Child Behaviour, Eating Disorders, Life Transitions, Self-Esteem Issues Somatic Approaches

Child Behaviour, Eating Disorders, Life Transitions, Self-Esteem Issues

Just like adults, children can also benefit from therapy. Psychotherapy can help children develop important interpersonal and problem-solving skills that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. Therapy can also help a child to deal with behavioural issues that affect family relationships and school performance.

Life can be tough for young ones, what with peer pressure, homework, school bullying and exam stress. A transition, such as a new baby in the house, divorce, death of a grandparent, moving to a new home, abuse or illness can cause a young child severe mental anguish.

Many young children are not equipped to deal with stress and express their emotions in a healthy way yet, and therefore they act out. Certain behaviours, though merely a cry for help, might be socially unacceptable and could have devastating results.

behavioural issues that warrant intervention include sudden bedwetting, developmental delays or regressions, significant drop in grades, social isolation or withdrawal, aggression, appetite changes, changes in sleep patterns, tardiness or absenteeism at school, eating disorders, mood swings, frequent complaints about feeling ill without a medical cause,  or substance use. Therapy can help prevent, or deal with these behavioural issues.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is the most common treatment option for children with behavioural issues, as well as teenagers who struggle to cope with stress, are feeling anxious or depressed. This type of therapy helps to restructure thoughts to produce effective, positive mindsets. It is often achieved along with learning and practicing stress management techniques, coping skills and relaxation skills.  In addition many other approaches are used and which one works is really a function of preference and learning style.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers behavioural psychology for children to address your child's stress, anxiety or behavioural issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Eating disorders comprise a range of attitudes and behaviors relating to food and body-image. The three main eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and ED NOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). These conditions manifest to different degrees in different people and can sometimes be mistakenly judged as poor eating habits, or a lack of willpower.

People with eating disorders don't eat in harmony with their bodies' needs, instead, people with Anorexia Nervosa eat much less than they need, while Bulimia sufferers binge and then induce vomiting. They may also do other things to compensate for overeating, including exercising or fasting. ED NOS combines any combination of the other two conditions.

Apart from the physical symptoms and behaviors above, someone with an eating disorder will generally also have poor self-esteem and obsessively research or talk about food, dieting or exercise. Poor body image will cause them to either wear clothes that cover up every inch of their bodies, or flaunt  in order to attract attention. They will find it hard to accept criticism and compliments.

Therapy for eating disorders depend on the patient. While some people respond well to short term outpatient treatment, others respond better to long-term inpatient treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy are long term treatments that have been proven to be effective, while group therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapies and feminist therapies work for people who will respond well to short term therapy.

Family therapy is often advised for children and adolescents who are experiencing eating disorders. Research has also shown dialectical behavioral therapy to be effective.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses eating disorders, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Life transitions can be rewarding, but that doesn't mean they are necessarily easy. Change usually comes with mixed emotions, challenges and stress. It's natural to feel anxious, confused, unsettled and fatigued, no matter how you have looked forward to a change. While promotions at work can be positive and exciting, there are also negative transitions that could make you feel hopeless and negative, anxious and unable to see the solutions to the inevitable problems you face.


Some of the common transitions that people face include moving house, divorce, remarriage, empty nest syndrome, concerns about aging, adjusting to a new job, illness, or death of a loved one.

During periods of transitions, it's common for emotions from some of your past experiences to be triggered, which can make the current situation feel so much worse. That's when confusion takes over, leaving you feeling out of control and confused.

Transition counselling can help you deal with your life changes and the emotions that you are feeling in a safe and effective manner. You will be able to find the root causes of your reactions and you will be able to face the changes head on. You may even be able to push past your self-imposed limits to broaden your horizons and find a strong, new you.

You will gain clarity and understanding, as well as self-confidence to help you feel more grounded and you will develop a sense of purpose in your life. Transition therapy  has helped hundreds of thousands of people to come to terms with difficult issues in life and you can too.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses transitions, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

A positive self-esteem is an essential tool to help someone function as a productive member of society. Our basic sense of worth determines how well we are able to deal with situations and how well we perform in the family, at school, at work and in life.

Having a healthy self-esteem means that we have a sense of self-worth, self-respect and the ability to find the good in yourself. On the contrary, a negative self image can lead to social anxiety, loneliness, self-criticism, shame and even anger. A person with low self-esteem often feels isolated.

Self-esteem issues are usually created in childhood when negative experiences and poor influences and reactions from caregivers stunt the development of a positive self esteem. Self-esteem can also be affected by abuse, or by being different. A person may be stigmatized for his or her social identity, race, social class, behaviors or appearance.

However, a person's self-esteem can also be challenged during adulthood when one experiences marital issues, financial problems, career glitches or legal challenges.

