Alyssa Campbell is an emotional development expert, podcaster, and founder of Seed and Sew. She joins the show to talk with Kris about the method of Collaborative Emotion Processing that she co-created, how developing emotional intelligence skills saved her life, and why this work is of the utmost importance for leaders and teachers to deal correctly with the tiny humans of tomorrow.   Key Takeaways: [2:28] Once Alyssa developed the emotional intelligence tools she now teaches today, she went from feeling exhausted and drained to now being able to recognize her triggers. Through this, she can give herself proper self-care so that she shows up as her best self to the world. [9:13] Alyssa got her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and after many different careers in early education, landed at a school that had great resources and support. This is where she co-created the Collaborative Emotion Processing method and launched Seed and Sew. [11:02] Although the focus is the children, the real work begins with ourselves. The more emotional intelligence we master in our own life and heal our nervous system, the more we can teach kids to do the same. [13:22] A career highlight for Alyssa was getting to work alongside an occupational therapist who opened her eyes to how crucial it is to regulate our central nervous system in everything we do. [14:44] Seed and Sew provides that village mentality where everyone is working together to help one another. They offer several free resources including her podcast Voice of Your Village, and paid services such as the Tiny Humans, Big Emotions course, and a S.E.E.D Certification program. [20:06] Fun Fact: Alyssa studied abroad in Austria and knows how to speak German! [23:19] Important steps of emotional intelligence as leaders and teachers prepare for adult/child interaction: Self Awareness. Daily check-ins and keeping tabs of how we are really doing. Biases — Uncovering our biases and working on what’s really driving our behavior. Scientific Knowledge Self Care [35:25] If Alyssa could tell her past self some advice, it would be to start your personal work earlier, and dig into anti-racism and bias work sooner as well. [42:55] Teachers are not often seen as professionals, and this can lead to a fear of not being perfect. It’s really about realizing that it’s about the marathon, not the sprint, and that progress is more important than perfection.   Quotes: “It’s never a child’s job to get calm for us, it’s our job to get calm for the child.” — Alyssa “When we are using these tools it’s not just going to affect how you show up with the tiny humans or at work, it affects how you show up in relationships with others because it affects how you show up with yourself.” — Alyssa “Good is good enough.” — Kris “Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.” — Kris’s new magnet   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Voices of Your Village Seed and Sew Implicit Association Test Lori Goodrich Dr. Willis LatinX Parenting Self Reg Mind in the Making Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents How to Be Anti-Racist