There is nothing harder than watching your child struggle and not knowing how to help.

Maybe your child has changed.

They're more anxious.

More withdrawn.

More emotional.

More angry.

They're having trouble sleeping.

They're struggling at school.

They're having more meltdowns.

Maybe they're suddenly afraid of being away from you.

Maybe they don't want to talk.

Or maybe they keep saying, "I'm fine," while you know something isn't.

As a parent, you may find yourself wondering:

Is this just a phase?

Am I overreacting?

What happened?

How do I help?

Why won't they talk to me?

Did I do something wrong?

You don't have to figure it out alone.

Adults can often tell us what they're feeling.

Children don't always have that ability yet.

A child may not say:

"I'm experiencing anxiety."

They may complain of a stomachache.

They may refuse school.

They may become irritable.

They may cry.

They may stop participating in activities they once enjoyed.

They may become clingy.

They may have difficulty sleeping.

They may become unusually quiet.

Behaviour is often communication.

A child who is struggling may be communicating something through their behaviour that they don't yet have the words to explain.

Therapy provides a space to understand what may be underneath the behaviour.

Every child has difficult days.

Big emotions, worries, frustration, and changes in behaviour are part of growing up.

Therapy may be helpful when changes are:

• Persistent 
• Increasing in intensity 
• Interfering with school 
• Affecting friendships 
• Affecting family relationships 
• Affecting sleep 
• Affecting eating 
• Affecting daily functioning 
• Creating significant distress 
• Following a major life event 
• Connected to trauma or loss 

You don't need to wait until your child's difficulties become a crisis.

Sometimes early support can make a meaningful difference.

• Anxiety 
• Worry 
• Separation anxiety 
• Emotional regulation 
• Anger 
• Big emotions 
• School difficulties 
• Social difficulties 
• Friendship concerns 
• Low self-esteem 
• Grief and loss 
• Family changes 
• Divorce or separation 
• Trauma 
• Domestic violence 
• Family violence 
• Abuse 
• Sexual violence 
• Exploitation 
• Online exploitation 
• Bullying 
• Major life transitions 
• Changes in behaviour 
• Difficulty adjusting 
• Sleep difficulties 
• Stress 
• Self-confidence 
• Difficulty communicating feelings

Children can experience trauma following many different events.

This may include:

• Violence 
• Abuse 
• Domestic violence 
• Family violence 
• Sexual violence 
• Exploitation 
• Human trafficking 
• Online exploitation 
• Serious accidents 
• Medical experiences 
• Sudden loss 
• Separation 
• Exposure to frightening events 
• Other experiences that overwhelm their ability to cope 

A child's response to trauma may look very different from an adult's.

They may become:

Angry.

Clingy.

Withdrawn.

Fearful.

Numb.

Defiant.

Hyperactive.

Quiet.

Difficult to settle.

Or they may appear completely fine.

That doesn't necessarily mean they aren't affected.

One of the biggest concerns parents have is:

"My child won't tell me what is wrong."

Children may not talk because they:

• Don't have the words 
• Don't understand what they're feeling 
• Are afraid of getting into trouble 
• Don't want to upset their parents 
• Feel ashamed 
• Are protecting someone 
• Are afraid of consequences 
• Don't know that what happened wasn't okay 
• Don't want to revisit something painful 
• Believe adults won't understand 
• Are simply not ready 

Therapy does not need to begin with a child telling their entire story.

Safety and trust come first.

A therapist can build a relationship with a child gradually and create opportunities for them to communicate in ways that feel safe and developmentally appropriate.

Children often communicate through play.

Children may communicate through:

• Play 
• Drawing 
• Stories 
• Imagination 
• Movement 
• Games 
• Behaviour 
• Conversation 
• Creative activities 

Therapy with children should not feel like an adult sitting across from a child asking them to explain their emotions for an hour.

It should be developmentally appropriate.

It should feel safe.

And it should allow the child to be a child.

Children can experience nervous system activation just like adults.

They may become:

• Overwhelmed 
• Restless 
• Anxious 
• Angry 
• Impulsive 
• Shut down 
• Quiet 
• Exhausted 
• Disconnected 

Learning about the nervous system can help children understand:

"There isn't something wrong with me. My body is responding to something."

Therapy can help children learn age-appropriate ways to recognize and regulate these states.

This may include:

• Breathing 
• Movement 
• Grounding 
• Sensory strategies 
• Mindfulness 
• Body awareness 
• Emotional identification 
• Co-regulation 
• Developing safe coping strategies 

Anxiety in children can look different from anxiety in adults.

A child may:

• Worry excessively 
• Ask for repeated reassurance 
• Avoid activities 
• Refuse school 
• Have difficulty separating from parents 
• Complain of physical symptoms 
• Have difficulty sleeping 
• Become irritable 
• Fear making mistakes 
• Become perfectionistic 
• Avoid trying new things 
• Constantly seek reassurance 

They may not say:

"I'm anxious."

They may simply say:

"I can't."

"I don't want to."

"I'm scared."

"My stomach hurts."

Therapy can help children understand their anxiety and develop tools for responding to it.

Some children experience emotions intensely.

A small frustration can become a huge reaction.

A child may:

• Yell 
• Cry 
• Hit 
• Throw things 
• Run away 
• Shut down 
• Refuse to communicate 
• Become overwhelmed 

This doesn't mean the child is "bad."