Therapy can help a person come to terms with self-esteem issues. A therapist will help identify the causes of self-esteem issues and help the individual to regain control over circumstances through goal-directed therapy.

It can help someone with low self-esteem to separate who they are from what they have, or how they look in order to overcome low self-esteem issues. Discovering one's worth is a great way to take control of situations and to learn to feel adequate.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers goal directed therapy to address your self-esteem issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.
 

Somatic Approaches

Somatic approaches to therapy recognize the mind-body connection and focus on addressing psychological issues through bodily experiences. By incorporating techniques such as body awareness, breathwork, and sometines movement, these approaches help individuals access and process stored emotions and trauma. This value lies in their ability to foster self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healing.  Some therapies like "somatic experiencing" require specialized training and certification.  Please ask your therapist whether he/she has sprecialize training and in which approaches.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Somatic Approaches, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Marthe Lemire

M.S.W., RSW
Would you like to: Have a better understanding of the past. Clarify and work on acceptance in the present. Move towards a valued future. We are in a unique time, as advances in technology have created new... Read more

Samantha Lee

M.Ed., RCC
Hey there, I’m Sam! I provide therapy from a trauma-informed, client centered perspective that is anti-oppressive. My style of counselling prioritizes warm, transparent communication. I have experience supporting... Read more

Kathryn Pybus

MCP:AT, RCC
    • Online booking
A Registered Clinical Counsellor (#14856) and Professional Canadian Art Therapist, I bring expertise, passion, and skill to my practice with clients of diverse cultures and experiences. I practice from a place of... Read more

Karen Goble

M.A., RCC
I’m a psychotherapist (MA, RCC) who offers therapy with heart. My private practice is a safe, nurturing space for acceptance and growth. I’m committed to helping my clients move courageously beyond... Read more

Cheryl Verheyden

M.A., RCC
    • Blog on profile
    • Online booking
We all face various challenges that can impact our ability to connect with others, feel safe within ourselves, and be fully present in our lives. I am passionate about helping people uncover their unique personal... Read more

Abby Petterson

M.A., RCC
Abby Petterson is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) offering psychotherapy and counselling services to individuals, couples and families. Abby has specialized training and... Read more

Danielle Green

M.A., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Online booking
It is frustrating and painful to get stuck in unwanted patterns in life.  Overthinking, relationship conflict, low mood and a deep sense of overwhelm can feel like issues that continue to recycle throughout your... Read more
    • Online booking
When explaining my approach, I often ask the question, “Who are you”? It’s a tricky one, isn’t it? No matter how hard we try, our stories rarely can sum it all up. Inevitably, something is... Read more

Judith Setton-Markus

M.Ed., R.Psych
Judith Setton-Markus is a Registered Psychologist licensed with the College of Psychologists of BC #1712. She is also a Psychoanalyst and Psychoanalytically Oriented Psychotherapist, a member of the Western Branch... Read more

Colette Mrazek

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
My counselling career began over 20 years ago and since then, I have worked in a variety of settings with many different populations, such as youth at risk, children who have been orphaned, young parents,... Read more

Katy Vinson

M.C., RCC
    • Video on profile
    • Online booking
Welcome! My name is Katy (she/her) and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). I am also a Registered Art Therapist (RCAT) with the Canadian Art... Read more

Shelley Foster

M.A., RCC
Unique Family Coaching, Customized Individual Counselling and Online Consultation. Are you a family with teenagers looking for help?  Need something to change. Feel like you can no longer communicate or trust... Read more

Bel Baljit Chhokar

M.S.W., RSW
    • Online booking
Do you feel like you’re constantly negotiating your own identity amongst challenges and responsibilities in your life? From defining your role as a parent or a  partner, to living within a multi-generational/... Read more
    • Online booking
I work teenagers and adults seeking therapy for anxiety, burnout, life transitions and other mental health concerns. In sessions I use ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral... Read more

Tiffany Brown

M.A., CCC
  Tiffany Brown, MA, CCC is honoured to work with folks who've experienced or have been affected by abuse from a partner, other forms of gender-based violence including sexual assault, or any form... Read more

Kristen Bailey

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
People come to therapy for a variety if reasons, but ultimately there is something you are experiencing in your life that is causing you pain and suffering that you want to address. We all experience pain that stems... Read more

Karen Ergas

Ph.D., R.Psych
I am a registered psychologist with over 25 years experience working with individuals who struggle with all types of disordered eating and related conditions. My background includes individual and group therapy,... Read more

Kelly Archer

M.A., RCC
Kelly Archer, MA, RCC (pronouns: she/her/hers) Kelly is a clinical counsellor with over 13 years of experience working in the social services field with children, youth and young adults within outreach, community... Read more