Child and Youth Counselling Calgary
Curio Counselling provides child and youth counselling in Calgary for kids and teens ages 3 to 17 — in person at our Beltline office at 1414 8 St SW, Suite 200, and online across Alberta.
Our child and teen therapists include Registered Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists, a Professional Art Psychotherapist, and Canadian Certified Counsellors certified by the CCPA. We match the approach to your child’s developmental stage — play therapy and art therapy for younger children, talk-based counselling and EMDR for teens — because what helps a 6-year-old is rarely what helps a 16-year-old.
Whether your child is navigating anxiety, ADHD, school and social pressures, self-harm, or a family in transition, we work alongside parents, not around them. Book a free 20-minute consultation and we will match your child with the right therapist.
What Is Child & Youth Counselling?
Child counselling in Calgary covers a wide age span, and the one thing it is not is a single method. Child and youth counselling is therapy delivered in the way a young person can actually use it. A four-year-old cannot sit across from a stranger and describe what is bothering them; a sixteen-year-old usually can, but will not do it for someone they did not choose. The work therefore changes shape with age.
Three things decide the format: your child’s developmental stage, what they are actually struggling with, and how much of the difficulty sits in the family system rather than in the child. Broadly:
- Ages 3–10 — play-based work, because young children process experience through play rather than conversation.
- Ages 8–12 — a blend of play, art and conversation, shifting as the child becomes able to name feelings directly.
- Ages 12–17 — primarily talk-based, often with creative or somatic approaches alongside.
The overlap is deliberate. An anxious eleven-year-old may still need play-based work; a self-possessed nine-year-old may talk readily. Counselling here is for children and teens whose difficulties are getting in the way of ordinary life — school, sleep, friendships, family. It is not a diagnosis, an assessment, or a report for a school or court.
Child Counselling for Young Children, Ages 3–10
Young children process experience through play rather than conversation. A trained play therapist uses toys, sand trays, art materials and storytelling so a child can work through anxiety, behavioural difficulties, family changes, grief and trauma without needing the vocabulary to explain them. Talk-based therapy at this age usually does not work — children this young do not yet have the verbal abstraction to discuss feelings directly.
Parents are closely involved at this stage. Your therapist may invite you into part or all of a session, and parent coaching sessions are common, because with young children a great deal of the change happens through the parent-child relationship rather than in the room alone.
A first course of work often looks like this: an intake with parents, several play-based sessions with your child, and parent sessions interleaved to translate what is emerging into what to do differently at home.
Counselling for Tweens, Ages 8–12
Between roughly eight and twelve, children move from playing out their experience to being able to name it. Sessions in this band blend play-based, art-based and conversation-based work, and the balance shifts gradually as the child becomes more able and more willing to talk. The shift is driven by the child, not by a fixed age.
Sessions are usually private at this stage, with regular parent updates. That combination matters: tweens are old enough to want their own space and young enough that the household still shapes most of what happens to them, so your therapist keeps you informed at a thematic level while protecting the privacy that makes the sessions work.
Common reasons families come at this age: anxiety, friendship difficulties and bullying, school stress, self-esteem, big emotional reactions, and adjusting to family change.
Teen Counselling in Calgary, Ages 12–17
Teen counselling is primarily talk-based, often integrated with creative or somatic approaches and, where trauma is involved, EMDR or cognitive behavioural therapy. Teens commonly come for anxiety, depression, identity, social and academic pressure, family conflict, ADHD, eating concerns, self-harm and life transitions. Young people 18 and over are seen through individual counselling.
Two things make teen therapy work, and both are about control. The first is choice: a teen who picks their own therapist engages differently from one who is delivered to an appointment. The second is privacy: what your teen shares in individual sessions stays between them and their therapist, because that is what allows them to say the thing they have not said to anyone.
Safety is the exception, and it is not negotiable. Serious risk of harm to themselves or others, disclosed abuse, and situations requiring legal reporting are always shared with parents. Everything else is shared at the level of themes rather than transcripts, through parent check-ins or, with your teen’s consent, three-way sessions.
If your teen has said no: forcing attendance rarely works, because therapy runs on the relationship with the therapist. What works better is framing it as one conversation rather than a commitment, starting with the free 20-minute consultation, and letting them choose who they talk to. If they still refuse, parent-only sessions are a legitimate starting point.
What Can Child & Youth Counselling Help With?
Curio Counselling works with children and teens experiencing:
- Anxiety, worry and panic — including school refusal, separation anxiety, perfectionism and test anxiety. See anxiety therapy in Calgary.
