The Power Phrase System

Give every child the words and clarity to change their world

Power Phrase Universe is not a card game. It is a structured therapeutic language system giving psychologists and children a shared vocabulary for navigating emotions, de-escalating distress, and building lasting resilience.

Evidence-based · CASEL-aligned · CBT-compatible · Trauma-informed · Ages 4–16
Child and psychologist using PPU cards
The Foundation

Words change everything

Power Phrase Universe was built on a single clinical insight: when a child cannot find words for what they are feeling, they cannot access the cognitive tools to regulate it. The system creates that language — systematically, progressively, and in partnership with the clinician.

Unlike generic SEL tools that ask children to introspect abstractly, PPU meets children exactly where they are developmentally — in Piaget’s Concrete Operational Stage — by anchoring language to visible, doable action.

See the Evidence Base →

This is not a card game.

It is a structured therapeutic language system — a clinical-grade tool designed for psychologists, counsellors, and informed caregivers working with children ages 4–16.

Every sequence has a purpose. Every word has been chosen deliberately.

The PILA Framework

Four steps. One shared language.

PILA is the core clinical framework at the heart of the system. A structured, repeatable pathway through emotional distress — applicable in any setting, with any presentation.

P

Pause

Creating space between stimulus and response. The first and most critical clinical intervention — where regulation becomes possible.

Anchor Cards · Grounding Deck
I

Identify

Naming the emotion with precision. The Feelings Intensity Scale moves from vague distress to specific identification.

PILA Cards · Feelings Scale
L

Listen

Turning attention inward. Anchor Cards ground the child in the present, creating safety needed for self-reflection.

Anchor Cards · Mindfulness Deck
A

Act

Moving from emotion to purposeful response. Power Action Cards guide the child toward action — transforming awareness into identity formation.

Modal Sequences · Action Cards
The PPU Growth Cycle

Modal Sentence → Action → Identity

A three-stage architecture that works with the developing brain. Children only need to say it, do it, and become it.

Stage 1

Modal Sentence

“I will” · “I can be” · “We shall”

Stage 2

Action Verb

“give” · “listen” · “explore”

Stage 3

Identity Outcome

GENEROUS · RESPECTFUL · CURIOUS

The Six-Deck System

A complete developmental curriculum

01

Self-Identity & Agency

The foundational deck

Builds the child’s core sense of “I am capable.” Entry point for learned helplessness and identity fragmentation.

02

Emotional Regulation

The self-management deck

Addresses dysregulation and impulsivity through concrete behavioural anchors.

03

Relational Skills

The connection deck

Builds prosocial competencies through “We” Modal Sentences. For attachment disruption and peer rejection.

04

Growth Mindset

The learning deck

Targets curiosity and learning resilience. Valuable for school avoidance and fear of failure.

05

Character & Values

The moral reasoning deck

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

06

Leadership & Purpose

The advanced deck

Activates the child’s capacity to positively influence others.

Explore all 6 decks in detail →
Who It Is For

Designed for clinical and educational settings

🧠

Psychologists & Counsellors

CBT, trauma-informed, and person-centred frameworks. Ages 4–16. Non-verbal engagement for selective mutism.

🏫

School Counsellors

Morning circles, one-on-one, and whole-class emotional literacy programs. CASEL-aligned.

🏠

Families & Home Use

Reinforces therapeutic language at home. Safe for independent family use.

Clinical Compatibility

Fits inside the frameworks you already use

CBT

Modal Sentences function as thought records in action.

Trauma-Informed

Concrete language bypasses abstraction barriers.

CASEL-Aligned

All six decks map to CASEL’s five SEL competency domains.

Person-Centred

The child chooses their sequence. Agency built in.

Play Therapy

Card sequences activate mirror neuron engagement.

Attachment-Based

“We” Modal Sentences introduce relational language.

Measurable Outcomes

What changes, and when

4–6wk

Initial Behaviour Change

Prosocial behaviours — increased sharing, reduced impulsivity.

6–8wk

Identity Self-Reference

Children begin describing themselves using identity outcome language spontaneously.

8–12wk

Peer & Teacher Report

Significant others notice and report changes in social behaviour.

12+wk

Durable Identity Shift

Target traits demonstrated without card prompting.

Ready to pilot?

Apply for the 3-month founding practitioner pilot and receive a full kit free.

Apply for Pilot Programme

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