Child & Youth Counselling
Child & Youth counselling can be an integral part of mental health care for young people, providing a space where they can address mental and emotional struggles in a safe and supportive environment.
This therapy focuses on recognizing the challenges that arise at each stage of development and offers them practical strategies to navigate these challenges. Therapists will use different therapeutic techniques tailored to the child or youth, such as play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or other psychotherapy techniques, to address the concerns of their young clients.
Child and youth therapy works to help young clients identify troubling thoughts and behaviors, and gain insight into emotions which can be difficult to articulate.
Working with a therapist, children and youth are given tools to better understand their mental health, their family, school, and social environments that surround them. They can learn how to navigate difficult situations such as family conflict, bullying, and self esteem. Ultimately, the goal of Child and Youth therapy is to provide children with the skills and confidence needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
Is child and youth therapy right for my child?
Child and youth therapy can be helpful to address challenges such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, or anger management by providing a safe space for a child to express themselves freely. Your child or teen's therapist can also help them to learn ways to manage everyday stress in their lives. Deciding whether or not this type of therapy is right for your child or teen depends on their mental health needs, gains in therapy will also depend on whether they feel a connection to, and can trust their therapist. We offer 20 minute initial consultations in order for you and/or your child to meet with your therapist of choice and to see if it feels like a good fit.
How long does the process take?
How long the process takes can depend on the child or youth, their unique needs, goals, and circumstances. Therapy is tailored to fit their needs, which can make time frames hard to pinpoint. For short term therapy you can expect approximately 6-12 sessions that focus on practical solutions. With longer term therapy (12 sessions +) you can expect to work at a more nuanced level, building the therapeutic relationship, and greater integration of tools and perspectives that will support your child or teen’s long term wellbeing. Generally speaking, for optimal outcomes, we recommend regular appointments and consistency, especially at first, however, we understand and respect that this may not be realistic for everyone. Ultimately, it is up to you and your child or teen. You do not need to know now, you are always welcome to change the frequency of your sessions, should our schedules be able to accommodate, or discontinue therapy at any time.
Therapists who offer Child and Youth Counselling:
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU