Child & Teen Therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo
See Their Confidence Soar
We help kids and teens handle worry, build real-life skills, and celebrate small wins. Serving Kitchener & Waterloo with in-person therapy and communities across Ontario online.
When your child feels like no one gets them
Big feelings show up as worry, tummy aches, meltdowns, or going quiet. School feels hard. Friendships feel confusing. At home, small things spark big reactions. They may try to keep it all inside, then feel bad when it spills out. You see a bright kid or teen who is tired of trying so hard, and you just want them to feel good again.
At Colibri NeuroWellness, we turn big feelings into small steps and steady wins for your child.
Child & Teen Therapy | Kitchener & Waterloo
What Child & Teen Therapy Can Do For You
Life can be tough on kids and teens.
Counselling for teens and kids creates a calm, supportive space to express feelings, learn coping skills, and practice tools that make school, friendships, and family life more workable.
Between school expectations, friendships, family changes, and growing responsibilities, it is easy for your child to feel stressed and alone. Sometimes, it is hard to talk about it at home, and it’s even harder for them to ask for help.
At Colibri NeuroWellness, we provide compassionate, neuro-affirming care for children and teens. Our sessions are tailored to each child’s unique needs, with specialized support for those with ADHD and autism. We use engaging, play-based approaches in our sessions, and evidence-based techniques, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Occupational Therapy-informed strategies. After each visit, families receive clear, practical steps to help support their child’s progress at home.
Over time, mood lifts, worry quiets, and confidence sticks. More “I can do this,” more ease at home and at school.
- Frequent nightmares or night terrors
- Trouble expressing thoughts, needs, or feelings clearly
- Persistent sadness, irritability, or mood changes
- Problems with peer relationships or bullying
- Declining school performance or loss of interest in school
- Social media pressure and constant comparison
- Repetitive or intrusive thoughts and behaviours
- Difficulty adjusting to family changes (e.g., divorce, loss)
- Challenges related to adoption or foster situations
- Struggling with social skills or understanding social cues
- Low self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness
- Excessive worry, anxiety, or fears
- Pulling away from friends and family or feeling alone in a crowd
- Anxiety related to adapting to new routines or school systems
- Difficulty adjusting to a new country or new culture
- Trouble concentrating or paying attention
- Big emotions such as anger, aggression, or frequent outbursts
- Difficulty coping with stress or changes
- Engaging in risky behaviours or self-harm
- Physical complaints with no clear medical cause
Child & Teen Therapy: where calm clicks and confidence sticks.
Child & Teen Therapy | Kitchener & Waterloo
What Child & Teen Therapy
Can Help With
Generalized, Social, & Separation Anxiety
Therapy helps children and teens manage persistent worries, social fears, and separation anxiety by teaching coping strategies, relaxation techniques, and problem-solving skills.
Through therapy, young people can build social skills, increase self-confidence, and develop a greater sense of security and independence. Supportive interventions also help them gradually reduce anxiety, manage distress when apart from caregivers, and feel less overwhelmed in daily life.
Depression & Emotional Numbness
Therapy offers a safe space to express emotions, process depression or numbness, and learn strategies to improve mood, increase engagement in enjoyable activities, and build resilience.
Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD)
Through Trauma Therapy or EMDR Therapy, we can help children and teens process traumatic experiences, reduce symptoms such as nightmares or avoidance, and develop healthy coping mechanisms to restore a sense of safety and control.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Power struggles can be exhausting for both children and families.
Therapy helps identify triggers, encourages flexible thinking, and coaches skills for listening, positive communication, problem-solving, and making calmer choices.
By addressing patterns of defiance or anger, therapy supports families in building stronger relationships and improving behavior through effective emotion regulation and collaborative problem-solving.
Attachment Disorders
Trust develops through consistent, attuned connection between children and caregivers.
By addressing emotional and behavioural challenges related to early attachment disruptions, therapy supports families in repairing patterns, strengthening bonds, and creating a greater sense of safety together.
Mood Disorders
Intense emotions and shutdowns can disrupt daily life. In therapy, children and families learn to manage mood changes, recognize triggers, and build routines that support emotional stability, helping families better understand and respond to their child’s needs.
Emotion & Behaviour Regulation
Therapy helps children and teens understand their emotional experiences and recognize the early signs of escalating feelings or impulses.
Through evidence-based techniques, they learn to manage intense emotions, control impulsive behaviors, and practice calming strategies in challenging situations. Therapy also focuses on building effective coping skills, problem-solving abilities, and emotional awareness, which contribute to greater self-control, improved relationships with peers and family, and increased resilience in daily life.