- Low mood and depression — withdrawal, loss of interest, irritability, changes in sleep or appetite. See depression counselling.
- Big emotions and behaviour — meltdowns, aggression, defiance, or shutdown that has outgrown what the household can absorb. See emotion regulation counselling.
- ADHD and neurodivergence — support with regulation, routines, self-image and school demands. See ADHD therapy.
- Trauma, abuse and frightening experiences — including EMDR for teens where appropriate.
- Self-harm and suicidal thoughts — with a clear safety plan and parents informed of risk.
- Family change — separation, divorce, a parent’s new partner, a move, a new school, a death in the family.
- Friendships, bullying and social skills — navigating peer groups, exclusion, and online social pressure.
- Self-esteem and identity — including support for LGBTQ+ young people.
- Eating and body image concerns — early support and, where a higher level of care is needed, a referral.
- Grief and loss — of a person, a pet, a home, or a family as it used to be.
Where the difficulty is mostly between people rather than inside your child, family counselling in Calgary may be the better starting point — sometimes on its own, often alongside individual sessions.
How Parents Are Involved
Parent Involvement by Age Group
Ages 3–10 — you are often in the room for part or all of a session, and parent coaching sessions are a standard part of the work. With young children, much of the change happens through you.
Ages 8–12 — sessions are usually private, with regular updates to you on themes and progress rather than session content.
Ages 12–17 — sessions are private. You stay informed through scheduled parent check-ins, three-way meetings with your teen’s consent, and family sessions where relevant.
At every age — safety information comes to you: serious risk of harm, disclosed abuse, and anything requiring legal reporting. For children under 12, confidentiality is structured differently from teen work and parents are typically more involved throughout.
If you are unsure how much involvement is right, raise it at the consultation. It is a normal question, and the answer is a decision you make with the therapist rather than a rule you are handed.
What Happens in the First Appointment?
Most families start with the free 20-minute consultation, which is a conversation with the therapist rather than an assessment. The first full appointment then usually involves parents — either for the whole session or the first part of it — so your therapist can hear the history, the timeline and what you have already tried, before meeting your child.
Your therapist will ask about:
- What is happening, when it started, and what makes it better or worse
- Sleep, appetite, school, friendships and routines
- Family circumstances and any recent changes
- Previous assessments, diagnoses or counselling
- What you and your child each want to be different
By the end of that session you should know who will attend future appointments, how you will be kept informed, roughly how often you will meet, and what the therapist is aiming at first.
If a different service is a better fit — family counselling, a psychoeducational assessment, or a medical referral — you should hear that in the first session rather than the fifth. See what to expect.
Should the parent attend the first appointment? For children under 12, yes. For teens, most therapists start with a parent portion and then time alone with the young person — and some teens do better if the first session is theirs alone. Ask at the consultation and your therapist will set it up either way.
Therapy Approaches We Use
Child therapy in Calgary is often shopped for by modality — parents arrive asking for play therapy or CBT by name. The modality is a tool, not the treatment plan. No child gets one approach for the length of therapy; your therapist selects and combines based on age, presenting concern, and what the young person responds to.
Play therapy — for younger children, using toys, sand tray and storytelling as the medium of communication. See play therapy in Calgary.
Art therapy — delivered by a Professional Art Psychotherapist, for children and teens who express more through images and materials than through speech. See art therapy.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — structured work on the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that keep anxiety and low mood running, adapted to the young person’s developmental level. See CBT in Calgary.
EMDR — for teens processing trauma or distressing memories, where the difficulty is stored rather than talked through. See EMDR.
Talk-based counselling — the core of teen work: a consistent, private relationship in which a young person can think out loud.
Family and parent involvement — parent coaching, parent check-ins and, where the pattern sits in the family system, family counselling alongside or instead of individual sessions.
Book a Free,
20 Minute Consultation
Whether you are considering accessing counselling services for the first time, or hoping to find a therapist who is new to you, we want to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible.
That is why we offer a free, no-obligation, 20-minute phone or video consultation with the Calgary therapist of your choice.
Our Calgary Child & Teen Therapists
Our child and teen therapists hold master’s-level qualifications in counselling, counselling psychology, or clinical art psychotherapy, and each is registered with the regulatory or professional body governing their designation — the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) for our Registered and Provisional Psychologists, the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) for our Canadian Certified Counsellors, the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA) for our Professional Art Psychotherapist, and the Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA) for our Counselling Therapists. Individual designations, degrees and memberships are listed on each therapist’s profile.
