parents helping kids with professional counselling SHERWOOD PARK, AB
TL;DR: When your child is struggling emotionally or behaviorally, professional counselling can be one of the most powerful tools available — and your active involvement as a parent is what makes it truly work.
Summary: Parenting is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world, but it can also be deeply unsettling when your child is clearly hurting and you don’t know how to help. Professional counselling for children and youth offers a structured, expert-guided path toward healing. But the research is clear — therapy outcomes improve dramatically when parents stay engaged, informed, and supportive throughout the process. This article walks you through the signs to watch for, what counselling actually looks like, how you can support your child at every stage, and why asking for help is one of the strongest things a parent can do.
You know your child better than anyone. So when something feels off — when the laughter stops, when school becomes a battleground, when your once-social kid stops wanting to leave their room — you feel it in your gut before you can even name it. That instinct matters. But knowing something is wrong and knowing what to do about it are two very different things. Many parents sit in that gap for weeks or months, second-guessing themselves, hoping it’s just a phase, and quietly carrying a weight that grows heavier by the day. The good news is that professional support exists precisely for moments like these. You don’t have to decode your child’s struggles alone, and reaching out isn’t a sign you’ve failed — it’s a sign you’re paying attention.
Signs Your Child May Need Help
Children rarely say “I’m not okay” in plain language. Instead, they communicate through behaviour, and knowing what to look for can make all the difference between early support and a problem that snowballs over time.
If your child has been experiencing any of the following for more than two to three weeks, it may be time to consult a professional:
- Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or low mood that doesn’t lift after a short period
- Sudden withdrawal from friends, family, or activities they used to love
- Mood swings, anger outbursts, or defiance that seem disproportionate to the situation
- Declining school performance, refusal to attend, or frequent complaints about school
- Changes in sleep or appetite — too much, too little, or frequent nightmares
- Physical complaints like recurring stomachaches or headaches with no clear medical cause
- Regression in younger children — bedwetting, clinginess, or thumb-sucking returning unexpectedly
- Aggressive or self-isolating behaviour that is getting progressively worse, not better
It can be tempting to label these as “just a phase” — and sometimes they are. But problems have a tendency to grow bigger and more complex when left unaddressed. Trusting your parental instinct and seeking an assessment early is never the wrong call.
What Actually Happens in a Counselling Session
One of the biggest barriers parents face is not knowing what to expect. The unknown can feel more intimidating than the problem itself, so let’s pull back the curtain.
A first session typically begins with an intake or consultation where the therapist gathers background information about your child — their history, your concerns, and any relevant family context. This is not an interrogation; it’s a collaborative conversation. The therapist’s first priority is building trust with your child before anything else, and that process takes time — especially with reluctant or anxious kids.
Sessions are tailored by age and need. Younger children often engage through play therapy, art, or storytelling — mediums that feel natural to them. Older children and teenagers tend to work through talk therapy, journaling, or structured exercises like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The goal is always to meet the child where they are, not where the adult world expects them to be.
You won’t always sit in on your child’s sessions — and that’s intentional. The therapeutic space needs to feel safe and confidential for the child to open up freely. However, most therapists will schedule regular check-ins with parents, and for younger children, caregivers are often actively included in parts of the process. Transparency between the therapist and family is standard practice — you will be kept appropriately informed.
Your Role as a Parent
Here is something the research makes very clear: children whose parents are actively involved in the counselling process have significantly better mental health outcomes. They are more motivated to attend sessions, more consistent in applying what they learn, and show faster, more lasting improvement. Your involvement is not a nice-to-have — it’s a core ingredient.
What does active involvement look like in practice?
- Attend scheduled check-ins with the therapist and communicate openly about what you’re observing at home
- Reinforce strategies at home — if the therapist introduces tools for managing anxiety or anger, practise them together in daily life
- Create a safe emotional space — let your child know they can talk to you without fear of judgment or overreaction
- Respect their privacy about session content — trust that the therapist will flag anything you truly need to know
- Be consistent — keep appointments, maintain routines, and avoid discussing therapy in a negative or dismissive way in front of your child
- Validate their feelings — tell them it’s okay to feel what they’re feeling, and that going to counselling is something to be proud of, not ashamed of
For teenagers especially, it matters how you frame counselling. If it feels like a punishment or an indication that something is “wrong” with them, they will resist it. Present it as a resource — something that even strong, healthy people use to get better at managing life. You don’t have to have all the answers as a parent. In fact, don’t face uncertainty about your kids alone, get professional help like this — that willingness to reach out is one of the most important things you can model for your child.