Tic Disorders & Tourette Syndrome
We use CBIT and practical routines to manage urges, reduce interference at school and home, and grow confidence in daily life. helps young people manage tics by increasing awareness, teaching alternative responses, and reducing the impact of tics on daily life.
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours
We use Habit Reversal Training (HRT). Therapy addresses hair pulling, skin picking, or similar behaviors by helping children and teens understand triggers, develop healthier habits, and build coping strategies to reduce these behaviors.
Bullying, Peer Conflict, & Boundary Setting
Therapy offers a safe space for children and teens to process and recover from experiences of bullying or peer conflict. Through guided support, they learn to build assertiveness, strengthen social problem-solving skills, and restore their self-esteem and sense of safety.
Therapy also emphasizes the importance of setting healthy boundaries and engaging in respectful interactions, empowering young people to advocate for themselves and handle challenging social situations with greater confidence.
Friendship Challenges
Therapy helps children and teens enhance their social skills and better understand social cues, such as body language and tone of voice. They learn practical strategies for making and maintaining friendships, navigating disagreements, and resolving misunderstandings.
With support, they build confidence in forming meaningful connections and develop tools for handling common friendship challenges.
Grief & Loss
Heartache requires both space and understanding. Therapy provides a supportive environment where children and teens can safely express their feelings, honor their connections, and process grief or loss.
With guidance, they can find healthy ways to adjust and heal, gradually returning to daily life at their own pace while honoring their experiences.
Gender Exploration & Identity
Exploring identity is an important and personal journey for children and teens, and it deserves respect and affirmation.
Therapy offers age-appropriate support to help young people clarify their needs, build self-acceptance, and plan next steps. For those exploring their gender identity, therapy provides guidance, education, and coping strategies to navigate related social and emotional challenges in a supportive environment.
Executive Functioning Support
Therapy helps children and teens strengthen executive functioning skills, such as organization, planning, time management, and task initiation. Through tailored strategies and practical tools, they learn how to break down assignments, set achievable goals, and manage distractions.
Therapy also supports the development of working memory and flexible thinking, enabling young people to approach challenges more effectively, improve academic performance, and increase independence in daily tasks.
Child & Teen Therapy | Kitchener & Waterloo
Approaches We Use in Therapy to Help Your Child Heal
We use evidence-based approaches that are personalized to your child or teen. Depending on their needs, your Colibri NeuroWellness therapist may integrate:
1:1 Sessions
One-on-one therapy sessions for children and teens provide a private, supportive space for young people to talk about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with a licensed therapist. These individualized sessions may involve talking, creative activities, or skill-building exercises.
During sessions, the therapist will help develop healthy coping strategies, improve emotional regulation, and address specific challenges such as anxiety, depression, behavioural concerns, or life changes. The goal is to promote emotional well-being, resilience, and positive growth in a safe and confidential setting.
Play-Based Therapy
Play-based therapy is a specialized approach that uses play, creative activities, and expressive techniques to help children and teens communicate, process emotions, and develop coping skills.
This therapeutic method provides a comfortable and engaging way for young people to express themselves, explore challenges, and build confidence.
Sessions may include games, art, storytelling, or role-playing, and can support emotional growth, improve behaviour, and strengthen social skills in a safe and supportive environment.
Family Sessions
Family therapy sessions offer a safe and supportive space for families to talk openly, understand each other better, and work through challenges together.
Guided by a trained therapist, these sessions help families improve communication, solve problems, and strengthen relationships.
Family therapy can be helpful during times of change, when there are disagreements, or when a family member is dealing with mental health, medical, or behavioural concerns. Each session is tailored to fit the unique needs of your family, with the goal of building healthier connections and finding practical solutions together.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational Therapy for children and teens supports the development of essential everyday skills, such as self-care, school tasks, and social interactions.
Occupational Therapists use fun and engaging activities to help your child improve coordination, attention, and independence. This approach can boost your child’s confidence and help them feel more capable at home, in school, and with friends.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
With CBT, your therapist helps you explore how your thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected. This process can boost your confidence, reduce stress, and support positive changes in your life. During sessions, you will identify unhelpful patterns and learn practical strategies for coping with challenges.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT is a counselling approach that helps people strengthen their relationships and better understand their emotions.
During sessions, you and your therapist will work together to explore feelings and patterns in your relationships, helping you feel more connected and supported. This therapy can improve communication, build trust, and create a stronger sense of closeness with loved ones.
Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (CBIT)
CBIT is designed to help people manage and reduce tic symptoms, such as those seen in Tourette syndrome.
