Namita Das

About the Traffic-Light Reset Worksheet

The Traffic-Light Reset Worksheet is a simple yet powerful expressive-arts-based tool designed to help parents, educators, and learners pause, breathe, and reset during moments of overwhelm or hurry. Developed by Namita Das, Counselling Psychologist and Expressive Arts Therapist-in-Training, this worksheet bridges mindfulness and art to create a tangible, visual way to manage emotional regulation and burnout.

Why It Works

The traffic-light system is universal—everyone recognises red for stop, yellow for wait, and green for go. This worksheet translates that intuitive structure into a personal self-regulation exercise. Whether you’re a parent trying to manage the morning rush, a teacher handling classroom overstimulation, or a child struggling with frustration, the act of drawing and reflecting through colour brings awareness and calm to the nervous system.

Each colour acts as a cue:

• 🟥 RED – STOP: Identify what’s rushing or stressing you.
• 🟨 YELLOW – WAIT: Pause and take a few slow breaths to bring your body and mind back in sync.
• 🟩 GREEN – GO: Choose one calm, intentional action that moves you forward without overwhelm.

Used regularly, this practice strengthens emotional awareness and builds a rhythm of pausing before reacting. It also promotes connection when done together—parents and children can co-create their circles, turning the activity into a shared reflection moment.

Who It’s For

• Parents of neurodivergent children (especially those with ADHD, autism, or sensory regulation challenges).
• Teachers and shadow educators working in inclusive classrooms.
• Therapists and counsellors seeking an easy, art-based grounding tool for sessions.
• Anyone who finds themselves rushing, multitasking, or feeling on the edge of burnout.

Therapeutic Benefits

• Lowers physiological stress response through breathing and creative focus.
• Promotes visual-motor coordination and expressive awareness.
• Builds parent-child co-regulation habits (especially useful for ADHD families).
• Reinforces emotional vocabulary—turning abstract stress into something visible and actionable.

How to Use It

1. Print the worksheet and grab three coloured pens or crayons (red, yellow, green).
2. Follow the guided prompts in each section to write, draw, and reflect.
3. Keep the sheet visible—on your fridge, in your classroom, or your child’s study area—as a daily visual cue.
4. Use it together during after-school transitions, homework meltdowns, or pre-bed routines.

Rooted in Evidence

Studies show that parental stress in ADHD households is significantly higher, and emotional co-regulation plays a key role in child resilience. Simple, art-based mindfulness tools like this one help parents model emotional pacing, creating a calmer family dynamic (see Leitch et al., International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 2019).