Benefits of Professional Counselling for Children and Youth
The effects of good counselling extend well beyond the therapy room. When a child has a skilled, trusted professional in their corner, the ripple effects touch every area of their life.
- A safe, non-judgmental space where they can say things they might not feel comfortable saying to a parent or friend
- Stronger emotional regulation — learning to identify, name, and manage their emotions rather than being overwhelmed by them
- Better communication skills that improve their relationships at home, at school, and with peers
- Improved self-esteem and confidence as they build a sense of agency over their emotional world
- Better academic performance when underlying anxiety, ADHD, or depression is identified and addressed
- Long-term resilience — children who learn coping skills early are better equipped to handle adversity throughout their lives
Early intervention is one of the most consistent themes in child mental health research. Problems addressed early are dramatically easier to resolve than those that have compounded over years of going unacknowledged.
How to Choose the Right Counsellor
Not every therapist is the right fit for every child — and that’s okay. Finding someone your child connects with is worth the extra effort.
Start by looking for a professional with specific experience in your child’s age group and presenting challenges. A therapist who specialises in adolescent anxiety is going to approach things differently from one who focuses on early childhood behavioural issues, and that specialisation matters. Ask prospective counsellors about their therapeutic approach — whether they use CBT, play therapy, DBT, PCIT, or mindfulness-based methods — and see if it aligns with your child’s personality and needs.
Many practices offer a brief initial consultation before committing to a full session. Use this. Let your child be part of the process — even giving them a say in which therapist they speak with can significantly reduce resistance and increase their sense of ownership over their own healing. Look for flexibility in how sessions are delivered — online, phone, or in-person options make it easier to stay consistent regardless of your family’s schedule.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t wait for a crisis — early intervention leads to better outcomes, and acting at the first signs of persistent struggle is always the right move
- Your gut instinct is valid — if something feels off for more than 2–3 weeks and is affecting your child’s daily life, seek an assessment
- Parental involvement is not optional — research consistently shows children do better in therapy when their parents are actively engaged
- Framing matters — how you present counselling to your child shapes how they receive it; make it empowering, not punitive
- The therapist builds trust first — don’t expect breakthroughs in the first session; the relationship itself is part of the therapy
- Reinforce at home what is learned in sessions — consistency between the therapy room and your home environment accelerates progress
- Asking for help is a strength — seeking professional support is one of the most loving, proactive things a parent can do for their child
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child’s behaviour is a normal phase or something that needs professional help?
The key indicators are duration, intensity, and impact. Most children go through temporary rough patches — a new school year, a friendship falling apart, a stressful family change — and those feelings usually ease within a couple of weeks. When symptoms persist beyond two to three weeks, intensify rather than improve, and begin affecting daily functioning (sleep, eating, school, relationships), that’s when professional input becomes important. Trust your instincts: if you find yourself worrying consistently and nothing you try seems to help, an assessment with a child psychologist costs far less — emotionally and practically — than waiting until a manageable problem becomes a crisis. You don’t need a diagnosis or a dramatic incident to reach out. A professional can help you determine whether what you’re seeing warrants ongoing support or simply some guided coping strategies for the whole family.
Will my child resent me for taking them to therapy?
This is one of the most common fears parents have, and it’s worth addressing directly. Most children who initially resist counselling come to feel relief once they experience what it actually involves — a calm, non-judgmental adult who is focused entirely on helping them. The key is how you frame the conversation at home. Avoid presenting therapy as a consequence of bad behaviour or as evidence that something is “broken” about them. Instead, talk about it the way you would a dentist visit — a professional who helps you take care of a specific part of yourself. Give them choices where possible: which therapist to see, whether to do sessions online or in person, what they want to call their appointments. Autonomy reduces resistance, especially in teenagers. And most parents find that, a few sessions in, their child is asking to go — because it’s one of the few spaces in their week that is entirely theirs.
How involved should I be in my child’s counselling sessions?
The right level of involvement depends on your child’s age and the type of therapy being used. For younger children, parents are often included more directly — sometimes in portions of sessions, sometimes in structured parent training components like PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy). For older children and especially teenagers, more independence is encouraged, as the therapeutic relationship works best when the young person feels they have a private, confidential space. In most cases, parents are involved through regular check-ins with the therapist — brief updates on progress, strategies to reinforce at home, and any concerns flagged from either side. The goal is not for you to be present for every session, but to be a fully informed, active partner in the process outside of those sessions. Think of it this way: the therapist manages what happens in the room; you manage what happens at home — and both are equally important to the outcome.
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