Child & Teen Counselling

You don’t have to decide right away! During our Assessment & Strategy session, we can usually identify your child’s needs and the best approach. If we’re still unsure whether counselling or coaching would be more beneficial, I can use a mix of both methods. Since sessions are tailored to your child’s specific needs, there’s no need to choose a single approach immediately. By letting your child help determine the course of action, we ensure they get the most out of our work together.

Counselling helps your child address emotional and social difficulties such as low confidence, anxiety, parental separation, and friendship issues. These challenges might stem from past experiences, like a difficult start in life, or current traumatic events, such as an accident or bullying. Counselling provides a safe space for your child to work through these issues.
Coaching can complement counselling sessions or be offered as a separate approach. Your child might not have experienced a life-changing event but may feel unmotivated, lost, or lacking focus. Coaching helps your child get back on track by rediscovering their hopes and desires. By mixing these aspirations with intentions and a plan of action, your child will soon experience increased motivation and enjoyment of life.
Consider whether your child might have a negative attitude toward counseling, believing something must be ‘broken’ to access sessions. In contrast, your child might view coaching as a more forward-looking approach and be more open to receiving support to unlock their potential.
Another difference between therapy and life coaching is that therapy is usually, but not always, a long-term strategy (3 months+), while life coaching is typically an 8-week program.

Sessions are scheduled weekly at a consistent day and time, providing a stable framework for your child.
Counselling sessions are typically 50 minutes long, unless otherwise arranged. Coaching sessions range from 45 to 60 minutes.
Counselling generally spans from 3 to 12 months, though it can extend longer-term. Additionally, I offer a 6-week assessment option.

I offer both in-person and online sessions. Surprisingly, many kids, especially teens, prefer the comfort and familiarity of their own home!
Online counselling sessions remain engaging and interactive, utilizing age-appropriate tools such as online worksheets, an interactive sand-tray, Zoom whiteboard, and role-play to help your child express their emotions.
For younger children, typically under 8 years old, I recommend in-person sessions that incorporate a play therapy approach. My office is located on Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver.
If you’re uncertain about whether your child will engage well online, feel free to request a trial session to see how they respond.

I offer counselling sessions for ages 4 to 18. Online sessions are best suited for children over the age of 8.