meet our child counsellors
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Alissa Caskey
In my therapeutic work with children, I integrate principles of attachment theory with techniques designed to enhance emotional regulation. ...read more
...Recognizing the importance of secure attachments, I create a nurturing and accepting space that allows children to express themselves and learn to manage their emotions through play and interaction. This approach not only supports their immediate well-being but also lays the groundwork for healthy emotional development.
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Amy Wolgemuth
Beneath every behaviour there is a feeling and beneath each feeling there is a need. When we meet that need rather than focusing on the behaviour, we begin to deal with the cause, not the symptoms.” - Ashleigh Warner. This is my philosophy in my work with children ages 3-12...read more
...Through my play-based, child-led approach I support children to recognize and express their emotions, develop positive coping skills, build self-confidence, nurture their curiosity and creativity, and gain resilience.
Whether your child is experiencing school challenges, difficulties regulating emotions, having a hard time relating to siblings or peers, or navigating grief and loss, I provide a therapeutic environment that will hold space for all of their emotions. I use a variety of play-based techniques, interactive and creative tools, and cognitive-behavioral strategies to help your child process their experience in a healthy, developmentally appropriate way.
Working with children and families has always been a passion of mine. My professional background includes working with hospitalized children and providing support to families of children with cancer. These professional experiences have helped me understand how adverse early childhood experiences can lead to challenges later in life if children are not supported with tools, resources, and a safe environment to process their experience.
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Brittany Imperadeiro
Children have this wonderful curiosity of the world and a resilience like no other. Pulling from my experiences of early childhood development and working as a behavior therapist within schools and preschools, I have come to appreciate the unique approach to working with children. ..read more
...Building on the foundations of a therapeutic relationship, I approach my work with kids through playfulness, curiosity, and providing developmentally appropriate information in a manner that supports your child’s own unique qualities and needs. Additionally, I feel it is important to work in collaboration with caregivers and parents in order to best support your child and their progress as a lot of growth and change happens outside of the therapy room and connection is a huge foundation for children.
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Chad Bodnar
“The greatest gift a parent has to give a child - is emotionally attuned attention and timely responsiveness.” – Dr. Sue Johnson
As a trauma-focused psychologist with a specialization in working with children, my mission is to establish a safe and engaging space for young ones to express themselves, employing play therapy and developmentally appropriate techniques. ...read more
In our sessions, I seamlessly integrate play therapy, recognizing the significance of play as a natural medium for children to communicate and process their emotions. Through carefully selected activities, I tailor interventions to match the unique developmental needs of each child.
Emotionally focused therapy forms a cornerstone of my practice, allowing me to delve into the emotional landscape of children, fostering a secure and trusting therapeutic relationship. This approach enables us to navigate through their experiences, helping them build resilience and emotional intelligence.
Acknowledging the vital role of parents, I actively engage in building strong parental relationships. I provide parental support through psychoeducation and guidance, equipping parents with tools to understand and respond to their child's needs effectively. Our collaborative journey is grounded in a commitment to building a supportive environment both within and outside the therapy room. I strive to create a bridge between the child's therapeutic experience and their home life, promoting continuity in their emotional development.
“Play is the work of the child” – Maria Montessori
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Christine Crocker
As a Registered Psychologist trained in Marriage and Family Therapy, I believe that relationships are central to the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities... read more
Christine Crocker is a Registered Psychologist who has been providing services to families, couples and individuals since 2007, both in private practice and for agencies. Christine has a Masters in Science in Marital and Family Therapy through Loma Linda University and a Bachelor of Science Specialization awarded from the University of Alberta. Christine holds membership in good standing with the College of Alberta Psychologists (Reg# 3311) and the Psychologist Association of Alberta.
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Cynthia Smith
Play is a child's medium through which they best communicate, and through which they can express their inner thoughts and feelings. This expression is important to their healing and growth. As such, my work with children uses play-based therapy approaches. I have worked with children and their families for almost 20 years... read more
I believe that my role in working with children and their families is to help families be a happier and healthier family unit. It is very important for parents to be part of the counselling journey with their children, as not only are they the experts on their own children, but they are also their child's main source of support and comfort. As such, I encourage a high level of involvement to help facilitate healing and growth, but to also ensure that parents also feel supported, and that they have the information and tools to support their child.
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Jean-Luc Roy
With the use of talk therapy, children aged ten and up can work to harness their therapeutic space to inspire an environment of openness and safety that will encourage them to share and express their emotions and thoughts in constructive ways. ...read more
I seek to answer the question often asked by parents "what is really bothering my child?" and then work with parent and child to alleviate the emotional distress and discomfort in their child's life.
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Jennifer Charlicki
My approach in working with children is quite similar to my approach in working with adults. I think oftentimes we don't give children enough credit for how much they understand and just how much they're capable of...read more
think the important part is to be developmentally appropriate in how we have certain conversations with children. My approach is quite playful, and I work at empowering children to be open about how they're feeling, challenges they may be
facing, and how to express their needs.
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Lindsey McColl
I work with children as young as four years old, primarily through play and hands-on activities... read more
With this age range, I work closely with caregivers to support development and behaviour. I also work with parents on topics such as building relationships and parenting.
“Why follow a child’s lead? That’s our ultimate goal for entering their shared world- to help them be empathetic, creative, logical, reflective individuals” – Dr. Stanley Greenspan
Lindsey 's Full Bio
Marti Lysek-Behiels
I am a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists and a member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, families and couples in a variety of
settings including non for profit and school settings... read more
I work with children using the PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy) approach. I incorporate art, mindfulness and Theraplay techniques in order to support children to express and to process how they are feeling, and to guide them to better regulate their emotions and to manage their behavior for their developmental age.
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Nikita Eglinski
Children have a unique perspective, as they process and interact with the world around them for the first time. Fostering positive thought patterns about themselves and their potential as they continue to develop is a key component within child psychology. ...read more
...Studies show that learning how to articulate and understand one’s emotions from a young age leads to better emotional regulation as an adult. Therefore, when working with children, I believe it is important to focus on emotional processing and regulation by working with each client and their respective support systems. By creating a team with parents and their children, support through the therapy process can be effective. Through play therapy techniques, client-led direction within sessions, and a willingness to engage with children on their level of understanding, I believe we can create tools to set child clients up for success throughout their developmental years.
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Sabrina Roach
Our children are our future. As adults, we should guide them to build emotional security and learn positive ways to regulate big emotions. Since we are not born with these coping skills, this is where therapy can benefit both you and your child in learning ways to self-soothe and co-regulate. ...read more
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I approach my work with children similarly to how I approach all of my clients, through an attachment-based framework. I have a deep respect and curiosity when children interrelate and communicate through interactive play. It takes time and maturity for the brain to develop and integrate complex experiences into the psyche.
I currently see children eight years and older. The first few sessions should be close together to gain an alliance with the child. Following that, I can assess the child’s needs and work with the guardians to create a collaborative plan to help the client develop and utilize skills they can use at home and within public settings.
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Viktoriia Brzhezytska
Childhood is a special time of life. This is a time of rapid development of body, brain, and psyche. A time when family in which a child grows up, relationships and the atmosphere in it are so important. ...read more
...We know from research on human development how important the experience of child attachment with parents is, how important for a child to have their basic emotional needs fulfilled early on within their family. My focus in therapy with children is to help the family in a safe and caring atmosphere, to understand the behavior and needs of the child. I work with parents so that together, we can help the child with whatever challenges they may face at school, in relationships with peers, in discovering the world, their emotions and themself.
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