Why Play Based Coaching works!

When I first started building and developing my proprietary Play Based Coaching® System (PBC) in 2003, I intuitively knew that children had to be at the centre of the intervention. So I created a system that "speaks" childhood play fluently and taps into potential in a non invasive way.

At the time, I didn't call it Play Based Coaching®, but as time progressed, and I found myself using the name more and more, I decided to formalise it and today this evidence informed approach is being used in 40 countries across multiple cultures, religions and demographics. 

This Play Based Coaching® System (PBC) works...

Why?

Because EVERY child has the same needs and those needs are simple...One of the things I teach in my Level 2 training is 'Choice Theory' which is based on the simple concept that every individual only has the power to control themselves and has limited power to control others. Applying Choice Theory allows children to take responsibility for their own life so that their needs are better met.

Basically, this theory states that humans are motivated by a never-ending quest to satisfy 5 basic needs which are woven into our genes and include:

• Survival
• Belonging
• Power
• Freedom
•  Fun 

When those needs are met in a child's life proactively, it means there is less chance of things going wrong. Inevitably when children start showing signs of struggle, parents send them off to traditional therapy. Whilst I am an advocate for therapy...(there is a time and place) I believe many children benefit from Play Based Coaching® (PBC) instead!  

What parents don't usually establish first before opting in to therapy, is what need isn't being met in their child's life. Play Based Coaching® does just that. Through a process of client needs analysis, our global network of certified coaches are able to identify where a child may benefit from support. 

Our approach is all about PLAY!!

We put the puzzle pieces together for a healthy well balanced emotional, social, spiritual, physical and intellectual life. This is easily done with our unique recipe that has 5 tools and 7 key ingredients and is based on evidence informed theories that have been well researched. Whilst our approach is very intellectual and academic, we have mastered the art of relaying the fundamentals for wellbeing in a non invasive way. We pride ourselves in getting children and their parents to understand complex neuroscience so that they feel empowered and can move forward living their best life!

Play Based Coaching® when done properly by a certified coach is a game changer! Not only do our global team of Kids Life Studio® coaches get very quick results (sometimes in as little as two weeks!), they also build a long-term relationship of social support with the child that is fundamental to their sustainable success. 

So with our proprietary Play Based Coaching® spreading globally we decided it was time for a little 'rebrand' so we launched our brand new logo for The Kids Life Studio® to show that our well trained Kids Life Studio® coaches are the leaders in this approach. This soft launch will be followed by our official 2023 launch to mark our 20 year anniversary!

There are many copy cats...who have taken short cuts in trying to do what we do through Play Based Coaching®. They have done short courses and tried to join the dots....They have downloaded our free special research report  or done our free prevention of suicide and self harm course. They have opted to not invest in our training because it is too expensive or too much hard work. They mean well and they are trying to support children in a positive way...but they don't get the results our certified Kids Life Studio® coaches get. Our students invest not only money, but also a substantial amount of time becoming masters at Play Based Coaching®. It takes work and our coaches are not afraid of putting in the mileage!

A short weekend course, or a non supervised course with no accountability is no match for our 30 week training programme that offers theoretical and practical training and support to launch an ethical and sustainable Kids Life Coaching practice. 

You see, when I started this journey in 2003, I never knew that my unconditional, unconventional, upbeat, upliftment would become a 'thing'. You see, coaching children is not about using adult based life coaching techniques. Whilst some well meaning professionals think this is what it is about, our track record of almost two decades ....is testimony to the fact that we are the GLOBAL LEADERS IN PLAY BASED COACHING® at The Kids Life Studio®. 

Being a leader in this approach is exhilarating and exciting, but also sometimes rather disheartening. When we see people taking short cuts and not putting in the proper theoretical ground work or practical training....it can become frustrating. Play Based Coaching® isn't for everybody and some people prefer the serious 'therapy' style top down approach that relies on parents to do all the work. Our approach is WAY more effective than that...with children learning to take responsibility for their lives so that parents lives are made easier! And...all of this in a way that is FUN, PLAYFUL, PRACTICAL and GETS RESULTS!

A quick anecdote...Recently we had a teacher enrol in our training after choosing to go for a "cheaper" Kids Life Coach training option two years ago. At the time, she knew about our training but she didn't compare apples to apples and thought the other organisation would offer her what we are offering.  After doing the 'cheaper' training and practicing as a Kids Life Coach, she quickly realised there were gaps in her knowledge and that ethical principles weren't being met. So she decided to enrol in our training and take the loss of her money investing into the other course as a lesson.

Just the other day, she confirmed that she was never told anything about child safeguarding in her 'cheaper' course and that nobody checked on her after certifying - she was just left to her own devices.  She also realised that she was heavily relying on 'parent coaching' rather than empowering children and for this reason she was left not getting the results she wanted.  What she says she is most pleased with in our training, is the quality of our professional supervision sessions she gets to attend where she is able to learn from other coaches as we discuss case studies that are real and relevant. She is yet to certify, but we have one very happy student who has verbally attested that she wishes she had not made the mistake and come to us earlier!

So as we launch our new Kids Life Studio® Global Network logo, I feel encouraged. Not only are we making great strides in Kids Life Coaching as a profession, we know Kids Life Studio® is the leader in Play Based Coaching®. After all, in 2023 it will be the 20 year anniversary of using this approach and this is why we decided to launch our new logo with a slow and steady roll out in the tail end of 2022 to mark this prestigious milestone. 

So if you are on the fence and thinking about doing our Kids Life Coach training, now is your time to make a decision! If you have already made a decision, well done! You are in for the wildest and most rewarding adventure of your life! If you are already certified as a Kids Life Studio® coach and a member of our global network, I applaud you. It is because of you that this Play Based Coaching® approach is gaining traction!

It takes a global village to raise a child...and YOU are part of that village. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Keep playing and keep shining your light to show children the way!

Regards with zeal,

Zelna Lauwrens

Kids Life Studio® & Kids Life Coach Academy Founder