Who I help

What I help with

Anxiety Autism and ADHD support OCD Self-harm and suicidal thoughts Stress and major life changes

How I help

Play and art therapy Video game therapy Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)Exposure and response prevention (ERP)Harm reduction and safety planning Family and filial therapy Collaborative Problem-Solving

Fees Training Book on Jane

Book on Jane

In person in Vancouver • Virtual across B.C.

Child counselling and play therapy in Vancouver.

Play-based counselling for children ages 3 to 8 facing anxiety, major life changes, and the challenges that can come with autism or ADHD. In person in Vancouver, or online across B.C., with a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

Your child is not alone, and neither are you.

Young children rarely have the words for what they feel. It tends to come out as clinginess, meltdowns, worry at bedtime, or refusing to go to school or try new things. Many parents are left wondering what is typical and when to ask for help.

Children this age learn through play, so we play: with toys, sand, drawing and games, at your child’s pace. You are part of the work, with check-ins and family sessions that help what we practise carry over at home.

Big feelings
Meltdowns that come out of nowhere.

Calm
Ways to settle that your child can use.

Worry
Fears that keep your child close.

Courage
Facing fears in small, safe steps.

Hard goodbyes
Clinging at drop-off or bedtime.

Confidence
Feeling safe when you are apart.

Change at home
Separation, divorce or a move.

Security
Feeling steady through change.

A new school
Starting or changing schools.

Ready
Feeling prepared for new places.

Hard to say
Feelings that do not come out in words.

Expression
Play and art that say it for them.

Feeling different
Finding it hard to fit in.

Belonging
Feeling understood as they are.

Worn-out parents
Not knowing how to help.

Support
Tools and a team for your family.

My approach

Play is how young children work things out.

Children ages 3 to 8 do best when therapy feels like play, not a talk. I follow your child’s lead, use play and art to make feelings easier to show and understand, and share what we are learning with you so you can support them at home. Sessions can be in person in Vancouver or online anywhere in B.C.

Parents are involved at every step, from short check-ins to family sessions.

30+Over three decades of
listening to children’s voices.

Play

Play therapy

Children show what is hard through play long before they can say it. Sand tray, dollhouse and toys give feelings a safe place to be shown, understood and practised.

Explore

Art

Art therapy

Drawing, painting and making help young children express feelings that are hard to put into words. No artistic skill is needed.

Explore

Family

Family and filial therapy

Parents join sessions to strengthen connection and communication at home. In-session coaching shows you how to follow your child’s lead and respond to big feelings with steadiness.

Explore

Ray, D. C., Armstrong, S. A., Balkin, R. S., & Jayne, K. M. (2015). Child-centered play therapy in the schools: Review and meta-analysis. Psychology in the Schools, 52(2), 107–123. link

Lin, Y.-W., & Bratton, S. C. (2015). A meta-analytic review of child-centered play therapy approaches. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(1), 45–58. link

Bratton, S. C., Ray, D., Rhine, T., & Jones, L. (2005). The efficacy of play therapy with children: A meta-analytic review of treatment outcomes. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(4), 376–390. link

Moula, Z. (2020). A systematic review of the effectiveness of art therapy delivered in school-based settings to children aged 5–12 years. International Journal of Art Therapy, 25(2), 88–99. link

Cohen-Yatziv, L., & Regev, D. (2019). The effectiveness and contribution of art therapy work with children in 2018: What progress has been made so far? A systematic review. International Journal of Art Therapy, 24(3), 100–112. link

Allen, B. (2020). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy for externalizing problems: A meta-analysis and methodological critique. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 5(4), 426–436. link

Cornett, N., & Bratton, S. C. (2014). Examining the impact of Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) on family functioning. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 40(3), 302–318. link

Higa-McMillan, C. K., Francis, S. E., Rith-Najarian, L., & Chorpita, B. F. (2016). Evidence base update: 50 years of research on treatment for child and adolescent anxiety. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 45(2), 91–113. link

Vogel, S. W., Mullins, K. L., & Kumar, S. (2024). Art therapy for children and adolescents with autism: A systematic review. International Journal of Art Therapy, 30(2), 113–122. link

Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 650–666. link

Kelly, J. B., & Emery, R. E. (2003). Children’s adjustment following divorce: Risk and resilience perspectives. Family Relations, 52(4), 352–362. link

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre (BC Children’s Hospital): Separation & Divorce: Helping Children Adjust to Family Changes. link

Read the research

What children come to therapy for

Every child is different. These are the concerns families most often bring to me for children ages 3 to 8, with parents involved throughout.

Anxiety and worry

Big worries, fears, separation anxiety or avoiding things that feel scary. Play-based therapy builds skills for facing fears at a pace that feels safe.

Big life changes

Separation or divorce, a move, a new school or a loss. Support gives children room to feel it and find their footing.

Autism and ADHD support

For children who are autistic or have ADHD, or are being assessed. Support for big feelings, transitions, friendships and anxiety, built around how your child plays and learns.

Let’s connect

Taking the first step is often the hardest. I’m here to answer your questions and help you decide whether this is the right path for your child.

Let’s chat

Free 15-min consultation

Learn more about me

Common questions

Do you offer child counselling and play therapy in Vancouver?+

Yes. I offer counselling and play therapy for children ages 3 to 8 in person in Vancouver and online across B.C. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Master of Arts in Education and play therapy training.

How does play therapy work for young children?+

Young children express themselves through play more easily than through words. In sessions your child plays and creates, with toys, sand, drawing and games, while I follow their lead, help them put feelings into words and teach simple coping skills. I share what we are learning with you so you can support it at home.

Will I be in the sessions?+

It depends on your child’s age and needs. Parents are involved at every stage, from short check-ins to sessions together, and we talk about what fits at the start. For online sessions, a parent is usually nearby for younger children.

What do children ages 3 to 8 work on in sessions?+

It depends on your child. Common goals are managing worries and fears, handling changes such as separation, divorce or a new school, and building skills for big feelings and transitions, including for children who are autistic or have ADHD. We use play and art, and I involve you throughout.

Do you work with children who are autistic or have ADHD?+

Yes. I support children who have an autism or ADHD diagnosis, or who are being assessed, and their parents. I do not diagnose autism or ADHD. In B.C. that is done by a paediatrician, psychiatrist or registered psychologist, and I can help you think through next steps. You can read more on the autism and ADHD support page.

Child counselling and play therapy in Vancouver.

Your child is not alone, and neither are you.

Play is how young children work things out.

Play therapy

Art therapy

Family and filial therapy

What children come to therapy for

Anxiety and worry

Big life changes

Autism and ADHD support

Let’s connect

Common questions

More help for families in B.C.