Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Don Mills, ON.

While I do not work with youth under the age of 16, our clinic has many child and family therapists who are availability to schedule a free consultation. Since children are often impacted by family dynamics, we often find the most effective way to work with children, ages 6-11, is within the context of family therapy. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with one of our child and family therapists by visiting https://www.psychotherapycollective.ca/services/child-and-family-therapy

I began my career working in the field of weight loss in 2002, and joined Wellspring Camps, a U.S. based organization focused on tackling the epidemic of adolescent obesity. In my role as clinical director, I was responsible for completing diagnostic assessments, designing and managing parent initiatives, managing and training the clinical team, and providing mental health treatment at the individual and group level. I work with adolescents ranging from fourteen years of age to twenty-one on a variety of issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression using the principles of psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy.

Child therapy utilizes a number of techniques that allow children to express their thoughts, feelings, and conflicts in order to heal and change their maladaptive behaviours and modes of expression. In play, children learn how to express themselves in constructive ways, to control their behaviour, to make better decisions, and to accept responsibility for their actions. When children can communicate or play out how they feel to someone who understands and validates them, they feel better because their feelings have been released and transformed. This also allows them to form a positive and healthy attachment to a caring adult, further enabling them to develop positive feelings for others.

When doing therapy with young children, my primary goal is to first make them feel safe and comfortable. I use Play Therapy and Emotion Focused techniques to address concerns and help them regulate their emotions to be able to navigate significant changes in their lives. I find that it is helpful to collaborate with parents for a smoother transition of therapy tools into their lives at home. These younger years can greatly impact their adulthood, which makes therapy a useful tool in building long-term resilience. Call today to see if your child’s needs and my expertise are a good fit.

Young children often express their feelings through play, behaviour, and imagination. At Willow Tree Wellness, I provide a warm, safe, and playful environment where children can explore big emotions, build confidence, and develop healthy coping skills. Using child-centered, evidence-based approaches, I support children in understanding their feelings, navigating challenges, and strengthening connections with caregivers. Therapy is gentle, engaging, and focused on helping your child feel seen, supported, and empowered as they grow.

I love working with children!! Children are wired to learn. Often, though, they struggle to communicate their needs, wants and wishes with others in a proper way. Likewise, adults struggle in the same way and/or feel inadequate in coaching their children. Broken communication lines can cause major side effects. This is where I come in. I'm able to connect with most children quit rapidly. I find that whenever children feel understood, they quickly establish a safe bond and share their stories with me. Once this bond is built, most children can't wait to come back to see me for more life coaching/counselling. Parents are always surprised by this.