Child Counselling in Calgary

If your child's emotions or behaviour are significantly affecting their daily life, for example, their school performance, friendships, sleep, or family relationships, it's worth exploring support. You don't need to wait for a crisis. Early support is almost always more effective than waiting until things become severe.

Child counselling at Bluebird Psychology is available for children and teens aged 6 to 18. For children aged 4 years and older, we also offer play therapy.

Many extended health plans cover psychological services. We don't direct bill, but provide detailed receipts after every session for you to submit to your provider.

Yes, virtual counselling is available for families anywhere in Alberta!

This varies considerably. Some children need only 6–10 sessions to address a specific concern. Others benefit from longer-term support. We'll give you our honest assessment after the intake session and check in regularly on progress.

Child counselling at Bluebird uses CBT, which is a talk-based, structured approach that works well for children aged 6 and up who can reflect on and discuss their thoughts and feelings.

Play therapy uses sand tray, art, and imaginative play to help children process emotions without needing to put them into words, making it particularly effective for younger children or those who find talk-based approaches difficult.

Our psychologists follow the child's lead. Children are never pushed to discuss anything before they're ready. Therapy is a gradual process, building trust and comfort first, then exploring challenges at a pace that feels safe. Many children find it much easier to open up than their parents expect, particularly once they feel at ease in the space.

This is one of the most common concerns parents bring to us. Reluctance is completely normal, particularly for older children and teens. We're experienced at building rapport with children who are hesitant, and our sessions are designed to feel engaging rather than clinical.

The parent intake session helps us understand your child's personality and plan the best approach before they arrive. Most children who are initially reluctant warm up quickly once they see what sessions actually look like.

In Alberta, both parents with legal guardianship typically need to consent to psychological services for a minor. If your family situation is complex, for example, separation, shared custody, or other arrangements, contact us before booking, and we'll help you navigate what's needed.

Sometimes what looks like an emotional or behavioural challenge has an underlying learning or cognitive component, such as ADHD, a learning disability, or giftedness. If we suspect an assessment would provide useful information, we'll discuss this with you.

Bluebird Psychology offers psychoeducational assessments, ADHD assessments, and gifted assessments, so if your child needs both support and an assessment, we can coordinate both in one place.