What Is Child Counselling?
Watching your child struggle can be one of the hardest experiences as a parent. Whether they're dealing with anxiety, behavioural challenges, emotional regulation, or the stress of navigating friendships and school, child counselling provides a safe space for them to express themselves and develop healthy coping skills. At Associates Counselling Services in Lethbridge, our experienced team works with children and youth ages 5 to 16+, offering compassionate support tailored to each child's unique needs.
Child therapy can help your child build emotional resilience, improve communication, and work through difficult feelings in a supportive environment. Our counsellors use age-appropriate approaches including play therapy for younger children and talk therapy for teens, ensuring your child feels comfortable and understood. We also recognize the important role parents play, which is why we involve families throughout the therapeutic process.
Our diverse team of child counsellors in Lethbridge includes professionals who work with different age groups and areas of concern, from managing anxiety and depression to processing trauma and improving social skills. We understand that finding the right therapist for your child is important, and we're here to match your family with someone who can truly help.
Taking the first step toward child counselling shows tremendous care for your child's well-being. Our team is here to support your family every step of the way, helping your child feel happier, more confident, and better equipped to handle life's challenges.
What Conditions Does Child Counselling Help With?
Child counselling in Lethbridge addresses a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and mental health concerns. Our experienced team works with children and youth facing challenges including anxiety and worry, depression and low mood, ADHD and focus difficulties, behavioural concerns, anger management, social skills development, grief and loss, trauma and adverse experiences, low self-esteem, school-related stress, family transitions such as divorce or separation, bullying and peer relationship issues, and emotional regulation challenges.
Every child's experience is unique, and our child counsellors tailor their approach to meet your child where they are, using evidence-based therapeutic techniques suited to their age and developmental stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Child counselling typically begins around age 5, though some therapists work with younger children using play-based approaches. At Associates Counselling Services in Lethbridge, our team works with children as young as 5 and youth up to age 18, with each counsellor specializing in different age ranges to provide the most effective support.
Common signs include persistent anxiety or worry, behavioural changes, difficulty managing emotions, social withdrawal, academic struggles, or reactions to life transitions like divorce or loss. If your child's challenges are affecting their daily life, relationships, or well-being for more than a few weeks, child counselling can provide valuable support and coping strategies.
Child therapy sessions are tailored to your child's age and needs. Younger children often engage in play therapy, using toys and activities to express feelings, while teens typically participate in talk therapy to process emotions and develop coping skills. Sessions create a safe, non-judgmental space where children can explore their thoughts and feelings with a trained professional.
The length of child therapy varies depending on your child's needs and goals. Some children benefit from short-term counselling lasting a few months, while others may need longer-term support. Most families attend weekly sessions, and your child's counsellor will work with you to develop a treatment plan that fits your family's situation.
Counselling can enhance your child’s felt sense of safety, expand their emotional regulation and coping skills, manage boundaries, and help the child process their thoughts and feelings. Whether you are looking for a therapist for your younger child, or your teen, our diverse team of counsellors are here to help.
Suzanne Sheppard works with children ages 5 and up.
Georgina Brown works with children ages 7 and up.
Brad Moser works with children ages 10 and up.
Dylan Tait works with children ages 10 and up.
Patrick McFarland works with children ages 10 and up.
Landon Gross works with youth ages 12 and up.
McMillan James works with youth ages 13 and up.
Krista Roberts works with youth ages 16 and up.
An initial parent appointment is required for all clients under the age of 18. Parent appointments are scheduled into a standard 50 minute counselling hour and billed accordingly.
đź“ťPlease note that if there is any type of separation between parents, the counsellor is required to obtain informed consent from both parents and/or guardians before proceeding with counselling treatment.
*In certain circumstances, guardianship and/or custodial paperwork may be required.
