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Child Counselling: Child and Youth Well-being

Family TLC Hours

Counselling Appointments: 9 AM – 9 PM daily
Office Hours & Booking: 8 AM – 5 PM weekdays

Head Office

160 Bradford Street
Barrie, ON L4N 3B5  
Phone: 705-737-3513  


Family TLC is a group of therapists helping children, teenagers, adults, couples, parents and families living in Barrie, Innisfil, Alliston, Collingwood, and around Simcoe County north to Midland and Orillia and south to Newmarket.

If you answered yes to any of these questions, Family TLC’s child counselling services are here to help. Our expert therapists work with children to develop effective coping strategies, foster emotional resilience, and create a foundation for mental well-being. Together, we can help your child navigate challenges in a supportive, safe, and nurturing environment.

Invest in Your Mental Health!

The Importance of Child Counselling for Mental Health

Child counselling at Family TLC provides a compassionate and supportive space where children and youth can express their thoughts and feelings openly. By using customized therapeutic techniques, our counsellors ensure every session addresses the unique needs of each child, helping them feel understood and valued.

Our services incorporate evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and play therapy. These methods empower children to build healthy coping skills, enhance social interactions, and foster emotional growth, ensuring they are better equipped to handle life’s challenges.

Emily noticed that her son, Dan, had been struggling with his emotions lately. Dan seemed more withdrawn and was having difficulty managing stress. Concerned about her well-being, Emily shared her worries with her sister during lunch. Her sister suggested that they consider professional counselling for Dan, a proven way to address these challenges effectively.

After discussing it together, Emily made the important decision to utilize her employer’s benefits that include coverage for counselling services. This allowed Dan to receive expert care without financial strain. Their commitment to the counselling process led to a lasting positive change in Dan’s emotional and mental health.

Our child therapy sessions are crafted to help children express their emotions safely, develop critical problem-solving skills, and achieve personal growth. Our professional counselling helps children manage stress, build resilience, and navigate their feelings more effectively. Therapy empowers children to face life’s challenges with confidence and a stronger sense of self.

If your employer provides benefits that cover counselling services, it’s a valuable opportunity to prioritize your family’s emotional and psychological well-being without financial stress.

individual counselling

Free 20-minute Consultation 

Find the Right Counsellor for You 

Our Matching Consultant understands the importance of finding the right combination of personality and therapeutic technique to meet your specific needs. They will listen, guide you through your options, and help match you with the ideal counsellor. This session is your opportunity to ask questions and ensure a customized care path that’s tailored for you. 

Therapeutic Modalities and Process of Child Therapy 

Family TLC has developed a five-phase process to guide children through therapy that simplifies and structures the experience. Each phase is designed to provide clarity, foster trust, and ensure steady progress toward emotional and mental well-being.

couples counselling
1

Intake Phase

The intake phase is the foundation of the therapy process. During this phase, our therapists gather essential details about your child’s history, emotional challenges, and goals for therapy. This step helps us develop a customized approach tailored to your child’s unique needs and sets the stage for effective care.

2

Discovery Phase

In the discovery phase, your child begins engaging with the therapist in a safe, welcoming environment. This phase focuses on building a trusting therapeutic relationship, allowing the child to explore and articulate their emotions, thoughts, and challenges comfortably. It lays the groundwork for meaningful growth.

3

Working Phase

During the working phase, the therapist collaborates with your child to address key challenges and develop practical coping skills. This phase emphasizes implementing problem-solving strategies and working on emotional and behavioural goals. It’s a time of active progress, during which the child gains tools for long-term resilience.

4

Check-In Phase

The check-in phase involves regular evaluations to ensure the therapy approach is effective and aligns with your child’s goals. The therapist assesses progress, discusses adjustments, and refines strategies to maximize outcomes. This phase helps maintain focus and accountability throughout the process.