It may mean they don't yet have the skills to regulate what they're experiencing.

Therapy can help children develop those skills while helping parents understand what may be happening underneath the behaviour.

Therapy is always adapted to the child's developmental level and individual needs.

Depending on the child, therapy may incorporate:

Trauma-Informed Therapy

Creating a therapeutic environment based on safety, trust, choice, and empowerment.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Helping children understand connections between thoughts, feelings, body responses, and behaviours.

Somatic Approaches

Helping children notice and understand what happens in their bodies when they experience stress or strong emotions.

Mindfulness

Introducing age-appropriate strategies for attention, awareness, and emotional regulation.

Solution-Focused Therapy

Helping children identify strengths, resources, successes, and possibilities.

Play & Creative Approaches

Using developmentally appropriate activities to help children communicate and explore their experiences.

Nervous System Regulation

Teaching children practical strategies for recognizing and responding to activation, overwhelm, and shutdown.

Parent Support & Family Work

Helping parents understand their child's needs and develop strategies to support regulation, connection, and communication at home.

Children can struggle with major changes even when adults believe they are coping well.

This may include:

• Divorce 
• Separation 
• Remarriage 
• New siblings 
• Moving 
• School changes 
• Family conflict 
• Loss of a loved one 
• Changes in parenting arrangements 
• A parent beginning a new relationship 
• A parent experiencing mental health or substance-related difficulties 
• Other significant changes 

Children may not understand or be able to explain what these changes mean for them.

Therapy can give them a safe place to process the changes and express their feelings.

Together, we can help your child understand themselves, develop the tools they need, and move toward feeling safer, more confident, and more connected.

Child and youth therapy for anxiety, emotional regulation, trauma, family changes, relationships, exploitation, and more.

In-person therapy in Northumberland County, located in Port Hope. Virtual counselling available throughout Ontario, Canada, and worldwide.

Children can be affected by violence in the home even when they are not directly physically harmed.

They may hear arguments.

See injuries.

Sense fear.

Witness controlling behaviour.

Become protective of a parent.

Feel responsible.

Try to keep the peace.

Become hypervigilant.

Or learn to constantly monitor the emotional environment around them.

Children can be deeply affected by living in an environment where they don't feel safe.

Trauma-informed therapy can help them understand their responses, develop emotional regulation skills, and rebuild their sense of safety.

Children and youth may also experience grooming, sexual exploitation, online exploitation, sextortion, or other forms of manipulation and abuse.

These experiences can be particularly difficult because children may:

• Feel ashamed 
• Feel responsible 
• Fear getting into trouble 
• Protect the person who harmed them 
• Believe they are in a relationship 
• Fear losing access to someone they care about 
• Be threatened 
• Be manipulated through technology 
• Not understand that they are being exploited 
• 
  

Therapy can provide a safe, non-judgmental space to begin understanding what happened and developing a stronger sense of safety, boundaries, and self-worth.

Parent support is also available when a child or youth has experienced exploitation.

What age children do you work with?

Burch Counselling and Consultation offers support for children and youth based on the therapists' individual areas of practice, experience, and availability. If you're unsure whether your child's age or concerns are a good fit, contact the clinic to discuss your situation.

What happens during a child's first session?

The first session generally involves learning about what brought your child to therapy, understanding their current circumstances, and beginning to build a therapeutic relationship. Depending on the child's age, parent involvement may be part of the initial process.

Does my child have to talk to the therapist?

No. Children communicate in many different ways. Therapy can incorporate conversation, play, creative activities, movement, and other developmentally appropriate approaches.

Do parents stay in the therapy room?

This depends on the child's age, needs, therapeutic goals, and the therapist's approach. Parent involvement can be adjusted over time.

What if my child refuses therapy?

This is common, particularly when a child doesn't understand why they're being asked to attend. Building trust and giving children some sense of choice can be an important part of the process.

Can therapy help with anxiety?

Yes. Therapy can help children understand anxiety, recognize what happens in their bodies, identify anxious thoughts, and develop age-appropriate coping and regulation strategies.

Can therapy help after trauma?

Yes. Trauma-informed therapy can help children process difficult experiences while developing safety, emotional regulation, coping skills, and resilience.

Do you work with children who have experienced domestic violence?

Yes. Children can be affected by exposure to violence and conflict in the home even when they are not directly physically harmed. Therapy can provide support for their emotional and nervous system responses. There may be funding available to support counselling for the  impacted victim and family members, contact us to inquire.

Do you work with children who have experienced online exploitation?

Yes, where appropriate. Therapy can support children and youth affected by grooming, online exploitation, sextortion, image-based abuse, and related trauma. Parent support may also be an important part of the therapeutic process. There may be funding available to support counselling for the  impacted victim and family members, contact us to inquire.

Can parents receive support too?

Yes. Supporting a child can be emotionally difficult, particularly following trauma, violence, exploitation, or major family changes. Parent consultation and support may be incorporated when appropriate.

Is child therapy confidential?

Confidentiality and its limits will be discussed with parents and the child in an age-appropriate way. Children's privacy is important to developing trust, while therapists also have professional and legal responsibilities regarding safety.

Do you offer virtual therapy for children?

Virtual therapy may be appropriate for some children and families depending on age, developmental needs, presenting concerns, and circumstances. The therapist can discuss whether virtual care is a good fit.

For more frequently asked questions, please visit our FAQ page.