Child Counselling
Child Counselling at Achieve Balance Counselling
Your child’s journey to emotional balance and well-being is unique, and at Achieve Balance Counselling, we are here to guide and support both you and your child every step of the way. Childhood is a time of growth and discovery, but it can also come with emotional challenges that feel confusing or overwhelming—for children and parents alike.
Our child counselling services provide a safe, nurturing, and creative therapeutic environment where children can explore their emotions, develop coping skills, and build confidence. Using a child-centred approach, we incorporate play, sand, art, movement, and individualized strategies to help children express what may be difficult to put into words. Together, we explore your child’s emotions, strengths, and challenges while supporting meaningful and lasting growth.
A Child-Centred, Creative Approach to Emotional Well-Being
At Achieve Balance Counselling, we believe children heal best when they feel emotionally safe, understood, and respected. Our approach to child counselling is intentionally child-centred, meaning therapy is guided by your child’s unique needs, personality, interests, and developmental stage.
Rather than relying solely on conversation, we use play-based and creative therapeutic methods that allow children to communicate naturally. Through play, sand tray work, art, and hands-on activities, children are able to explore their inner world in ways that feel safe and engaging. These methods help children express emotions, experiences, and worries that may otherwise remain unspoken.
Together with caregivers, we set goals that support your child’s emotional growth, self-awareness, and overall well-being. Therapy is tailored to each child, allowing sessions to evolve as your child grows and their needs change.
Signs Your Child May Benefit from Counselling
Children often express distress through changes in behaviour rather than words. If your child is struggling emotionally, you may notice signs that something feels “off,” even if they cannot clearly explain what they are experiencing.
Child counselling can be helpful if your child is facing challenges such as:
Difficulty regulating emotions, leading to meltdowns, frustration, or emotional withdrawal
Signs of anxiety in new or familiar situations
Struggles with transitions or changes in routine
Challenges forming or maintaining friendships
Resistance to attending school or participating in activities
Children may also benefit from counselling when coping with the effects of bullying, navigating neurodivergence in relation to others, adjusting to family changes, or processing traumatic experiences. These challenges can significantly affect a child’s daily life, relationships, and sense of self. Early support can help prevent difficulties from becoming more deeply rooted over time.
How Child Counselling Supports Growth, Resilience, and Confidence
Our goal in child counselling is not only to reduce challenging behaviours but to help children better understand themselves and feel more confident navigating the world around them. Through counselling, children gain skills and insights that support long-term emotional health.
Child counselling at Achieve Balance Counselling helps children:
Gain an understanding of emotional challenges and triggers
Develop healthy strategies to manage and express emotions effectively
Build resilience and coping skills for anxiety and stress
Learn to navigate bullying, peer conflict, and social challenges
Improve social skills and strengthen peer relationships
Feel supported through life transitions and changes
Foster a healthier, happier daily life through creative and engaging methods
We are also committed to supporting neurodivergent children in identifying their strengths, building self-acceptance, and feeling comfortable being who they are. Therapy focuses on honouring each child’s individuality while helping them develop tools to thrive in their relationships and environments.
Therapeutic Methods Tailored to Your Child’s Needs
Achieve Balance Counselling offers a thoughtful blend of directive and non-directive therapeutic approaches, allowing therapy to be flexible and responsive to your child’s needs. Some children benefit from gentle guidance and skill-building, while others need space to lead the process through play and creativity.
Our counsellors draw from a range of evidence-informed approaches, including:
Play therapy, supporting emotional expression and regulation through play
Sand tray therapy, allowing children to explore experiences and emotions through metaphor and imagery
Art-based therapy, encouraging creativity and emotional processing
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), when appropriate, to support trauma processing
Outdoor and movement-based activities, when suitable, to support regulation and connection
These approaches help children feel engaged, supported, and empowered while building emotional awareness and confidence. Synergetic Play Therapy (SPT) heavily influences the way we work. If you would like to learn more about SPT, you can do so here.
Partnering with Parents and Creating a Safe Environment
We recognize that parents and caregivers play a vital role in a child’s emotional development. While individual sessions focus on your child, we value collaboration with families and offer guidance and support along the way. When appropriate, we help caregivers better understand their child’s emotional needs and provide practical strategies that can be used at home.
At Achieve Balance Counselling, your child will be welcomed into a warm, creative, and supportive environment designed to promote emotional safety. We believe that healing and growth happen best when children feel accepted, seen, and free to be themselves.
If you are wondering whether child counselling is right for your family, we invite you to reach out. Together, we can explore how to support your child’s emotional well-being and help them move toward a more balanced, confident, and joyful life.
Frequently asked questions about play therapy
How does play therapy work?
Play therapy is collaborative and tailored to each child. It focuses on understanding their feelings and behaviours. Techniques within the play, sand, art, and movement help children to work through whatever is bringing them to counselling and to learn how to express and manage their emotions. Feedback from and to parents/caregivers is crucial to ensure the therapy aligns with your child’s needs.
How can I tell if my child needs counselling?
Signs may include things such as emotional outbursts, withdrawal, trouble in school, or changes in behavior. Counselling can help address these issues and improve overall well-being.
How do we get started?
Please fill out the Counselling Inquiry Form for New Clients to put in a counselling application and we will reach out to you within one week. When we have a space to start seeing your child you will start with an Intake Session which will help your child’s counsellor to understand your child’s needs and how they can help. This Intake Session will also allow you to decide if you believe the counsellor will be a good fit for your child.