We make counselling a fun bonding experience

Kids Reconnect offers specialized child counselling services (adventures!) in Calgary that emPOWER Superhero kids, teens, and families to overcome challenges, grow their Superpowers, and thrive. Our child psychologists, social workers, and play therapists offer child, adolescent, and family counselling services in English, Spanish, Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi.

Parents hug and give thumbs-up as they plan for a specialized child counselling session

Spark-tacular starts with parents

We always begin the child counselling process with a special parents-only session.

As a parent, you need to meet and feel comfortable with the person who will be working with your child. Your child’s therapist also needs to understand the important people in your child’s life, so in this session we listen to parents’ perspectives. The perspective of each parent is valuable and must be considered. In this special parent session we also plan your child’s first session together.

A laughing child shaking hands with his play therapist. The therapist is wearing giant sunglasses.

Your child’s first session

When you are ready to proceed and feel comfortable, we will invite your child to visit our child counselling office in Calgary.

We design a special adventure experience for your child, based on what they like and need to feel warmly welcomed. For example, the therapist might write a story for your child, or dress up as their favourite character. The therapist will share information with your child about why we are meeting and what a “Feelings Helper” or “Caring Companion” (child therapist) does and obtain their assent (permission) to work together.

Our playful approach to child counselling

Two girls, a boy, and a Dad standing in front of the Calgary Reconnect Counselling Group sign. Each is holding a sign with a letter: P, L, A, Y. The Dad is playfully holding the "Y" upside down and making a funny face.

PLAY is the best avenue for child therapists and parents to connect with kids.

At Kids Reconnect, we focus on kids’ and teens’ strengths

Kids come across different challenges, big and small, as they grow. Sometimes the challenges are too big, overwhelming, or complex for kids and parents to figure out on their own.

What are some common challenges that bug kids?

Here are some common presenting concerns or difficulties that can benefit from professional support from a child psychologist or child therapist:

  • Anxiety (one of the most common reasons parents seek help from a child psychologist)
  • Depression, low energy, grief, loss of a family member, pet, or friend
  • Struggling with changes in the family (divorce, separation, sibling rivalry, blended families, moving)
  • Trouble regulating their emotions (often labeled “acting out” or “temper tantrums”)
  • Low self-esteem
  • Aggressive or reckless behaviour, irritability, low empathy
  • Problems at school (academic performance, low motivation, stress, bullying, learning difficulties, difficulty with paying attention in class and executing tasks, giftedness, changing schools)
  • Difficulty making and maintaining healthy friendships
  • Parent-child communication problems and disconnection
  • Traumatic experiences and events
  • Difficulties that can come with having a brain that works a little differently (neurodivergence, ADHD, ASD)

We recognize the value in knowing and understanding presenting concerns, and we address them in therapy. Our team of child psychologists and child therapists specialize in supporting kids, parents, and families to overcome the complex challenges that often show up alongside mental health diagnoses and problems like the ones above.

However, the problems, labels, and diagnoses are not what we focus on. We go about addressing problems with a different lens: emPOWERment.

We focus on EmPOWERment

At Kids Reconnect we focus on emPOWERment: exploring and developing kids‘ strengths and resilience to overcome the issues that ”bug” kids — and we go about it in fun, playful ways.

Instead of a checklist of troubles, at Kids Reconnect, kids experience child counselling adventures, quests, and cheerful challenges on which to embark. Strengthening our Superpowers can be the most fun part of growing up.

Play x (Growth + Health + Connection) = EmPOWERment

Within a safe, supportive, beautiful space at EmPOWERland, our child psychologists and child therapists help kids grow in their emPOWERment to approach, reframe, and navigate through the challenges they currently face, and develop their resilience for future ones. Together, we launch their Superhero journey. Your child’s “spark-tacular” growing adventure awaits!

Let’s spark the joy of play to grow and thrive!

See what specialized child counselling at Kids Reconnect in Calgary would look like for your child.

The most effective counselling comes from supporting not just a child’s needs, but also the needs of their parents and family.

Parents and siblings represent the main relationship in kids’ lives; they need specialized support, too. That is why we offer various types of sessions to support kids, teenagers, parents, and families comprehensively.

Child, adolescent, and parenting sessions are 50 minutes in duration. Other types of sessions (family, couples) are usually 90 minutes.

A girl and a therapist doing play therapy in a specialized child counselling session. They are sitting on a white carpet, playing with princess toys.