5

Follow-Up Phase

In the follow-up phase, therapy transitions toward long-term success. The focus shifts to reinforcing progress and equipping your child with tools to manage future challenges independently. This phase ensures sustained growth and empowers your child with confidence and resilience beyond the therapy sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Child counselling at Family TLC creates a safe space for children to share their feelings and navigate challenges with professional guidance. It helps them address emotional, behavioural, and social difficulties using evidence-based therapeutic approaches to meet their unique needs.

Building Trust: At Family TLC, building trust is the first and most crucial step in counselling for children and youth. Our therapists, equipped with specialized training, create a safe and non-judgmental environment where children may feel secure expressing their emotions. This trust fosters open communication, allowing children and families to address mental health issues collaboratively and set a foundation for meaningful progress.

Understanding Emotions: Our professionals use creative approaches, such as play therapy or storytelling, to help children articulate their emotions. These techniques are especially effective in providing support for children, making abstract feelings tangible. By encouraging self-awareness, we help children gain clarity about their emotions in a natural and comfortable way, particularly for neurodivergent individuals.

Problem-Solving: Our counselling equips children and adults with practical problem-solving skills applicable to everyday life. Addressing issues like peer conflicts or school stress enables people of all ages to make thoughtful decisions. This approach is particularly helpful in treating anxiety and empowering children to face challenges confidently and creatively.

Behavioural Adjustment: We use evidence-based behaviour therapy techniques to guide children in identifying and modifying unhelpful behaviors. Our therapists introduce small, actionable changes that improve relationships at home, in school, and with peers. These strategies support children and foster a healthier dynamic for families, ensuring long-term growth.

Strength-Based Approach: Our therapists emphasize a strength-based approach to counselling, focusing on each child’s talents and capabilities. Whether through individual sessions or therapy to help address specific needs, we empower children to build resilience and self-esteem. By highlighting their strengths, we help children and youth establish a solid foundation for future success, ensuring they feel supported and capable.

Play therapy at Family TLC leverages the natural medium of play to help children express emotions and work through challenges. This approach is especially effective for younger children who struggle to verbalize their thoughts, offering a non-threatening and engaging communication method.

Natural Expression: Play therapy provides children with a natural and comfortable way to express their emotions without needing words. Toys, games, and creative activities act as a medium for communication, allowing children to convey their thoughts and feelings intuitively and engagingly.

Stress Reduction: Our play therapy sessions offer a safe and nonjudgmental space for children to release stress. By engaging in play, children naturally ease anxiety, which can lead to a greater sense of emotional security and well-being, creating a foundation for deeper therapeutic work.

Skill Development: Children develop problem-solving and social skills through guided play in a supportive environment. Our therapists design activities to enhance collaboration, improve emotional regulation, and foster positive interaction with others, helping children build essential life skills.

Therapist Insight: Play therapy allows therapists to observe a child’s behaviours, patterns, and method of communication in a nonintrusive way. At Family TLC, these insights help our therapists understand underlying emotional or behavioural challenges, enabling them to tailor therapy to the child’s needs.

Emotional Growth: Play therapy promotes emotional resilience by encouraging children to explore their feelings in a safe context. This process helps children develop healthier coping mechanisms and fosters confidence, empowering them to handle future challenges with greater self-assurance.

Family TLC’s counselling services provide adolescents with personalized support to navigate the emotional and mental health challenges unique to their stage of life. These services address identity, stress, relationships, and family dynamics, helping teens become confident and emotionally healthy.

Identity Formation: Adolescence is a crucial period for self-discovery, and Family TLC’s counselling helps children and youth aged 12 to 18 explore their identities. Our child counsellors and registered social workers use child psychology principles to guide teens in reflecting on their values, beliefs, and goals. By tailoring sessions to meet each client’s unique needs, we foster self-confidence and a deeper understanding of who they are.

Stress Management: Teens often face stress from academics, relationships, and major life changes, such as moving to a new school or community. Our counselling services equip teens with tools to manage stress through methods like mindfulness and problem-solving skills. These techniques help youth and adults maintain a healthy emotional balance while managing everyday pressures.

