CEU Course โ Helping Hands Therapy Resources
What You Eat Directly Affects
How Children Think, Feel & Regulate
The clinical framework connecting nutrition, gut health, blood sugar, and the nervous system โ and the practical tools you can use with every family where food and mood are part of the picture.
Enroll Today โ $97 โ14-day satisfaction guarantee on unstarted courses
2.25 hrsOn-Demand Content
0.225AOTA CEU
$97One-Time
$400Upgrade to Full CERS
Sound Familiar?
Nutrition Keeps Coming Up โ
and You're Not Sure What to Do With It
- Families describe mood swings, meltdowns, and brain fog that correlate with eating patterns โ but no one taught you to ask about food
- Progress stalls and you suspect nutrition is a variable โ but you don't have clinical language to address it in your scope
- You know the gut-brain connection is real but you're not confident discussing it without feeling outside your lane
- You've told families to "eat healthier" without a framework for what that means for nervous system regulation specifically
- You're not sure how to distinguish a nutritional contributor from a behavioral or sensory one
Nutrition is not a lifestyle topic.
It is a clinical variable โ and it belongs in every evaluation.
It is a clinical variable โ and it belongs in every evaluation.
What You'll Learn
A Complete Clinical Framework
for Nutrition, Gut Health & Emotional Regulation
After this course you'll understand the gut-brain connection, blood sugar's role in emotional regulation, and how to talk with families about nutrition without overstepping your scope.
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The gut-brain connectionHow 95% of serotonin is produced in the gut โ and what disrupts it
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Blood sugar & the nervous systemHow blood sugar instability triggers cortisol, narrows the window of tolerance, and looks like dysregulation
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Nutrition needs across developmentKey nutrients for the developing brain and where pediatric populations commonly fall short
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6 key nutritional leversProtein, blood sugar stability, omega-3s, iron, magnesium, and hydration โ each with clinical implications
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Clinical screening toolsA behavior-to-physiology decision tree for identifying nutritional contributors to dysregulation
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When to refer outRed flags for nutritional deficiencies, feeding difficulties, and cases that need a dietitian
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Practical parent coaching languageHow to discuss nutrition and gut health with families in a clinically grounded, scope-appropriate way
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OT's role in nutrition educationScope of practice, documentation, and how to position nutrition as a NS intervention
What's Inside
Course Outline
One focused hour. Everything you need to make nutrition a clinical variable.
Introduction
IntroductionCourse overview, learning objectives, and how to get the most from this training
Section 1
The Gut-Brain AxisHow the enteric nervous system, the vagus nerve, and gut health directly affect emotional regulation and nervous system state
Section 2
Blood Sugar & BehaviorHow blood sugar instability triggers cortisol, activates fight-or-flight, and produces dysregulation that looks behavioral
Section 3
Neurotransmitters & DietHow what we eat builds โ or depletes โ serotonin, dopamine, and the other neurotransmitters that regulate mood and behavior
Section 4
Food Dyes, Additives & Brain ChemistryThe research on artificial dyes, preservatives, and additives โ and their documented effects on attention and emotional regulation
Section 5
The Gut MicrobiomeThe microbiome's role in nervous system regulation, immune function, and emotional health โ and what disrupts it
Section 6
Nutrient Deficiencies & BehaviorIron, magnesium, omega-3s, zinc, and B vitamins โ how common pediatric deficiencies present as dysregulation in your caseload
Section 7
SupplementationEvidence-based supplementation for pediatric emotional regulation โ what the research supports, scope considerations, and when to refer
Section 8
Clinical ApplicationHow to screen for nutritional contributors, talk with families within your scope, document appropriately, and refer when needed
โฌ Upgrade Path โ CERS Certification
Start Here. Go Deeper When You're Ready.
This course is Module 8 of the full CERS Certification โ the complete nervous system clinical framework covering sensory processing, polyvagal theory, assessment, intervention, nutrition, chronic illness, lifespan, and schools. When you're ready to go further, your $97 applies directly toward the full $497 enrollment.
$97
This Course
+
$400
Upgrade Cost
=
$497
Full CERS
Email [email protected] with your purchase to apply your credit toward CERS enrollment.
What Therapists Are Saying
Game-Changing
Isn't an Overstatement
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"This course solidified the education I have and advanced my knowledge through exploring multiple facets of application. It touches on topics not talked about elsewhere โ a true game changer."
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"Kathleen was able to take broad subject matters that have taken me years to learn and refine them so clearly. I now feel empowered to take action to support my children in a loving manner."
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"This course helped me understand the role of the vagus nerve in everyday life situations. Instead of just watching and feeling overwhelmed and defeated โ I finally have a framework."
Enroll Today
Start Making Sleep a Clinical Priority
Nutrition, Gut Health & Emotional Regulation โ Individual Course
What You Eat Directly Affects How Children Regulate
$97 one-time
Lifetime access ยท Immediate start
- 2.25-hour on-demand course โ start immediately, learn at your own pace
- Full slide deck, facilitator script, and clinical reference guide
- Behavior-to-physiology decision tree โ clinical screening tool ready to use
- Parent-facing Nutrition & Regulation Handout โ share with families immediately
- Lifetime access โ revisit anytime
- AOTA Approved Provider #0000001046
Want the complete framework? This course applies toward the full CERS Certification ($497). Upgrade anytime โ just pay the $400 difference.
Learn about CERS โ
Learn about CERS โ
โ 14-day satisfaction guarantee on unstarted courses
Common Questions
FAQ
Who is this course for?
Occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, educators, and other professionals working with children or families where nutrition, gut health, and emotional regulation intersect. No prior nutrition training is required.
Is this AOTA approved for CEUs?
This course is offered through Helping Hands Therapy Resources, AOTA Approved Provider #0000001046. Please check current approval status at the time of purchase for specific CEU credit details.
How does the CERS upgrade work?
Your $97 purchase applies directly toward the full CERS Certification ($497). When you're ready to upgrade, email [email protected] with your purchase confirmation and you'll receive a $97 credit toward enrollment.
How long do I have access?
Lifetime access. Return to the course materials as often as you need.
What is the refund policy?
14-day satisfaction guarantee on unstarted courses. If you've started the course, please reach out to [email protected] to discuss your situation.
Ready to Start?
Make Nutrition a Clinical Variable
Starting Today.
Every child whose regulation keeps slipping may have a nutritional variable no one has asked about yet. This course gives you the framework to find it โ and the tools to do something about it.
Enroll Now โ $97 โ14-day guarantee ยท Lifetime access ยท Upgrade to CERS anytime
