Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • Anxiety and worry
  • Big emotions and emotional regulation
  • Behavioural challenges
  • School-related concerns
  • Friendships and social difficulties
  • Self-esteem and confidence
  • Identity exploration
  • Neurodiversity (ADHD, autism, learning differences, and related experiences)
  • Life transitions and stress
  • Grief and loss
  • Family and relationship challenges

 

 

Many people reach out because something feels difficult, overwhelming, or different than usual. You don't need to have all the answers before starting. An initial consultation can help determine whether counselling feels like a good fit and what support might be most helpful.

Children often communicate through play, creativity, movement, and relationships rather than through long conversations. Sessions may include play, art, games, storytelling, outdoor walks, and other developmentally appropriate activities.

The goal is to create a safe and supportive space where children can express themselves, build skills, and work through challenges in ways that feel natural to them.

Parents play an important role in a child's wellbeing. Depending on your child's age and needs, parent involvement may include consultations, check-ins, collaborative goal setting, and parent coaching.

At the same time, children also benefit from having a space where they can build trust and develop their own relationship with the counsellor.

This is very common. Many teens are hesitant about counselling at first, especially if someone else suggested it. My approach focuses on building a genuine relationship and creating a space where teens feel respected, heard, and not pressured.

Often the first step is simply getting to know one another and understanding what matters most to them.

Parent coaching provides a space to better understand your child's needs, strengthen your relationship, and develop practical strategies for challenges at home, school, and in the community.

The focus is not on finding the "perfect" parenting approach, but on building confidence, connection, and tools that fit your family's unique circumstances.

Child sessions are 45 minutes with a 5-minute caregiver check-in (if needed). Teen, adult, and parent sessions are 50 minutes.

Confidentiality is an important part of counselling. Information shared during sessions is kept private except in situations where disclosure is required by law or where there are concerns about safety.

For children and teens, confidentiality is balanced with parental involvement in ways that support trust, safety, and healthy communication.

This depends on your goals, concerns, and availability. Many people begin with weekly or biweekly sessions, with frequency adjusted over time as needs evolve. Together, we can find a rhythm that feels realistic, consistent, and supportive for you or your family.

For children who have experienced an acute stressful event or have been exposed to ongoing adversity or high-conflict environments, therapy is most effective when there is a baseline level of safety and stability in the home and caregiving context. In these situations, consistency is especially important, and weekly sessions are typically recommended.

In child and play therapy literature, short-term therapeutic work is commonly structured over approximately 20 sessions, depending on the nature of the concerns, the child’s developmental stage, and treatment goals. This timeframe is often used in evidence-informed, goal-directed play therapy to support emotional processing, skill-building, and integration of experiences.

Examples of situations where this kind of structured support may be helpful include:

  • High-conflict separation or divorce
  • The death of a loved one
  • Witnessing or experiencing intimate partner violence
  • Motor vehicle or other traumatic accidents
  • Physical or sexual abuse
  • Significant disruption or instability in caregiving environments