EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE LAB
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION FOR CHILDREN
A creative, embodied approach to helping children understand their emotions, regulate their nervous system, and develop a strong internal foundation for life.
IF YOU'RE HERE,
YOUR CHILD MIGHT BE...
• Struggling with big emotions or emotional outbursts
• Easily overwhelmed, sensitive, or reactive
• Finding it hard to regulate, settle, or self-soothe
• Experiencing anxiety, shutdown, or frustration
• Stuck in behavioural patterns that feel hard to shift
• Navigating neurodivergence or sensory sensitivity
• Finding school, friendships, or transitions challenging
• Lacking confidence, self-trust, or emotional language
Your child doesn’t need to be fixed.
They need to be met, understood, and supported as the unique human they are.
This is not about shaping children to fit a system.
It’s about helping them understand their inner world — and develop the tools to move through life with confidence, regulation, and self-trust.
WHY THIS HAPPENS
Children are not born knowing how to regulate their emotions.
They learn through experience, environment, and guidance.
When emotional experiences aren’t understood or supported, they can show up as:
• behaviour
• overwhelm
• shutdown or reactivity
• disconnection
What looks like behaviour is often a nervous system response.
WHAT DOES THE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE LAB OFFER MY CHILD?
The Emotional Intelligence Lab supports children to:
• understand what they’re feeling
• regulate their nervous system
• express themselves safely in a creative, playful setting
• build confidence and self-trust
• develop emotional communication in group settings
• develop resilience and emotional awareness
When this foundation is built early, everything else becomes easier:
relationships, learning, communication, and self-identity.
IN THE LAB WITH PERA
HOW SESSIONS ARE OFFERED
Sessions are available:
• In person, located — Christchurch, New Zealand
• Online — available nationwide and internationally
Both formats are designed to be engaging, supportive, and effective.
HOW WE WORK
Sessions are guided through a combination of:
• nervous system regulation
• breath and body awareness
• creative expression (movement, art, play, building, problem solving)
• emotional language development
• reflective and relational exercises
Children don’t just learn — they experience and embody the skills in real time. For children the space feels like a creative, playful, experimental space with lots of exciting things to explore!
WHAT CHANGES
Children begin to:
• regulate more easily
• express emotions instead of acting them out
• feel safer within themselves
• build confidence and independence
• communicate more clearly
• respond rather than react
Parents often notice:
• less conflict
• more calm in the home
• deeper understanding of their child
• stronger connection and trust
METHODOLOGY
This work is grounded in a living methodology that integrates:
• emotional literacy (what we develop)
• human development (why it matters)
• creative embodiment (how we access it)
Creativity here is not about performance.
It is a tool for helping children process, express, and understand their inner world safely.
HOW SESSIONS ARE OFFERED
Sessions are available:
• In person, located — Christchurch, New Zealand
• Online — available nationwide and internationally
Both formats are designed to be engaging, supportive, and effective.
HOW WE WORK
Sessions are guided through a combination of:
• nervous system regulation
• breath and body awareness
• creative expression (movement, art, play, building, problem solving)
• emotional language development
• reflective and relational exercises
Children don’t just learn — they experience and embody the skills in real time. For children the space feels like a creative, playful, experimental space with lots of exciting things to explore!
METHODOLOGY
This work is grounded in a living methodology that integrates:
• emotional literacy (what we develop)
• human development (why it matters)
• creative embodiment (how we access it)
Creativity here is not about performance.
It is a tool for helping children process, express, and understand their inner world safely.
WHAT CHANGES
Children begin to:
• regulate more easily
• express emotions instead of acting them out
• feel safer within themselves
• build confidence and independence
• communicate more clearly
• respond rather than react
Parents often notice:
• less conflict
• more calm in the home
• deeper understanding of their child
• stronger connection and trust
WHERE THIS FITS IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE
This work can sit alongside school, homeschooling, or other activities as a foundational layer of emotional development.
Some families begin early — supporting their child before or during the transition into school.
Others arrive when their child is already feeling overwhelmed, reactive, or disconnected.
Both are welcome.
WHO THIS IS FOR AND WHERE THIS FITS IN YOUR CHILD'S LIFE:
To clarify this space is intended for ALL children and families. It's the Emotional Developmental Foundation that every child deserves. It's what we wish we had growing up, the beautiful thing is you can offer it to your child now!
The Emotional Intelligence Lab can be experienced in two ways:
1. Foundational Development (Prevention & Growth)
Look at the - Group Setting.
