If you have concerns about your child or teen’s mood, anxiety levels or behaviour we provide comprehensive assessments to evaluate key areas of concern and then provide treatments that are proven to be effective in bringing about change.
Signs of low mood in children and youth include irritability, withdrawal from activities, low energy and reduced motivation, negative thoughts and loss of interest in previously enjoyed hobbies/activities. Comprehensive psychological assessments are a first step in treating depressed mood.
Signs of anxiety in children and youth include difficulties with changes in plan, overthinking, avoidance of feared situations, clinginess, persistent unrealistic fears and nervous behaviours such as becoming tense, timid, wound up and often wanting to do anything to avoid feared situations. The good news is that anxiety conditions can be effectively treated with a variety of cognitive behavioural therapies.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – this condition occurs when an individual begins to restrict eating due to a negative experience with food (e.g., tummy pain, choking, vomiting, disliking sensory aspects of food – such as texture). The condition is diagnosed when people experience worrisome weight loss or nutritional deficiencies due to avoidance of food. After receiving a thorough psychological assessment, ARFID can be effectively treated.
Some people are highly sensitive to sensory characteristics of food such as texture, smell and taste. They may have a very small number of foods they eat. When picky eating begins to lead to distress related to typical social situations – e.g., going to someone’s house to eat, going on trips or to camp and being away from home in general – professional help should be sought.
Behavioural challenges can include difficulties focusing, impulsivity, difficulties with organization, planning and forgetfulness. Other behavioural challenges can include frequent oppositional, defiant behaviours where individuals can get into frequent conflicts at home and at school. Behavioural difficulties usually require psychological assessment when they are significantly disrupting relationships at home, are interfering with an individual’s progress at school and/or with friends.
Health conditions can have a significant impact on our mental and overall physical wellbeing. Stress, uncertainty about the future and worries about the health condition can exacerbate some physical conditions such as pain, GI conditions, cardiac and inflammatory conditions. Our clinicians have specialty experience in providing assessment and treatment to help reduce the impact of stress, low mood and challenges coping with the health condition on life. For families with a child experiencing a health condition, we help the child but also the family reduce the impact of the health condition on life.
Specific Areas include:
Pain (Fibromyalgia, Neuropathic Pain, Pain secondary to Arthritis, Cancer Treatment, MS, Back Pain, and other Chronic Pain Conditions)
GI conditions (IBS, IBD, Functional Abdominal Pain such as rumination, EoE and constipation)
Somatization (Somatic Symptom Disorder and Functional Neurological Disorder
If you have concerns about your child or teen’s mood, anxiety levels or behaviour we provide comprehensive assessments to evaluate key areas of concern and then provide treatments that are proven to be effective in bringing about change.
Signs of low mood in children and youth include irritability, withdrawal from activities, low energy and reduced motivation, negative thoughts and loss of interest in previously enjoyed hobbies/activities. Comprehensive psychological assessments are a first step in treating depressed mood.
Signs of anxiety in children and youth include difficulties with changes in plan, overthinking, avoidance of feared situations, clinginess, persistent unrealistic fears and nervous behaviours such as becoming tense, timid, wound up and often wanting to do anything to avoid feared situations. The good news is that anxiety conditions can be effectively treated with a variety of cognitive behavioural therapies.
We treat:
Generalized Anxiety
Social anxiety
Separation anxiety
Panic Attacks
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
PTSD
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – this condition occurs when an individual begins to restrict eating due to a negative experience with food (e.g., tummy pain, choking, vomiting, disliking sensory aspects of food – such as texture). The condition is diagnosed when people experience worrisome weight loss or nutritional deficiencies due to avoidance of food. After receiving a thorough psychological assessment, ARFID can be effectively treated.
Some people are highly sensitive to sensory characteristics of food such as texture, smell and taste. They may have a very small number of foods they eat. When picky eating begins to lead to distress related to typical social situations – e.g., going to someone’s house to eat, going on trips or to camp and being away from home in general – professional help should be sought.
Behavioural challenges can include difficulties focusing, impulsivity, difficulties with organization, planning and forgetfulness. Other behavioural challenges can include frequent oppositional, defiant behaviours where individuals can get into frequent conflicts at home and at school. Behavioural difficulties usually require psychological assessment when they are significantly disrupting relationships at home, are interfering with an individual’s progress at school and/or with friends.
Health conditions can have a significant impact on our mental and overall physical wellbeing. Stress, uncertainty about the future and worries about the health condition can exacerbate some physical conditions such as pain, GI conditions, cardiac and inflammatory conditions. Our clinicians have specialty experience in providing assessment and treatment to help reduce the impact of stress, low mood and challenges coping with the health condition on life. For families with a child experiencing a health condition, we help the child but also the family reduce the impact of the health condition on life.
Specific Areas include:
Pain (Fibromyalgia, Neuropathic Pain, Pain secondary to Arthritis, Cancer Treatment, MS, Back Pain, and other Chronic Pain Conditions)
GI conditions (IBS, IBD, Functional Abdominal Pain such as rumination, EoE and constipation)
Somatization (Somatic Symptom Disorder and Functional Neurological Disorder
Adjustment to Health Conditions in General
Elimination Disorders (Encopresis, Enuresis)