Are You Concerned About Child’s Wellbeing?

Is your child dealing with big emotions, withdrawing, or having behavioural outbursts that are getting in their way and are becoming harder to manage? Are you tired of feeling helpless when it comes to supporting your child?

Perhaps your child is having trouble carrying out basic, age-appropriate activities independently. Maybe they struggle with attention, focus, or hyperactivity. They might be engaging in frequent behavioural outbursts that exasperate your whole family. Your child might resist going to school or doing their homework. And when they go to class, they tend to be disruptive or are not able to engage with their peers.

Your child may also be dealing with physical symptoms that have no obvious cause, like headaches, stomach-aches, or difficulties with sleep. They might be frequently nervous, disengaged from activities they used to enjoy, or are carrying out repetitive behaviours to relieve their anxiety.

If Your Child Is Suffering, You May Not Know Where To Turn

You’ve been trying to support your child, but you’re unsure of what to do next, and your relationship feels strained. Your child might also have trouble forming friends, listening in class, or participating in extracurricular activities. You’re concerned about your child’s ability to foster connections and worry that they’re becoming isolated from their peers.

You want to ensure that your child has a bright future ahead of them—but you don’t need to tackle all of these challenges on your own. By working with a therapist, you can make sure that your child gets the professional support they need and gain valuable guidance on how you can best help your child outside of sessions to create a more peaceful home.

People often assume that mental health issues are only a concern for adults—but in reality, millions of children live with these conditions, too. In fact, 20% of young people in Canada are diagnosed with a mental health concern (1), and 70% of adults living with a mental illness first noticed their symptoms prior to turning 18 (2).

Why are so many children and young people struggling with their mental health today? While children can develop mental health issues after dealing with a major lifestyle change, like moving or losing a family member, lots of children also feel like they’re being forced to live up to unrealistic standards at a young age due to social media. In our competitive, fast-paced society, children may feel subjected to intense pressure to succeed. Furthermore, many children are still affected by the many changes and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Therapy Can Help Your Child Feel Happier And Healthier 

In therapy, your child will have the chance to express themselves fully. While children might be nervous about therapy at first, they often start finding their sessions enjoyable and fun! They’ll be encouraged to explore their emotions through play, which allows them to feel at ease. Through therapy, children will develop valuable life skills and a stronger sense of resiliency, while their parents will learn how to support their children so that they can fully engage in life.

We incorporate play therapy at our practice, which enables children to identify their feelings. Children can also learn to use the “feelings thermometer” to identify their emotions. Furthermore, we incorporate art, games, and movement into therapy sessions. For example, games like “Red Light, Green Light” can teach impulse control, and role playing allows children to act out different coping strategies.

We also apply Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques for children to help them understand how their thoughts influence their emotions and behaviour. Through drawing and role play, children can use characters to represent their feelings and connect these emotions to their actions. Additionally, we integrate mindfulness and deep breathing exercises to teach children how to manage intense emotions.

Furthermore, we provide parent coaching to provide you with the skills to support your child outside of therapy. Depending on preferences and needs, parents may attend part of a session or an entire session to find out how you can apply these treatment methods at home.

In counselling, your child will start mastering beneficial emotional regulation and behavioural skills that can help them feel happy and self-assured in their everyday life. As a parent, you can rest assured that you’re making a smart decision for your child’s wellbeing. With the strategies both you and your child learn through therapy, your whole household can feel calmer and more connected.

But You May Still Have Questions About Therapy For Your Child…

Millions Of Children Deal With Mental Health Concerns 

It Can Be Hard For Children To Open Up To Their Parents

Mental health issues in children can present differently than in adults. Therefore, some parents may not realise that their children are struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms. Their symptoms might go unnoticed for a while as their mental health worsens.

If you’ve been trying to help your child cope with mental health struggles to no avail, a therapist can prompt you to approach the situation from a new point of view. Your child may welcome the chance to share their feelings with a therapist, while you’ll pick up insights on supporting your child at home.

What To Expect In Child Therapy Sessions

Our approach to your child’s first counselling session depends on their age. If your child is under 12 years old, we require a parent to attend their very first appointment. However, if your child is 12 years old and up, they can decide whether or not they would like you to attend their first session. We recommend that parents attend part of the first session with children and youth aged 12-15 years old whenever possible. This will give you the opportunity to learn about the therapeutic process.

When your child begins therapy, we’ll explore the core difficulties that they’re facing and learn more about their specific symptoms. We’ll work with you to evaluate realistic goals for your child and provide you with insights on helping your child thrive and implementing therapeutic strategies outside of sessions.

Treatment Approaches In Counselling For Children

I feel like I’ve already tried everything to help my child—is therapy really worth it?

You might feel like you’ve been “in the trenches” with your child for ages - and now, you’re worried that you’ve exhausted all of your options. A therapist will view these problems from a fresh perspective and create a treatment strategy through their professional lens. Your therapist will apply research-based therapeutic methods to help your child, help you “troubleshoot” challenges at home, and come up with realistic approaches for handling tough situations.

What if the therapist my child meets with isn’t a good fit? 

During our intake process, we will carefully assess your child’s unique symptoms so that we can recommend the right therapist to address their specific problems. Prior to scheduling a session, you can request a free 15-minute consultation, giving you a chance to speak with a therapist and find out if they’re compatible with your child. Your child’s therapist will focus on building a trusting relationship with your child so that they feel comfortable during sessions.

What if my child acts differently in therapy than they do at home?

We don’t need to see your child’s specific behaviours in counselling sessions in order to treat them. We understand that it’s normal for children to be on their best behaviour when they’re meeting a new adult. If you’ve reached out to us, we believe you when you say that help is needed! When appropriate, we’ll also meet with you individually to learn more about your child’s symptoms and behaviour, and discuss what you can do when they engage in these behaviours at home.

With Support, Your Child Can Enjoy A Brighter Future

If you’re concerned about your child and you’re struggling to address their problems on your own, working with a counsellor might be the next step. To learn more about our child therapy services or book a session for your child, we invite you to fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation call or your first appointment.

(1) https://cps.ca/en/strategic-priorities/child-and-youth-mental-health
(2)https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/what-we-do/children-and-youth/