How the CALMER Framework
Came About

CALMER was born from both lived experience and professional practice.

I have been working in the disability field since 2000 and practising as a behaviour support practitioner since 2011. By 2018, I began to notice a gap between the traditional focus on the function of behaviour and the reality of practice. I became curious and intrigued. It wasn’t that what I was noticing was entirely new — but it felt like very little was being done about it. I started exploring and reading more deeply into rethinking the ‘function of behaviour.’
It began with a simple two-minute talk on rethinking the function of behaviour — and the rest is history.

By 2020, I was already using the framework in practice, though it had no name. I resisted attaching yet another ‘disability’ or ‘behaviour’ label.

In September 2021, my wife and mentor, Amy, suggested the name CALM (Cortex and Limbic Modulation), which captured the essence of the framework at that stage. However, feedback from a dear OT colleague pointed out that CALM was not comprehensive enough, as it did not reflect the full picture. I continued studying and exploring.

During a three-day training in February 2022, the CALMER Approach (Cortex, Amygdala, Limbic, Memory, Emotional Regulation) emerged — capturing a deeper understanding of the brain–emotion–behaviour connection. CALMER truly crystallised then, closing the loops and taking its present form.
Through years of knowledge translation across neuroscience, behaviour science, trauma-informed practice, and co-design — and shaped by voices of lived experience — CALMER became an evidence-informed, neuro-behavioural practice framework.

CALMER is not a fixed method but a living ecosystem — with the capacity to restore alignment and congruency in practice by focusing on the environment, shared meaning, and co-designed therapeutic supports.

Since 2022, CALMER has been contributing through presentations at national and international conferences. From May 2022, it has also been delivered through training and workshops to practitioners, allied health professionals, families, educators, and other professionals. CALMER has been sought out by schools and disability service providers alike — demonstrating its universal relevance and practical value.

Aviation has also been a source of inspiration. Just as aerodynamics in an airplane must be built in alignment with the natural law of gravity, human services must be built in alignment with our universal principle of shared humanity — so that every person feels safe, connected, heard, and understood with empathy and authenticity. Engineers do not fight against gravity; they design with it, ensuring every part of the plane is aligned and congruent. Otherwise, the plane will not fly.

In the same way, CALMER does not fight against our natural human survival instinct. Instead, it co-designs support, training, and capable environments with this principle in mind — so that everyone feels safe, connected, heard, and understood with empathy and authenticity. Alignment and congruency are the aerodynamics of human services — the non-negotiables of the human living ecosystem.