children’s illustrated book.” Jill Stewart, BSW, MSW, RSW, founder, Your Life Design Inc.