Child & Youth Therapy
Counselling Children
Counselling for children means providing a developmentally appropriate space (full of colour, toys, games, and social-emotional learning posters/books) where kids can explore their thoughts, feelings, and life experiences in ways that feel safe and natural to them. Many children struggle to identify and express emotions, especially when they are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, angry, or confused. Therapy offers them another way to be seen, heard, and understood and teaches them how to recognize emotions in their body. It also teaches them the language to communicate those big feelings in a healthy way.
Sessions are tailored to the child’s age, personality, interests, and needs, and may include conversation, creative activities, art, games, movement/yoga, or storytelling. Counselling can support children with concerns such as anxiety, emotional regulation, behavioural challenges, outbursts, difficulty navigating school or social life, bullying, low self-esteem, life transitions, family changes, trauma, and stress. The goal is to help them build emotional awareness, coping skills, confidence, and resilience – while also supporting caregivers with insight and practical tools along the way.
Our therapists who work with children
Play-based Interventions
Play-based interventions recognize that play is a child’s natural language. Through play, children can communicate feelings, experiences, and worries that may be difficult to put into words, the same way as adults. In sessions, therapeutic play activities are thoughtfully integrated to help children process emotions, practice problem-solving, make real-world connections, and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.
This approach may include art, games, imaginative play, storytelling, movement, and other creative or sensory activities, depending on the child’s needs and comfort level. These evidence-informed, play-based interventions are intentionally used to support therapeutic goals but are also meant to build a connection with an adult who speaks “their language”. Play-based counselling can be especially helpful for children who feel stuck, overwhelmed with big feelings, or misunderstood, offering them a gentle and engaging way to explore what’s happening internally – without pressure to talk before they’re ready.
Our therapists who offer play-based counselling
BEd, MACP, RCT-C
Counselling Teens
Teens are no longer children, but not yet adults, so they deserve compassion and specialized support as they navigate this sometimes tricky stage of life.
Today’s teens have a lot on their plates – they are immersed in technology and online culture, while dealing with societal pressures, expectations, and competing demands. Through this, they are trying to figure out who they are, where they belong, what they believe in, and how to plan their future. This can lead to mental health challenges and overwhelm, which affect their relationships and all areas of their lives.
Brightside therapists provide support and guidance to their teen clients, helping them to feel safe, heard and understood. Through therapy, they can learn skills to manage emotions, boost their self-confidence, strengthen resilience and to identify and work toward their own goals and healthy priorities.
What this looks like depends on the teen. Some teens are comfortable with traditional talk therapy in an office setting, while others need to draw and doodle, or move around outside. We provide these options, which allow for trust-building with the therapist – an essential ingredient for meaningful conversations, self-exploration and real progress.
Our therapists who offer outdoor “walk and talk” counselling for teens
MSW, RSW
MSW, RSW-C
Our therapists who work with young athletes (performance and pressure)
MSW, RSW
MACP, RCT-C