Child Therapy

Helping your overwhelmed child turn Worry, Outbursts, Impulsivity into Calm, Confidence, & Independence

Is Your Child Struggling?

Has your child become withdrawn, harder to reach than usual?

Are you getting calls or emails from the school about their behaviour, difficulty with focusing, or trouble getting along with peers?

Do mornings feel like a battle just to get them out the door? And when they come home at the end of the day do they come unglued?

If you're a parent who has tried everything (conversations, strategies, doctor’s appointments, medication) and something still feels like it's missing, you're not alone. The hardest part isn't the phone calls from the school or the meltdowns at home. It's watching your child slowly wilt, without knowing how to help them thrive again.

When Your Child Is Struggling, So Are You

Maybe you see your son or daughter beating themselves up after a tough day, or a game at the arena. The kid who used to be so energetic and full of life now seems to carry the weight of the world. And to top it off, late at night after a long day, you grapple with that familiar voice of guilt and self-doubt, wondering: “Am I doing enough? What am I missing?”

If separation or divorce is part of the picture, you might also be worrying about how the changes are impacting your child. But know this - those spiralling thoughts that plague you at night aren’t the truth. There is a path forward for your child, and very likely for you too.

Whether the struggles show up at school, at home, or in between, one thing is clear: your child's happiness is a nonnegotiable to you. And with a tailored approach to therapy, it's possible to help your child find their spark again.

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Most Children Face Challenges at Some Point

Nearly one in five children will face emotional or behavioural difficulties that go beyond what you, as a parent, can manage alone.¹ And in today's world with its busyness, screens, academic pressures, and more, who wouldn’t feel overwhelmed sometimes?

Today’s kids are dealing with a lot. Think back to how childhood used to look for many of us: lots of time outdoors, unstructured play, fewer demands. Your child is navigating a far more complex world. Add in factors like ADHD, family transitions, societal pressures, bullying (the list goes on), and the challenges pile up quickly.

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Your Child Is Not the Problem

It's important to name this clearly: your child is not a problem. They are dealing with a problem.

In fact, many kids who come to therapy are bright and have a big heart, and their challenges are often connected to what makes them so wonderful. Their deeply empathetic and attuned way of connecting with the world around them is both their gift and their struggle. The challenges at school, the outbursts at home, the withdrawal…these are signs that their spidey senses are overwhelmed, not signs of defiance.

The good news is that children can bounce back from life’s challenges. Therapy can provide the support your child needs to move from struggling to thriving sooner than you might expect.

Therapy Can Help Your Child Shine Again

Your child’s struggles, no matter how big, can be sorted out with a little help. And the good news is that counselling is an effective way to not only address the issues at hand, but to help children rediscover their confidence and joy.

How I Work with Kids

Depending on your child and what feels right for them, our sessions might take place at the Durham Conservation Area — hiking, having campfires, shooting hoops, or, for some kids, a full-on water gun fight. And if you prefer online therapy, we often incorporate art, lego, interactive games, and sometimes introduce our pets to one another over the screen (my cats, Tigger & Nettle, love making new friends).

My goal is to create a connection that is safe and engaging for your child. At the same time, I work to ensure our sessions are productive so we can make real progress on what brought them to therapy in the first place.

Woven into our sessions are evidence-based tools that help with self-acceptance, confidence, emotion regulation, and problem-solving. I draw from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Collaborative Problem Solving, Narrative Therapy, and Nature Therapy, always tailored to your child's unique personality and needs. I'm also a certified Feedback-Informed Treatment specialist, meaning we track how things are going along the way and adjust accordingly.

What You Can Expect From Child Therapy

As both a child psychotherapist and a parent myself, I get the importance of including you in the therapy process for your child. Sessions will always involve your input on concerns, successes, and requests for topics to be explored.

However it looks, I want you to be involved in the process and to have peace of mind with where we’re going. And if school challenges are a concern, I happily include educators in the process so your child gets the help they need in the school setting as well.

Over the course of therapy, you can expect your child to begin opening up, finding words for things they've never expressed before, along with practical tools to support them in their day to day. And for reference, positive changes typically begin within the first handful of sessions.

Connecting with Kids
Is What I Do!

I have worked with children as a therapist since 2014, and prior to this I taught children with exceptional needs in the public school system. I also have an ADHD diagnosis, which gives me an inside understanding of how some children experience the world. Outside of work, I’m a proud father of three active kids, a soccer coach, and I run the soccer program in my community for little ones. Connecting with kids isn't just what I do, it's genuinely one of my favourite things in life.

Most of my child clients have experienced benefit from our therapy sessions within just 5-6 sessions. This doesn’t reflect anything special about me, but rather the power of a therapeutic connection and what is possible when you and your child’s voice are prioritized throughout therapy.

Common Hesitations About Therapy for Kids

“I'm worried I won't be kept in the loop or involved in my child's therapy.”

Therapy for kids looks different for every provider. In my work, I view you as an integral team player when it comes to supporting your child’s mental health.

Oftentimes you’ll be included in the sessions, actively participating in games and conversations. And when it’s more helpful for your child to have a little extra space, you will be involved at the start of sessions to provide updates and requests and then looped in again at the end to discuss what we did in the session and how you can support the plan at home or school.

"My child won't open up to a stranger.”

This is one of the most common worries I hear, and it makes sense. Trusting someone new takes time for any child. As a child therapist (and big kid at heart), I connect with kids through their interests, and meet them where they are, whether they're sweet and shy or adventurous and outgoing.

I genuinely delight in getting to know who they are as their own person (kids tend to pick up on this quickly!). We explore, play games, create, and make space for conversation at their level. As their parent, you’re also welcome to be involved in the sessions to help your child ease into the process.

"I'm worried about being judged as a parent and my child feeling broken.”

There is no judgment here - only curiosity and respect. I know what it feels like to sit across from someone in a system that doesn't quite see your child the way you do. I seek to understand and appreciate who your child is on their own terms and who you are as their parent, and to come alongside both of you as a team, in this together.

Help Your Child Reclaim Their Joy Again

Your child has a brighter future ahead of them. They may just need a little support finding their way through the challenges they’re facing right now.

I offer a free 20-minute consultation where you can share what's been going on, ask questions, and get a feel for whether I might be a good fit as a therapist for your child. I work with families in Durham, Ontario, and surrounding areas. Online therapy is also available across Ontario when that's more convenient.

I’d love to help your child rediscover their confidence and joy - click the button below to get started!