Child Therapy Coquitlam
Providing a pathway for healthy emotional regulation, resilience, and mental wellness for children aged 3-12
Benefits of Child Therapy
Children are constantly changing, developing, and making sense of an increasingly complex world around them. Sometimes they require additional support to help them on their journey through life.
Child therapy helps children:
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Improve emotional and behavioural regulation
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Decrease anxiety and worries
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Develop healthy coping mechanisms
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Improve self-confidence
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Feel motivated
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Solve problems
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Build interpersonal skills for long-lasting relationships
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Cope with life events or traumatic events
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Decrease symptoms of mental health concerns
Child Therapy Approach
Our tailored approach aims to address each child's unique needs and emotional well-being. We use Expressive Play Therapy and empirically supported child-based interventions to support your child to meet their goals. Children often lack the verbal and cognitive skills to articulate their complex emotions, fears, and experiences. Through play therapy and child counselling interventions children can learn to communicate their feelings and experiences, allowing them to process trauma and develop coping skills in a safe environment.
Challenges We Support
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Emotional regulation
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Worries and anxiety disorders
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Low mood and depression
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Behavioural challenges including: defiance, aggressive behaviours, lying, impulsivity, stealing, developmental regressions (i.e. bedwetting, eating challenges), etc.
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Separation difficulties
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School refusal
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Bullying
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Interpersonal and social challenges
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Self-esteem
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Family conflict and sibling rivalry
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Life events including moving, starting school, divorce or separation, new siblings, etc.
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Traumatic events including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, grief and loss, etc.
What to Expect
At Strong River Counselling you can expect a warm, engaging, fun, and safe environment for your child. Our child therapy focus on building trust, fostering resilience and enhancing emotional development.
Our child therapy sessions are held in-person and we do not offer virtual sessions for children 12 and under.
How Child Therapy Works
Every child and family is unique. It is our goal to provide child counselling services that meet your individual needs. Therefore, we will create a tailored counselling treatment plan that works best for you.
Standard Structure for Child Therapy
Initial Intake Session
The initial meeting is held with parents and/or caregivers without the child. This is an opportunity to discuss what your concerns are, access the nature of the difficulties and severity across areas of functioning (i.e. home, school, socially and the community), establish goals of therapy and discuss next steps for counselling.
Child Therapy Sessions
Typically we recommend weekly 50-minute sessions to begin. This will to help the child feel comfortable with the environment, establish trust and a connection to their therapist, and to gain consistency in processing the challenges they are experiencing. This is the time we begin supporting the child in achieving the goals for counselling through mental health interventions.
Collaboration with Caregivers
Parent and caregivers are essential in the counselling progress for children. We will periodically meet to discuss the progress of your child’s treatment, discussing areas of growth, strengths, ongoing challenges, and collaborate on strategies to further support your child’s growth and success.
What is Expressive Play Therapy?
Expressive Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach that allows children to communicate and process their thoughts and feelings through play. By engaging in activities such as drawing, storytelling, and role-playing, children can express emotions that may be difficult to articulate verbally. This form of therapy helps children develop coping skills, enhance their self-esteem, and foster emotional regulation in a safe and supportive environment. Through expressive play, therapists can gain insights into a child's world and guide them toward healing and personal growth.
Expressive Play Therapy is effective for children aged 3-12 experiencing a range of presenting concerns, including:
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trauma & abuse
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family changes
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grief and loss
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worries & anxiety
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low mood & depression
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behavioural issues
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developmental challenges
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social difficulties
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medical illness