When Does a Child Need Therapy? | Signs & Support in Coquitlam

When Should You Consider Therapy for Your Child?

Parenting often involves navigating big emotions, difficult transitions, and moments when children struggle to express what they’re feeling. Many parents wonder whether their child’s challenges are part of typical development or a sign that extra support may be helpful.

Seeking therapy for your child does not mean something is “wrong.” In many cases, therapy simply provides children with a safe space to process emotions, develop coping skills, and strengthen their sense of security and resilience.

If you’re wondering whether therapy might benefit your child, here are some signs that additional support could be helpful. Many families in Port Moody and the Tri-Cities reach out during these moments.

Changes in Behaviour or Mood

Children often communicate distress through behaviour rather than words. If you notice sudden or significant changes in your child’s behaviour, it may be a signal that they are struggling internally.

Some examples include:

  • increased irritability or anger
  • frequent emotional outbursts or meltdowns
  • withdrawal from family or friends
  • changes in sleep or appetite
  • loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed

While occasional changes are normal, patterns that persist over several weeks may indicate that your child is having difficulty coping with something in their environment or emotional world.

Anxiety, Worries, or Fears

Many children experience fears and worries as they grow. However, when anxiety begins to interfere with daily life, therapy can be helpful.

Signs of anxiety in children may include:

  • excessive worry about school or social situations
  • frequent stomach aches or headaches with no medical cause
  • difficulty separating from caregivers
  • fears that disrupt sleep or bedtime routines
  • avoiding situations that previously felt manageable

Therapy can help children understand their worries, build emotional regulation skills, and develop tools for navigating anxious thoughts and feelings.

Difficulty Managing Big Emotions

Children are still learning how to regulate their emotions. Sometimes, feelings such as frustration, sadness, or anger can become overwhelming.

You might notice your child:

  • becoming easily frustrated
  • having intense reactions to small events
  • struggling to calm down once upset
  • expressing anger through aggression or defiance

Therapy can support children in learning how to recognize emotions, express them in healthy ways, and develop skills to calm their nervous system during moments of distress.

After a Stressful or Frightening Experience

Children may benefit from therapy after experiencing something that felt overwhelming or frightening.

Examples might include:

  • a car accident
  • a medical procedure or hospitalization
  • bullying or social conflict
  • the loss of a loved one or pet
  • family changes such as divorce or relocation
  • witnessing conflict or distressing events

Even when children appear “fine,” they may still be trying to process what happened. Therapy can help them safely express their experience and reduce the likelihood that distress becomes long-term anxiety or fear.

Sleep Difficulties or Nightmares

Sleep can often reflect a child’s emotional state. If your child is experiencing frequent nightmares, bedtime anxiety, or difficulty sleeping alone, it may be related to stress, worry, or an unresolved experience.

Therapy can help children explore the emotions connected to these fears while building strategies that support a sense of safety and calm.

Big Life Transitions

Children often need extra support during periods of change. Transitions such as starting a new school, moving homes, welcoming a new sibling, or adjusting to family changes can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Therapy can provide a consistent space where children can talk, play, and make sense of these changes while strengthening their emotional resilience.

Challenges With Relationships or Social Skills

Some children struggle with friendships, conflict resolution, or understanding social cues. Therapy can provide a supportive environment to explore these challenges and practice new skills.

Children may benefit from support if they:

  • have difficulty making or keeping friends
  • frequently experience conflict with peers
  • feel left out or misunderstood
  • struggle with frustration during social interactions

Through play and guided activities, therapy can help children build confidence, empathy, and communication skills.

How Child Therapy Works

Unlike adult therapy, children often communicate through play rather than conversation alone. Play is a child’s natural language and an important part of healthy brain development. Through play, children process experiences, regulate emotions, and make sense of their world in ways that feel safe and developmentally appropriate.

In therapy, play-based activities help support emotional regulation, build resilience, and strengthen the neural pathways involved in coping, connection, and problem-solving.

Therapy may include activities such as:
• play therapy
• sand tray therapy
• drawing or creative expression
• movement or sensory activities
• storytelling and imaginative play

These approaches allow children to express feelings and experiences that may be difficult to put into words while building emotional awareness and coping skills within a safe, supportive environment.

Caregivers are also an essential part of the process. Children heal and grow best within strong relationships, so therapy often includes collaboration with parents or caregivers. Drawing on approaches, such as Theraplay, sessions may focus on strengthening connection, building emotional safety, and supporting positive interactions between children and their caregivers.

When children feel safe, understood, and supported both in therapy and at home, meaningful and lasting change becomes possible.

Trusting Your Instinct as a Parent

Parents often have a strong sense when something doesn’t feel quite right for their child. If you find yourself wondering whether therapy could help, it can be valuable to speak with a counsellor and explore your concerns.

Seeking support early can help children develop the emotional tools they need to navigate challenges with greater confidence and resilience.

Therapy is not only for moments of crisis. It can also be a proactive way to support your child’s emotional development and strengthen the relationship between children and their caregivers.

If you would like to learn more about how therapy may support your child, you are welcome to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with Celina Jensen.

Written by Celina Jensen, MACP, CCC
Child and trauma-informed clinical counsellor and EMDR therapist at Rene Health Clinic.

Professional portrait of Celina Jensen, a Canadian Certified Counsellor at René Health who specializes in child therapy and EMDR.
Celina Jensen

Registered Clinical Counsellor

I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor who specializes in supporting children and families through emotional, behavioural, and life challenges. In my work with children, I create a warm, playful, and safe therapeutic environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves, building emotional awareness, and developing healthy coping skills. Through play-based, sand tray, and developmentally appropriate approaches, I help children strengthen resilience, confidence, and connection with themselves and others.

My work with children is grounded in nearly two decades of experience in child protection with international aid organizations in conflict- and disaster-affected regions. In these roles, I supported children and families impacted by war, displacement, abuse, and loss. This experience shaped my understanding of attachment, early development, and the lasting impact of early life experiences on emotional and relational wellbeing.

While my work with children is grounded in play and relational connection, my work with adults focuses more on trauma processing, insight, and emotional regulation. I support adults experiencing trauma, stress, anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and have advanced training in working with first responders and individuals exposed to high-stress environments.

My therapeutic approach is grounded, compassionate, and collaborative. With adults, I primarily draw from EMDR, Internal Family Systems (parts work), narrative therapy, and mindfulness-based practices. With children, I adapt these principles in age-appropriate ways through play, sand tray, creativity, and relational connection. When helpful, I also integrate somatic and creative elements.

In addition to my clinical training, I am certified in meditation and yoga instruction and have facilitated mindfulness programs in workplace settings. My personal experience as a parent and as a therapy client has deepened my appreciation for the courage it takes to seek support. Outside of my professional work, I enjoy spending time with my family and exploring local trails.

I strive to create a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered. I view therapy as a collaborative process and work alongside clients and families to support meaningful and sustainable change.

Education and Certifications

  • Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University
  • Master of Arts in Conflict, Security and Development, King’s College London
  • Bachelor of Arts, University of British Columbia
  • Certificate in Creative Writing, University of British Columbia
  • Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC)
  • EMDR Trained, Advanced EMDR training with First Responders
  • Emotionally Focused Family Therapy Level I
  • Certified Meditation and Yoga Instructor
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