Registered Psychologist
Registered Psychologist Calgary
Professional Art Psychotherapist, Counselling Therapist
Counselling Therapist
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Canadian Certified Counsellor, Counselling Therapist
Canadian Certified Counsellor, Registered Nurse
Canadian Certified Counsellor
Canadian Certified Counsellor
Canadian Certified Counsellor
Canadian Certified Counsellor
The Safe Space
Our counselling spaces are designed to make you feel comfortable and safe. Upon entering a counselling room, you are welcome to choose whichever seat you would like. Feel free to put your feet up, drape a blanket over yourself, or even lie down.
Our Location
You can expect to be greeted by our receptionist, invited to take a seat in our waiting area, and offered a beverage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child & Youth Counselling
What ages do you work with, and how do you decide between play therapy, child counselling, and teen counselling?
At Curio Counselling, we work with children and youth from preschool age through age 17, and the right modality depends on developmental stage rather than chronological age:
- Play therapy (typically ages 3–10): Young children process emotions through play, not conversation. A trained play therapist uses toys, sand trays, art, and storytelling to help children work through anxiety, behavioural challenges, family changes (divorce, new sibling, moves), grief, and trauma. Talk-based therapy at this age usually doesn't work — kids don't yet have the verbal abstraction to discuss feelings directly.
- Child counselling (typically ages 8–12): A blend of play-based, art-based, and conversation-based approaches. The shift from play to talk happens gradually and is driven by the child, not a fixed age.
- Teen / youth counselling (typically ages 12–17): Primarily talk-based therapy, often integrated with creative or somatic approaches. Issues commonly include anxiety, depression, identity, social pressures, family conflict, ADHD, eating concerns, self-harm, and life transitions.
- Family counselling: Often runs alongside individual work for the child or teen, especially when the issue involves family dynamics.
If you're not sure which is right for your child, your free 20-minute consultation is the right place to figure it out — your therapist will recommend the format that fits.
What will the therapist tell me about my teen's sessions, and what stays private?
Confidentiality with minors is more layered than it is with adults, and your therapist will walk through it with both you and your teen at the start. The general framework at Curio:
- What your teen shares in their individual sessions stays between them and their therapist — this confidentiality is what allows them to actually open up. If your teen knew everything would be reported back, therapy wouldn't work.
- Safety concerns are always shared with parents. This includes serious risk of harm to themselves (active suicidal planning, severe self-harm), risk of harm to others, abuse they're disclosing, or any situation requiring legal reporting.
- Therapeutic process and themes can be shared — your therapist may share what they're working on at a general level ("we're focusing on anxiety management") without disclosing specific content your teen has shared.
- Parent check-ins are common — your therapist will often schedule periodic parent meetings or three-way sessions to keep you informed and aligned. The structure is negotiated upfront.
- For children under 12, confidentiality is structured differently — parents are typically more involved in the therapeutic process, and the work is more transparent by design.
This is something you can discuss in detail with your therapist before any sessions begin.
My teen says they don't want to come. How do I bring them without forcing it?
The honest answer: forcing a teen into therapy rarely works. Therapy depends on the relationship between teen and therapist, and that relationship can't form if your teen feels coerced. What works better:
- Frame it as a try, not a commitment. "Come to one session, see if you like the person. If not, we don't have to go back." Keeps the door open without forcing buy-in.
- Start with a free 20-minute consultation, not a full session. Lower stakes, lower pressure, and your teen gets veto power on whether to continue with that therapist.
- Let them choose the therapist. Show them the bios on our team page and let them pick who feels like the best fit. Ownership matters — even small choices change the dynamic.
- Offer virtual as an option. Some teens find video sessions less intimidating than walking into an office, especially in the beginning.
- Don't oversell it. Don't promise "they'll fix everything" or position therapy as a punishment. Keep your framing neutral: "I think you've got things going on that an outside person could help with."
- Consider starting with parent-only sessions. Sometimes the most effective starting point is parents working with a therapist on how to support their teen — therapy that ripples outward without the teen ever entering the room.
If your teen genuinely refuses, that's information too. A consultation is still worth doing — your therapist can help you decide what to do next.
Can I be in the room during my child's sessions, and how involved will I be in the therapy?
It depends on your child's age and the goals of therapy. The general approach at Curio:
- Young children (ages 3–10): Parents are often more involved early on. Your therapist may invite you into part or all of the session, especially in the beginning. As the therapeutic relationship builds, your child may have time alone with their therapist to express themselves more freely. Parent coaching sessions (without your child present) are common for this age range — much of the change happens through the parent.
