Pediatric Counselling
Services
Teen therapyAnxietyOCDDepressionParents and familiesSelf-harm and suicidal ideationStress managementDifficult life transitionsApproaches
Play therapy and art therapyVideo game therapyCognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)Exposure and response preventionMindfulness-based therapiesFamily and filial therapyCollaborative problem solvingSafety planning and harm reductionBook on JaneSupport when your child is hurting and hope feels far away.
Calm, steady risk assessment and safety planning for children and teens who are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, and for the parents who love them.
Your child is not alone, and neither are you.
Finding out that your child is hurting themselves, or thinking about not living, is frightening. You do not have to work out what to do on your own. Most young people who get steady support and a clear plan find their way through, and many families say they feel closer afterwards.
Asking about suicide does not put the idea in a young person’s mind. More often it is a relief to be asked. My job is to ask calmly, listen well and build safety together.
Pamela Wallberg, RCC
Carrying it alone and hiding it.
Someone who listens without panic.
Feelings too big to hold.
Other ways through the hardest moments.
“Something is wrong with me.”
Making sense of why it started.
Pressure that builds and takes over.
Pausing, and having a plan for the pause.
“It will never get better.”
Seeing that this feeling can change.
Pulling away from everyone.
Reaching for people who can help.
Parents unsure what to say or do.
Knowing how to respond and stay close.
Moments that feel like an emergency.
A plan everyone knows and can follow.
My approach
Safety first, then the work of feeling better.
Self-harm and suicidal thoughts are different things, and each deserves care without judgment. I use structured, evidence-informed approaches, matched to your child’s age, needs and interests, and I involve you as parents so the plan works at home too.
Together we build safety, skills and hope, one step at a time. I do not provide crisis services, so every plan names who to call and where to go.
listening to children’s voices.
Safety Planning Intervention (SPI)
Together we write a short, personal plan for the moments when thoughts get loud: early warning signs, things that help, people and places that bring comfort, adults to contact, and steps to make the environment safer. Your child keeps a copy, and with their agreement, so do you.
ExploreCrisis Response Planning (CRP)
A written, step-by-step plan built in your child’s own words: what sets off a crisis, what they notice, which coping steps they will try first, and who they will reach out to. It is practised in session so it is familiar when it is needed.
ExploreCollaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
CAMS is a framework where your child and I work as a team. They help describe what is driving their thoughts, and together we choose a treatment plan aimed at those drivers, reviewed at every session until the thoughts have eased and safety is steady.
ExploreWitt, K. G., et al. (2021). Interventions for self-harm in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3), CD013667. link
McCauley, E., et al. (2018). Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents at high risk for suicide: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(8), 777–785. link
Mehlum, L., et al. (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with repeated suicidal and self-harming behavior: A randomized trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(10), 1082–1091. link
Albaum, C., et al. (2025). Safety planning interventions for suicide prevention in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 179(8), 886–895. link
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2022). Self-harm: assessment, management and preventing recurrence (NG225). link
Canadian Paediatric Society (updated 2019; reaffirmed 2024). Suicidal ideation and behaviour (practice point). link
Zalsman, G., et al. (2016). Suicide prevention strategies revisited: 10-year systematic review. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(7), 646–659. link
Stanley, B., et al. (2018). Comparison of the Safety Planning Intervention with follow-up vs usual care of suicidal patients treated in the emergency department. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(9), 894–900. link
Stanley, B., & Brown, G. K. (2012). Safety Planning Intervention: A brief intervention to mitigate suicide risk. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 19(2), 256–264.
Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre (BC Children’s Hospital): Self-Harm. link
Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre (BC Children’s Hospital): Suicide & Suicidal Thoughts. link
Read the researchWhat we work on
Every young person’s story is different. These are the situations families most often bring to me. Assessment of risk is ongoing, and I work alongside your child’s physician and care team.
Self-harm without suicidal intent
Hurting oneself as a way to cope with overwhelming feelings or to feel something. It is more common than most parents expect, and it is a signal of pain, not of attention-seeking. Therapy builds other ways to manage the feelings.
Thoughts of suicide
Ranging from passing thoughts of not wanting to be here to a more active wish to die. Every level deserves a calm, direct conversation, a careful assessment and a plan.
After an emergency visit or hospital stay
The weeks after discharge matter. Counselling can help bridge back to home and school, review the safety plan and keep in touch with your child’s care team.
Feelings that seem too big to bear
Some children feel emotions very intensely and have not yet learned ways to ride them out. We build skills for naming feelings, calming the body and getting through the peak.
When a parent has just found out
Discovering scars, a note or a worrying message can leave parents shaken. Parent sessions cover how to respond, what to say and how to look after the rest of the family too.
Worries about a sibling or friend
Brothers, sisters and friends often carry worries they do not know how to share. Support helps them understand what is happening and where to turn.
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 chatFree 15-min consultation
Common questions
Does asking my child about suicide make it worse?+
No. Research has not found that asking about suicide increases risk, and it often brings relief. Ask calmly and directly, listen without arguing, and then contact a professional. A free call with me is a good place to talk through what to say.
Is self-harm the same as wanting to die?+
Not usually. Many young people who hurt themselves are trying to cope with feelings, not end their lives. But self-harm can raise the risk of suicidal thoughts over time, so it always deserves careful attention and support.
Will you tell me everything my child says?+
Therapy works best when young people feel they have privacy, and I also need parents to be partners in safety. At the start we agree together on what is shared. When there is a serious risk to your child’s safety, I will involve you.
Can you help in a crisis?+
I do not provide crisis services or after-hours support. Every plan we build names who to call and where to go, and I will help your family practise using it. If this is an emergency, please contact 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.
How do we make home safer?+
This is part of every plan, and we do it together, without blame. We talk through what your child can reach at home and practical steps that fit your family, and we revisit them as things change.
Trusted resources
More help for families in B.C.
Free, evidence-informed information from Kelty Mental Health at BC Children’s Hospital. These links open in a new tab.
Information on this page is provided by Pamela Wallberg, MA, RCC, Registered Clinical Counsellor. Last updated October 2026. This page is general information and is not a substitute for individual care.
Related: Safety planning · Depression · Teen therapy