During sessions your therapist will teach you practical strategies to become more aware of your tics and develop new behaviours that can help lessen their impact. CBIT Therapy also includes education and support for families, making it easier to handle tics in everyday life and improve overall well-being.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT helps you learn new ways to handle difficult thoughts and feelings so they don’t hold you back. In sessions, your therapist will guide you in practicing Mindfulness, accepting what you can’t control, and focusing on actions that match your values. This approach can help you feel more present, reduce stress, and build a life that feels meaningful to you.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT can help you manage strong emotions, improve relationships, feel more balanced, make healthier choices, and build a stronger sense of well-being.
During sessions, you will learn skills for coping with stress, handling difficult feelings, and communicating more effectively.
Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a compassionate therapy that can help you process difficult or distressing memories and experiences.
During EMDR sessions, you will focus on specific memories while your therapist guides you through gentle eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation. This process can help reduce the emotional impact of past events and support healing, making it easier to move forward with confidence and peace of mind.
Solution-Focused Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy is a counselling approach that helps you find practical ways to move forward and reach your goals. Instead of focusing on problems, this therapy encourages you to build on your strengths and successes. In sessions, your therapist will help you identify what’s working well and explore steps you can take to create positive changes in your life.
Meet Our Team
Connect With a Child or Teen Therapist in Kitchener-Waterloo or Online
Teodora Kostadinovska
MACP, RP(Q)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Tess Ingram
BSc, MSW
Therapist
Amy Battistone
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Michelle Helder
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Dana Orton
MACP, RP
Registered Psychotherapist
Christina Kahlou
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Our child and teen therapists work together so care feels seamless. You will find psychologists, occupational therapists, and counsellors under one roof. We include parents, collaborate with schools when helpful, and tailor support with practical tools your child can use at home, at school, and with friends.
Child & Teen Therapy | Kitchener & Waterloo
Questions About Child & Teen Therapy
Are parents involved in the child/teen therapy process?
Yes. In child & teen therapy at Colibri NeuroWellness, parent involvement is an incredibly important part of positive outcomes. It looks different for every family, but with your child’s permission, key themes from sessions can be shared so caregivers can reinforce skills at home and school. At times, you may be invited to join family sessions to support progress.
What should I expect from the child or teen therapy process?
Our first priority is creating a safe, supportive space for children and teens to share emotions, experiences, and concerns.
Depending on your child’s needs, we may use play-based therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), or Occupational Therapy strategies.
Our therapists will work with your child to find out what approach works best for them, then springboard off of their preference to help them develop coping skills to navigate life’s challenges.
What if my child or teen does not want to participate?
This is more common than you may think. Our teen and child therapists meet kids and teens where they are and focus on building rapport at a comfortable pace. If, after some time, your child still feels uncomfortable, we can discuss as a team (child/teen, caregivers, and therapist) what supports are needed. Fit matters, and we can help you find a clinician your child “clicks” with within our team or the community.
How can I support my child or teen other than encouraging them to work with a therapist?
A strong support system outside therapy makes a real difference. Reassure your child you are there for them, respect their privacy, and listen without judgement. Practice and reinforce therapy skills at home, keep routines steady, and celebrate small wins. Remind them they’re not alone and that asking for help is a sign of strength. These steps strengthen the therapeutic process and help skills stick between sessions.
How long will my child or teen be in therapy?
Timelines vary with goals and life context. Many children and teens progress faster than adults, sometimes due to neuroplasticity and simpler histories. A typical course may range from 12 to 20 sessions, with regular check-ins to see what is working. For severe disorders, developmental trauma, or unstable environments, longer-term support may be helpful. We will personalize the plan for your child and adjust it as they grow.
Have more questions? See All FAQs
Child & Teen Therapy | Kitchener & Waterloo
How Kids & Teens Can Feel After Therapy
Starting therapy is a brave choice for your child. With steady support and a good fit, small shifts will add up. Days start to feel more doable, and your child will begin to feel more like themselves.
- Greater self-esteem, motivation, and a kinder inner voice
- Improved ability to express thoughts and feelings
- Better coping skills for handling stress or strong emotions
- Stronger friendships and social connections
- Greater independence in daily tasks
- More flexible thinking and problem-solving
- Healthier boundaries and assertive communication
- Fewer emotional outbursts or shutdowns
- Better organization and time management
- Increased resilience when facing challenges
- A stronger sense of safety and belonging
- More positive interactions with family and peers
“Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded.”
Colibri NeuroWellness
How To Get Started
You deserve to feel supported and understood, and connecting with us is simple. You can reach out in the way that works best for you.
Book a free 20-minute consultation online, send a message through the form, or contact us by phone or email.
226-212-4842
info@colibrineurowellness.com
826 King Street North, Unit 17, Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 4G8
We provide in-person therapy in Waterloo and surrounding communities, including Kitchener, Cambridge, Elmira, and St. Jacobs. For those across Ontario, we also offer secure virtual therapy so you can access support from the comfort of your home.