For children who are doing well, but would benefit from building emotional awareness, resilience, and self-trust early.
This sits alongside school and other activities as a foundational life skill — learning how to understand themselves, not just the world around them.
2. Support & Regulation (When Something Feels Off)
Look at the - 1:1 Mentorship to Start.
For children who are already struggling with things like:
• emotional dysregulation• behavioural challenges• anxiety or overwhelm• sensory sensitivity or neurodivergence• difficulty with transitions or relationships• a need for stronger emotional support.
This is where we offer more personalised 1:1 Mentorship support — helping your child (and often your family) understand what’s happening and how to move through it.
WHEN IS THE BEST AGE TO START?
Children can begin this work from around age 5 — especially as they prepare to enter school environments. This stage is incredibly formative.
Supporting emotional awareness and nervous system regulation early helps children navigate new environments with greater confidence, resilience, and stability.
From ages 5–12, children benefit from either:
• Group-based emotional development (Emotional Intelligence Lab)
• Or personalised 1:1 Mentorship support where needed
Group sessions operate in age appropriate settings, usually: 5-7, 8-9, 10-12
For children who are already experiencing emotional overwhelm, dysregulation, or difficulty adjusting — starting with one-on-one support is often the most supportive entry point before transitioning into group work.
For older children and teens, one-on-one support is available.
This work is adapted to meet them where they are — please enquire to explore what this could look like.
FEEDBACK
“Absolutely life changing for our family. Our child is calmer, more confident, and we finally feel like we understand what’s going on and how to support them.”
CHOOSING YOUR PATHWAY
Every child is different.
This work meets them where they are.
GROUP LAB
Weekly group sessions designed to allow children time to arrive, regulate, explore and discover. Integrated through creative and somatic experiences that develop emotional regulation,
self awareness and resilience.
Best suited for:
• children ready to learn in a group setting
• building general emotional awareness and resilience
• developing confidence and social connection
Ages 5 – 12
90-minute weekly sessions.
Small group environment, no more than
6 per class.
$35 per session
Rolling 8–10 week term enrolment required.
• Pay in full (recommended)
• 50/50 payment halfway
• 4 instalments across the term
• Afterpay available
1:1 MENTORSHIP
Private sessions for children who need deeper, individualised support.
This is a more relational and tailored space where we work directly with what your child is experiencing.
Best suited for:
• emotional dysregulation or frequent overwhelm
• anxiety, shutdown, or behavioural challenges
• neurodivergent or sensory-sensitive children
• children needing personalised guidance and support
Sessions follow the Term Framework however adapt in real time to your child’s needs.
All 1:1 clients begin with a minimum 4-session foundation
This allows:
• understanding your child’s emotional patterns
• building safety and trust
• establishing consistent tools and support
From there, sessions may continue weekly or transition into group work when appropriate.
Ages 5 – 12
60 minute weekly sessions
$55 per session (60 mins)
$70 per session (90 mins)
Weekly, term-based commitment
Rolling 8–10 week terms
FAMILY FOUNDATIONS
For families needing support together.
These sessions help parents and children:
• understand what’s happening beneath behaviour
• learn tools for regulation and communication
• reduce conflict and increase connection
• feel more supported and aligned at home
Parent + child sessions
See Family Foundations page for full details
WHERE THIS FITS IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE
This work can sit alongside school, homeschooling, or other activities as a foundational layer of emotional development.
Some families begin early — supporting their child before or during the transition into school.
Others arrive when their child is already feeling overwhelmed, reactive, or disconnected.
Both are welcome.
PATHWAY DETAILS
This work is intentional, developmental, and deeply personalised.
All new clients are offered a 3-session discovery period where on session 3 if they feel this isn't the right space for their child cancellation/refund of the remainder of the term is honoured.
Sessions are 90 minutes and may be held in person (Christchurch) New Zealand, or online.
Sessions are held weekly.
Payment is required to secure your child's spot:
• Either in full (discounted)
• 50/50 split available
• Four structured instalments
• Afterpay is also available
PROFESSIONAL NOTICE
Emotional Intelligence Lab is a developmental and integrative support service.
It is not a replacement for medical, psychiatric, or clinical psychological care.
This work complements — but does not replace — medical or therapeutic treatment.
By engaging in this container, you acknowledge responsibility for your child's wellbeing and participation in the process.
LET'S GET STARTED!
