Children's Therapy in Etobicoke & Online Across Ontario

Meeting kids in their own language.

Therapy for children and teens (ages 10+) — supporting them in understanding emotions and navigating challenges, with age-appropriate parent involvement.

Illustration of a therapist sitting with a child, showing pictures and engaging in playful conversation
Session
50 minutes
Starting at
$190
Format
In-person & virtual

What it is

Therapy in a child's own language — conversation, expression, and skill-building.

Kids don't always have the words. So we work in the languages they do have.

Children's therapy is a developmentally tuned form of psychotherapy that helps kids and teens make sense of what's hard — emotions, behaviours, relationships, transitions. Younger children communicate through expression and behaviour; teens through conversation. The therapist follows what the child brings.

The work fits the kid. Pacing, modality, and the role parents play all flex with the child's age, comfort, and what they're working on.

Who it's for

A few of the things that bring kids in.

You don't need a diagnosis. If something below sounds like your child, that's reason enough to talk.

  • Worry that's interfering with daily life. Trouble sleeping, school refusal, stomachaches before social situations, big anticipatory dread.
  • A persistent low mood. Less interest in things they used to love. Flat affect. Withdrawal that's lasted longer than a phase.
  • Big feelings without much regulation. Meltdowns that come out of nowhere. Difficulty calming down. Apologies that don't quite land afterward.
  • Struggles at school or with friends. Trouble making friends. Conflict with classmates. Falling behind. Bullying — being on either end of it.
  • Behaviour you can't seem to shift. Aggression, defiance, lying, intense sibling conflict — and the strategies you've tried haven't worked.
  • A transition that's hard to land. A move, divorce, new sibling, illness, loss. The world has changed and they don't know where to put it.

How we work

Evidence-based tools, age-adapted.

Children's work draws on well-researched approaches selected based on the child's age, comfort, and what's bringing them in. Here's what shows up most often.

CBT-K

CBT for kids

Age-adapted: helping a child notice the worry, name it, and try a different move. Concrete tools they can practice.

Art

Art & creative arts

Drawing, painting, building — when words aren't quite there yet. Process matters more than the result.

Mindfulness

Body-based regulation

Learning what the body is doing when feelings get big — and gentle practices for settling back down.

Narrative

Storytelling

Externalizing the hard stuff into a story they can hold from the outside. Often the easiest way in.

What to expect

The shape of the first few weeks with your child.

The early sessions look different for kids than for adults. Parents come first; the child meets the therapist on their own terms.

Week 0 — Parent intake

A first conversation, no kid in the room

Parent and therapist talk through the history, the worries, the goals. We figure out the right approach for your child.

Week 1 — Meet your child

A first session, low-stakes

Your child gets to meet the therapist on their own terms. Light conversation or art depending on age. No pressure.

Weeks 2+ — The work

Finding the rhythm

Weekly is typical. Sessions are 50 minutes; the structure of parent involvement is set at intake.

Who provides this

Nitya and Japnam work with children and teens.

Both Nitya and Japnam work with ages 10+ and bring developmentally tuned and creative-arts training.

See the full team
Nitya Sahni, RP(Q)
Nitya Sahni

RP(Q) · Clinician · Ages 10+

Anxiety, neurodivergence, family-of-origin work, teens. From $190.

Read more
Japnam Deol, MSW, RSW
Japnam Deol

MSW, RSW · Clinician · Ages 10+

Trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions. Online only. From $190.

Read more

Common questions

Before you book.

More on the full FAQ.

What ages do you work with?

Children ages 10+ and teens. Younger than that, we can refer you to a colleague who specializes in early childhood.

Can my child do sessions online?

Older kids and teens: yes, often well. Younger children typically do better in person — they need physical materials (toys, art supplies) to do the work fully.

How do I explain therapy to my child?

Honestly and low-stakes. Something like "we're going to meet someone whose job is to help kids work through hard feelings — like a feelings coach." Avoid framing it as something being wrong with them.

How much will I (the parent) be involved?

Younger kids: usually a parent check-in at the beginning or end of a session. Teens: less direct involvement, more privacy for them. We agree on the structure at intake.

How long are children's therapy sessions?

Standard 50 minutes.

Is children's therapy covered by insurance?

Many extended health plans cover RSW and RP services for child work. We don't direct-bill; we provide detailed receipts for reimbursement.

What if my child resists going?

Common, and often the most useful information. The first sessions are designed to be low-stakes — your child sets the pace of how much they engage. Most kids settle in within 2–3 sessions.

Ready when you are

Start with a free consultation.

Parents only on the first call — no kid in the room yet. A short conversation about what's been happening, what you've tried, and whether we're a fit for your child.