Creating a Safe Space for Children and Adolescents to Express and Heal

Therapy for children and adolescents offers a supportive, safe environment to explore and understand difficult thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Whether you’re young or older, from any background or belief, my role is to listen and support you. Sharing your feelings and worries can feel scary or unfamiliar, but opening up about tough or upsetting times is a brave step towards healing and growth.

Children often find it hard to put their emotions into words. That’s why creative play and art are powerful tools in therapy—they help express feelings when talking is difficult. Life changes like divorce, peer pressure, school transitions, or substance use can cause emotional struggles. While these challenges might improve over time, ongoing difficulties are best addressed early with professional support to help children and families move forward.

Through my experience as a therapist with Place2Be, I understand the pressures children face to fit in and find their voice. Family relationships, identity, school stress, and feelings of purpose all impact wellbeing. Play therapy uses tools like paint, clay, puppets, and slime, allowing each child to express themselves uniquely. And when words aren’t enough, Mr. Fonzie—the therapy-trained dog—helps create a comforting bridge, making it easier to open up and share what’s really on your mind.