Child Counselling Sessions

Types of therapy: Art Therapy, Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, Strengths-based Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy.

Play and art are natural forms of communication for kids. Child sessions are usually most appropriate for kids between 24 months and 12 years old. Parents sometimes ask to be present in the first session or the first few sessions, to observe. Children may also have their sessions unaccompanied by a parent.

A father and son in a play therapy room with a play therapist at a parent-child counselling session

Parent-Child Counselling Sessions

Types of Therapy: Theraplay, Attachment Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Compassion-focused Therapy, Strengths-based Therapy.

These sessions strengthen parent-child connections and bonds. Parents are present with the child, playing and actively working on understanding the child. Appropriate for kids and teenagers (2-17 years old).

Overhead view of Dad, Mom, and two kids doing sand tray therapy with a child psychologist

Family Counselling Sessions

Types of Therapy: Theraplay, Attachment Therapy, Reunification Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Narrative Therapy, Structural Family Therapy.

In these sessions, all family members can be present, or the therapist can work with the various family members individually, to prepare them for family work.

A teen in a therapy session listening to her thrapists.

Teen Counselling Sessions

Types of Therapy: Art Therapy, Talk Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, Narrative Therapy.

Older kids might prefer a room for adults instead of a playroom; both options are available. Teens seek more responsibility and independence; they usually do not want a parent in their session. Play therapy is no longer appropriate; teens communicate through their personal interests and creative pursuits.

A couple in a parenting session with a child therapist

Parenting Sessions

These sessions are dedicated to parents; children are not present. Parents achieve a better understanding of their child and learn parenting strategies. Before a child begins therapy, we always start with a special session for parents.

A girl and boy with sparklers. Dozens of blue, gold, and pink helium balloons float overhead in a specialized child counselling group session.

Group Counselling Sessions

Designed to support kids in specific areas that they are looking to grow. These include self-esteem building groups for young girls, social skills groups, empathy groups, mindfulness groups, parent support groups, and self-care groups.

An adolescent girl sitting on a couch, with her small dog next to her, with a laptop in front of them. They are in a telepsychology (online therapy) session.

Video Counselling Sessions

We offer specialized child counselling sessions both in person in Calgary and virtually (online video counselling, also called telepsychology).

Video sessions can work well for people who live in Alberta but outside of Calgary, for people who are experiencing anxiety and cannot come into the office, or during times of public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our video sessions take place over Jane App, a secure video conferencing solution that secures your information and safeguards your privacy. Jane App has robust security and encryption controls in place to protect client data that complies with Privacy Laws, including The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada. Audio and video content from telepsychology sessions is not saved. No one can access the sessions, either when they are taking place or at a later time. Please make sure that you or your child are in a confidential physical space and set aside the time so you are free from interruptions or distractions before you begin your video (online) counselling session.

Watch this video to experience what online therapy
at Kids Reconnect will look like for your child.

Joining forces, we’re in your corner

Our specialized child psychologists, play therapists, and Registered Social Workers work collaboratively to adapt to the unique needs of each child, teen, and family setting.

Being a team gives us flexibility and bench strength in a range of services and strategies, combining various therapists and child counselling services.

Parents who need additional support in their relationship can access specialized couples counselling through our Couples Reconnect branch.

Two kids and a child therapist sitting cross-legged in a playroom, high-give each other during a specialized child counselling session

Kids and teens are not mini adults. They need specialized counselling.

When the going gets super tough, our child counsellors are here for kids and teens

Hardship and adverse experiences can capsize the lives of kids and teens. Illness, grief, parental conflict, difficulties at home or school, anxiety, depression, trauma. We call these “ugly ughs” or “big/tricky feelings“.

When kids and adolescents need specialized support navigating major life challenges beyond what parents can provide, we are here to help with specialized child and teen counselling.

A child hugs a soft toy as she talks to her counsellor

Click to see Jícama, the fun llama, do his
No Prob LLAMA dance

“Feelings Helpers” help kids figure out their “big feelings”

“Big feelings” are welcome at Kids Reconnect.. Helping kids grow and thrive is our specialty! Child Therapists are specialized Feelings Helpers who help kids figure out their problems, playfully find solutions, and feel better along the way.

We believe that being a kid or a teen should feel fantastic. And we help make it so.

Let’s EmPOWER Play!

Sand tray therapy, Theraplay, and play therapy are way more than just play — and just as fun for kids. Extensive clinical research has proven that play therapy is an effective intervention in major child-related challenges.

Call us to book a child counselling appointment today.