Counselling for Children/Youth
Counsellors work with children/youth who are experiencing family issues and the adjustments and life changes that accompany separation. Coping with trauma, depression and anxiety occurs at all age levels. Therapists work with children/youth coping with neurodiversity (ADHD and children on the autism spectrum), grief and loss, bullying, discrimination, and issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Our children’s/youth's service covers clients aged 4-18. The youngest clients have play or art therapy techniques given by counsellors with play or art therapy training. Gradually this changes into narrative sessions.
Our children’s/youth's service covers clients aged 4-18. The youngest clients have play or art therapy techniques given by counsellors with play or art therapy training. Gradually this changes into narrative sessions.
|
Expressive Art therapy techniques (or creative arts techniques) is the use of the creative arts as a form of therapeutic counselling. Unlike traditional art expression, the process of creation is emphasized rather than the final product. The use of expressive art techniques is predicated on the assumption that people can heal through the use of imagination and the various forms of creative expression.
|
|
Play therapy techniques is a form of counselling that uses play to communicate with and help people, especially children, to prevent or resolve psychosocial challenges. This is to help them towards better social integration, growth and development, emotional modulation, and trauma resolution.
|
Children/Youth (Ages 4* & Up)
- The youngest clients have play or art therapy techniques given by counsellors with play or art therapy training. Gradually this changes into narrative sessions.
* For children under 16 an intake is one of the parent/guardians first. While permission is only required from one parent/guardian to register a child/youth for counselling/therapy services - we do ask that if the child/youth has another parent/guardian that they are notified before we begin service.
Children (under age 4)
We find that children under 4 years do not respond to counselling/therapy of any kind; therefore we do not provide service to children under 4. Providing support for parents to help reduce the conflict is our best recommendation. If you are experiencing troubles with your young child(ren), we suggest Adult Counselling, or the Caught in the Middle parents' program.
Schedule
To access counselling/therapy for children/youth under 16:
- Please contact the office at 250-386-4331 (must be a parent/guardian of the child/youth) - Our Intake Coordinator will do a Pre-Counselling Intake(They are normally in on Monday's and Fridays)
- When a Counsellor becomes a available, An initial appointment with the parent/guardian only is made - about an hour in length (ie children/youth do NOT come to this appointment) NOTE: If you are interested in getting 2 children/youths into counselling than the Initial Appointment may take a little longer. If both Parents/Guardians are interested they can come to the same or intake or separate intake may need to bee booked. Fees are due at this point
- Once the appointment has happened with the selected counsellor, the children/youth now can attend the appointment.
- meant to be weekly sessions, at the given time,
- are normally 45 minutes in length (Older children/youth can be up to 60 minutes in length)
- occur during regular office hours.
Fees*
Counselling/Therapy services are on a sliding scale. Some things to consider:
- Benefits Package: Please check with your provider to see if your payments can be covered. (It is your responsibility to submit receipts to your provider for reimbursement - Family Services of Greater Victoria is not responsible for direct billing).
- Ministry, CVAP, etc: If you are involved with any of these organizations – please check to see if they can cover payments. You may have to cover payment of sessions until you are approved.
- $30/session* if your annual household income is Below $40,000*
- Essentially 0.1% of your household income (Rounded down to the nearest $10,000) starting at $30 per session
-$40,000 - $40/session, $50,000 -$50/session, etc. - If your extended health plan is able to cover the sessions - then the fee would be $130/session
* Reduced fees are available by special application.
**If you have to cancel your session - please call us at 250-386-4331 otherwise the fee will be charged, and must be paid before counselling can resume
**If you have to cancel your session - please call us at 250-386-4331 otherwise the fee will be charged, and must be paid before counselling can resume
Service Providers
Ava Razavi, MA, RCC
Leah Johnson, MA
|
Hannah Peterson, BA, PGCEi, GrDip in Youth Work (in progress)
Lexie Harrison, BA, MA
|
Ian Mackintosh, MA, CCC, RCC
Yuko Kawasumi, MA, RCC
|
Funders
Counselling/Therapy for Children and youth is partially funded by:
|
Community Gaming Grant
|
|
