The Play Patterns Method:
A COURSE TO â SEE BENEATH YOUR CHILDâS BEHAVIOUR. UNDERSTAND THEIR NERVOUS SYSTEM AND KNOW HOW TO HOLD THEM THROUGH EVERY MOMENT.
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Join Childrenâs Counsellor Eleanor Mann and Breathworker Emma Johnston as we finally Understand the four patterns that shape how your child moves through the world and what to do when they can't find their way back.
đ We close our doors Monday 29th June 7pm AEST
đĽ 6 Months Access to Replay
âď¸ LIFETIME Access to Modules
Parents tell us every day:
âI understand my child... but I still don't know what to do when things tip over.â
Understanding is one thing.
Knowing what to DO at 7am, 6pm, or mid-meltdown is another.
 The Four Play Patterns
Every child has a pattern â a way their nervous system naturally moves when they feel safe.
You see it most clearly in play.
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Power Play â the child who needs to feel impact, build big, crash hard, test edges
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Perfect Play â the child who watches, helps, keeps things nice, monitors connection
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Busy Play â the child who flits, fizzes, moves constantly, struggles to land
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Quiet Play â the child who goes inward, watches from the edges, has a rich inner world
When you can see the pattern, you stop trying to make them someone theyâre not â and finally understand whatâs actually going on.
 Play = Visiting and Returning
A regulated child doesnât stay calm all day.
They move â through power, stillness, movement, and connection â and then they return.
They get loud⌠and soften.
They scatter⌠and land.
They go quiet⌠and emerge.
They let others choose⌠and then say, âActually, I want the red one.â
This movement is regulation.
But sometimes they canât find their way back.
Thatâs when:
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Power Play becomes the Explosive Child
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Busy Play becomes the Anxious Child
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Quiet Play becomes the Dreamy Child
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Perfect Play becomes the Golden Child
This is when play becomes stress.
This is when they need you most.
Understanding Is the First Step â This Is the Rest of the Map
You might already sense your childâs patterns.
But does that understanding help you:
â At 7am when they wonât get dressed?
â At 6pm when everyoneâs exhausted and someone hits someone?
â At bedtime when itâs been two hours?
â When nothing you say is landing?
Understanding is one thing.
Knowing what to DO is another.
This course is the practical part.
This course is for you if:
â You want to understand whatâs underneath behaviour
â You see the patterns but donât know what to do when things tip
â You want boundaries without battles
â Youâre tired of theory that doesnât help in real life
â You want tools that work in the moment
â You want to repair when things fall apart â without shame
A Few Important Clarifications
This isnât about being gentler.
Itâs about being safe and solid.
This isnât about scripts.
Itâs about understanding why things work, so you can adapt in real time.
This isnât just about your child.
It includes you â because youâre 50% of every interaction.
 What You'll Learn (5 Modules + Live Session)
Module 1: Play Patterns
Learn how to see your childâs natural regulation style in everyday moments â not just during crises.
Youâll learn:
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The four play patterns and how they show up in real life
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How to read your childâs nervous system through play
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How energy naturally rises, peaks, releases, and settles
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What regulation actually looks like (hint: itâs not constant calm)
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How patterns shift across environments â home vs school, morning vs bedtime
This module changes how you see your child immediately.
Module 2: Stress Archetypes & Boundaries
When a child canât find their way back from play, they move into stress.
Power Play becomes the Explosive Child
Busy Play becomes the Anxious Child
Quiet Play becomes the Dreamy Child
Perfect Play becomes the Golden Child
Youâll learn:
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The difference between play and stress â and why it matters
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How timing changes everything
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Why the same boundary can land beautifully or backfire completely
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What boundaries actually work for each archetype:
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Explosive: solid without fighting
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Golden: warm without rescuing
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Anxious: movement first, then boundary
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Dreamy: slow, soft, patient connection
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This module gives you clarity in moments that usually spiral.
Module 3: Repair & Reconnection
Because rupture is part of relationship â and repair is where safety is built.
Youâll learn:
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What repair actually looks like for each archetype
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When repair lands â and when it makes things worse
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How to reconnect after big ruptures
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The difference between repair and reassurance
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How to move forward without shame or over-explaining
Repair stops being scary â and becomes something you trust.
Module 4: YOUR Nervous System
Your childâs behaviour doesnât happen in isolation.
Youâll learn:
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Why certain behaviours activate you more than others
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Whatâs happening in your body when things escalate
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How your pattern meets your childâs pattern
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Why you lose access to everything you âknowâ in the heat of the moment
This module is often the missing piece for parents.
Module 5: Why âStaying Calmâ Doesnât Work
Trying to stay calm isnât regulation â and your child can feel the difference.
Youâll learn:
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The myth of calm vs real presence
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Why performed calm often escalates behaviour
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What your childâs nervous system actually responds to
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What regulation really looks like in real families
This module removes pressure â and replaces it with clarity.
LIVE Session with Emma & Eleanor
3 x 30 minute live calls:
8am AEST on Wednesday 1st of July and Friday 3rd of July.
6pm AEST on Sunday 5th of July.
6 months access to replays.
Bring the moments youâre stuck in.
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Real scenarios
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Hot seats
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Your questions answered
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Practical nervous-system guidance you can use immediately
Replay included.
By the end of this course, youâll be able to:
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See your childâs nervous system clearly in everyday moments
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Catch stress early â before it explodes or shuts down
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Hold boundaries that feel safe instead of threatening
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Repair when things fall apart â without it becoming a bigger rupture
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Parent with confidence instead of constant self-doubt
This isnât about making your child âbehave.â
Itâs about helping them return to safety â again and again.
Already have Reconnected Parenting?
This is the perfect place to begin.
It builds the nervous-system lens, language, and everyday skills that make the deeper work land â and immediately changes your day-to-day.
FAQ
I've done your webinars. Is this repetition?
The patterns are reviewed briefly as foundation. Everything else goes much deeper - the stress archetypes, boundaries by archetype, real scenarios, repair for each pattern, plus Modules 4 & 5 which are entirely new content.
I'm brand new - can I follow?
Yes. Module 1 teaches the patterns from the ground up. You'll have everything you need.
How long do I have access?
Lifetime. Go at your own pace.
When is the live session?
8am AEST on Wednesday 1st of July and Friday 3rd of July.
6pm AEST on Sunday 5th of July.
Replay available if you can't make it live.
What ages does this cover?
Toddlers through teens. The patterns are universal - examples span all ages.
What about neurodivergent kids?
The nervous system framework applies to all kids. Many parents find it especially helpful for understanding their ADHD, autistic, or sensory-sensitive children. It's not a replacement for specialist support - it works alongside it.
What's the difference between this and Reconnected Parenting?
This course teaches you to SEE your child's nervous system and gives you practical tools for everyday moments - the play patterns, the stress archetypes, boundaries that land, repair when you mess up.