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Child Counselling in Calgary

Parenting a child who’s struggling emotionally can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re doing everything you can, and it still doesn’t feel like enough. Whether your child is having big outbursts, showing signs of anxiety, withdrawing from friends, or just not acting like themselves, it helps to have someone in their corner.

 

At Calgary Psychological Services, we offer child-friendly counselling grounded in relationship, empathy, and evidence-based approaches. We help kids name their feelings, learn calming tools, and understand themselves better — so they can feel more confident and connected at home, school, and in their friendships.

Section 1: How Do I Know If My Child Needs Counselling?

  • Persistent sadness; crying more than usual and seemingly without reason

  • Big emotional outbursts or “meltdowns”

  • Seemingly withdrawn and staying in their room more frequently
  • Suddenly having many worries

  • Changes in sleep or appetite

  • Withdrawal from friends or school refusal

  • Recent loss, trauma, or family change (e.g., divorce)

Section 2: What Happens In Therapy?

  • The First Session: Parent intake to understand history and goals

  • The Counselling Sessions: Play, drawing, storytelling, and talking — adapted to your child’s age and personality

  • Therapist Relationship: Building trust with a consistent, compassionate therapist

  • Parent Involvement: Regular check-ins with you to share tools and strategies. Many times parents will be asked to join the session during the last ten minutes our time together to review

 

Section 3: What We Help With:

We support children with:

  • Anxiety and worries

  • Emotional regulation challenges

  • Defiance

  • Grief or trauma

  • Separation/divorce adjustment

  • Social struggles and low confidence

  • School-related stress or perfectionism

  • Suicidal Ideation

                                                                   

Section 4: Our Approach To Child Counselling

  •  Developmentally appropriate methods – depending on the child’s age we may be able to have an in-depth conversation, or with younger kids we may need to use dolls or social stories
  • Evidence-based tools – the best method is to educate, model, role play, have them try a new idea or method and then debrief with them
  • We emphasize collaboration with parents, teachers (if needed), and the child so that they can practice these new skills in multiple environments
  • We focus on empowerment, not “fixing”

Section 5: What To Expect (Logistics)

  • Sessions are typically 50 minutes. Usually, the child and the Psychologist spend 40-45 minutes together, and the parents are called in for the last 5-10 minutes

  • We offer in-person sessions in Calgary, with virtual options after rapport has been established

  • We’re experienced working with children ages 4 to 21

  • Evening and weekend appointments available

  • Parking is free and available at any open spot in the parking lot. The closest door to our office is through the entrance, indicating First Aid Training. Come up to the second floor (stairs or elevator) and find #277 – Prairie Psychology Collective

Section 6: FAQ:

Will my child just be playing the whole time?
Sessions are made up of varied components – talking, drawing, playing. For young children play is how they process big feelings and tell their stories. Your child’s Psychologist guides those moments to help them grow.
It depends. Some children benefit from solo sessions; others do best with parent involvement early on. We’ll talk through this at intake.
Every child is different. Some feel better after a few sessions, while others need longer-term support.

Let’s support your child — together.
Reach out today to book a no-pressure consultation. You don’t have to navigate this alone.

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Calgary Psychological Services
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