Emotional Regulation: Frequent emotional highs and lows are a natural part of adolescence, but they can be overwhelming without guidance. We provide therapy for kids and teens to help them develop coping strategies and learn thoughtful ways to respond to situations. Therapists use evidence-based methods to teach helpful communication skills, empowering teens to understand their emotions better and avoid impulsive reactions.

Peer Relationship Support: Navigating friendships and social dynamics can be a challenge for teens, especially those who may be experiencing anxiety or social pressure. At Family TLC, we focus on helping individuals address peer conflicts, build confidence, and establish meaningful connections. Our therapists encourage healthy interactions, enabling teens to help kids feel comfortable in their relationships.

Family Dynamics: A supportive home environment is essential for adolescent growth. We offer counselling that strengthens family time by promoting open communication and resolving conflicts. Our therapists work individually or in groups with teens and families to foster stronger bonds, ensuring a healthier, more cohesive household dynamic.

Our therapists, including registered clinical counsellors and Canadian certified counsellors, use evidence-based approaches to address mental health challenges in children and youth. Our team of child therapists counsels children and youth to promote emotional resilience and overall well-being. By fostering a secure environment, we offer strategies to help kids and youth navigate their unique challenges and effectively meet their mental health needs.

Therapeutic Modalities: We offer various types of therapy tailored to meet each client’s unique requirements. Techniques such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and trauma therapy are utilized to address mental health concerns. For children who have experienced trauma, our therapists integrate methods like EMDR and training in trauma care to promote healing and help them develop healthy emotional regulation skills.

Coping Strategies: Our therapists provide children with tools to manage stress and anxiety while teaching problem-solving skills. These coping strategies help children and youth build resilience and address their social or emotional challenges. For example, behaviour therapy focuses on replacing negative patterns with positive habits, ensuring long-term personal growth.

Safe Environment: At Family TLC, our mental health professionals create a safe, non-judgmental space where children can freely explore their emotions. This secure setting encourages them to share their thoughts and feelings comfortably, building trust and paving the way for meaningful progress in therapy.

Behavioural Changes: Our therapists use evidence-based practices to help children and youth replace unhelpful behaviours with constructive ones. Behaviour therapy targets specific patterns to ensure children can develop effective communication methods and positive interaction skills. This approach is particularly beneficial for children managing anxiety or substance use concerns.

Parental Collaboration: Family TLC actively involves parents and guardians in the therapeutic process. Our therapists ensure parents understand their child’s needs by providing individual counselling sessions for individuals and families. This collaborative approach strengthens family bonds and fosters a cohesive support system to reinforce the child’s progress at home.

We offer a variety of evidence-based therapeutic modalities tailored to each child’s specific needs. These approaches provide comprehensive care to address emotional, behavioural, and mental health challenges, ensuring effective and personalized support.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT helps children identify and change negative thought patterns at Family TLC. By addressing unhelpful beliefs and behaviours, this modality fosters healthier coping mechanisms and emotional well-being. CBT is particularly effective for children dealing with anxiety, depression, or stress.

Attachment-Based Therapy: This therapy strengthens the emotional bond between children and their families. It helps resolve family issues, improve communication, and build trust, creating a supportive home environment essential for a child’s mental health.

Trauma-Informed Care: Our trauma-informed care addresses the needs of children who have experienced difficult or distressing events. This approach promotes healing in a safe and non-judgmental space, using methods like trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) to help children regain a sense of well-being.

Behavioural Therapy: Behavioural therapy at Family TLC aims to improve habits and replace negative behaviours with constructive ones. This approach is particularly beneficial for children facing challenges like ADHD or social skill deficits, helping them succeed in both personal and academic settings.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT): DBT teaches mindfulness and emotional regulation skills, helping children manage intense emotions effectively. Our DBT supports children in handling challenging situations with balance and focus, equipping them with lifelong tools to maintain emotional resilience.

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Invest in Your Mental Health!