The decks

Six decks, one developmental arc

Each deck is a focus you bring in as a child's needs call for it — pitched to their stage, used within your own practice with children aged 6–12.

The working layer

The three card types in a session

Across the system, three kinds of card do three different jobs — settle, calibrate, and act.

Settle

PILA cards

The safety layer. Permission-giving lines like “I won't rush you” that let a child enter without pressure or performance.

Calibrate

Modal cards

The “how-much” dial — can, will, might, could, not yet. The child signals how ready they are, instead of a forced yes or no.

Act & become

Power cards

Action words and the identity behind them — share → KIND, lead → LEADER. A chosen action linked to who the child is becoming.

The six-deck system

A developmental sequence

Six decks spanning the developmental domains. You don't have to use them in order — each is a focus you draw on when it fits the child in front of you.

The foundational deck

Self-Identity & Agency

A child's sense of “I am capable.” A useful starting point with low agency or a fragile self-concept.

The self-management deck

Emotional Regulation

Concrete behavioural anchors for working with dysregulation and impulsivity.

The connection deck

Relational Skills

Prosocial language built through “We” modal sentences — for supporting peer connection.

The learning deck

Growth Mindset

Language for curiosity and resilience, where there's fear of failure or reluctance about school.

The moral-reasoning deck

Character & Values

Develops values in concrete, action-based form — without shame.

The advanced deck

Leadership & Purpose

Language for a child's capacity to contribute and positively influence others.

Want the clinical grounding?

Read how the decks map onto narrative identity, character strengths and the CASEL domains.

Read the evidence base →

Important: Power Phrase System cards are educational SEL tools. Not a substitute for professional psychological assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. ABN 55 260 040 085 · Warabrook NSW 2304, Australia