- Older children (ages 8–12): The session is usually private between your child and the therapist, with regular parent updates and check-ins. Your child needs space to develop their own voice in therapy, but parent collaboration is still essential.
- Teens (ages 13–17): Sessions are private. Your involvement happens through scheduled parent check-ins, three-way meetings (with your teen's consent), or family sessions when relevant. Sitting in on a teen's sessions typically undermines the therapy.
Your therapist will set this up clearly in your first session and adjust as therapy progresses. Parent involvement isn't all-or-nothing — it's a calibrated, ongoing decision.
How do I know if what my child is going through needs counselling, or if it's just normal development?
A lot of what looks worrying is developmentally normal. A 4-year-old having big tantrums, a 9-year-old going through a rough phase after a friendship change, a 14-year-old becoming moody and withdrawn — these can all be part of healthy development. Counselling is worth considering when you notice any of the following:
- Duration: the difficulty has lasted more than a few weeks and isn't improving
- Intensity: the emotional reactions are bigger than what the situation seems to warrant, or your child seems to have lost their usual ability to bounce back
- Functioning: school performance, friendships, sleep, appetite, or daily routines are noticeably affected
- Withdrawal: they've pulled away from people and activities they used to enjoy
- Self-harm or suicidal language: any mention, even in passing, warrants immediate attention
- A major life event: divorce, death, move, illness in the family, bullying, or trauma — even if your child seems "fine," processing support is often valuable
- Neurodivergence concerns: suspected ADHD, autism, learning differences — counselling can help with the emotional layer regardless of formal assessment status
- Your gut tells you something's off. Parental intuition is real clinical data. If you're worried enough to be searching, a free consultation will tell you whether therapy is needed or whether what you're seeing is age-appropriate.
There's no harm in booking a consultation just to ask — it's free, and our therapists will tell you honestly whether they think therapy is the right next step or whether your child is doing okay without it.
How much does child and youth counselling cost in Calgary?
Child and youth counselling at Curio Counselling costs $200 per hour with a Canadian Certified Counsellor, $230 per hour with a Registered Provisional Psychologist, and $230 per hour with a Registered Psychologist. The same rates apply whether the session is with your child, your teen, or a parent.
For context, the Psychologists' Association of Alberta's recommended rate is $235 per 50-minute session, so Curio's rates sit below the Calgary average. Every family can start with a free, no-obligation 20-minute consultation to make sure the therapist is the right fit before committing to a session.
Is child and youth counselling covered by insurance in Alberta?
Often, yes — but it depends on your plan and your therapist's designation. A few things to check:
- Most extended health and employee benefit plans in Alberta cover sessions with a Registered Psychologist or Registered Provisional Psychologist. A child's or teen's therapy is usually claimed under the parent's or guardian's plan as a dependent.
- Coverage for Canadian Certified Counsellors varies more by insurer — check whether your plan covers "counselling" or only "psychological services."
- Alberta Health Care does not cover private therapy for children or youth.
Before your first session, confirm your annual maximum, your per-session reimbursement percentage, whether dependents are covered, and which practitioner designations your plan accepts. Curio provides receipts with all credentials listed so you can submit your claim.
How long does child and youth counselling take, and how often do we meet?
Sessions are booked hourly, and most children and youth begin with weekly or bi-weekly sessions to build consistency and rapport with their therapist. Timelines vary by age and goal:
- A child or teen working through a specific transition — a move, a divorce, a new sibling, a loss — often sees meaningful change within 8–12 sessions.
- Play therapy for younger children, or ongoing support for challenges like anxiety, ADHD, or trauma, can take longer and unfolds at the child's pace.
- As your child builds new skills, sessions often taper to monthly check-ins before wrapping up.
Your therapist will discuss expected timelines in the first session and revisit them as therapy progresses. There is no minimum commitment.
Do you offer online sessions, or does my child need to come in person?
It depends on your child's age and the type of therapy:
- Teens and older children often do well with virtual sessions, and many find video less intimidating than walking into an office. Curio offers online youth counselling across Alberta.
- Younger children in play therapy generally need to be in person, since the work depends on physical materials like sand trays, toys, and art supplies that don't translate well to a screen.
In-person sessions take place at our Beltline office (1414 8 St SW, Suite 200, Calgary). In Alberta, most private insurance plans cover online therapy the same way they cover in-person sessions, so for teens the choice usually comes down to what feels most comfortable. Your therapist will recommend the format that fits your child's age and needs.