Child & Teen Counselling in Calgary
Helping children and teens grow with confidence, resilience, and support.
Looking for child and teen counselling in Calgary? At Tutum Counselling, we provide neuroaffirming, personalized support to help children and teens build confidence, resilience, and healthy coping skills. We work closely with families, schools, and healthcare providers to ensure a rounded, system-wide approach that addresses your child’s unique needs across home, school, and daily life.
See How We Support Children & Teens by Age
Parent Involvement
To ensure a successful therapy journey, we want parents to understand the necessity of being involved. Here at Tutum Counselling, we help you to fully understand how to meet your child’s unique needs based on one’s specific level of emotional and mental well-being. Moreover, when there is more than one child in the family, there is often the need to have more than one strategy. What works for one, might not work for the other!
Our Approaches to Supporting Children & Teens
Play
Therapy
Narrative
Therapy
Art
Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Family
Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Issues commonly addressed in child and teen counselling:
It can be challenging to determine when your child and/or teen may need counselling. The good news is, whether it is daily functioning or serious trauma, counselling always has benefits.
- Abuse (Physical, Sexual, Emotional)
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Body Image
- Boundaries
- Bullying
- Depression
- Divorce
- Eating Issues
- Emotional Regulation
- Fear
- Friendship Issues
- Grief & Loss
- Perfectionism
- Self-Esteem
- Self-Harm
- Sleep Issues
- Social Skills
- Suicidal Thoughts
- Transitions
- Witnessing/Experiencing Trauma
12 & Under
Support for Our Youngest Hearts
Playful paths to understanding and growth
Social Skills Development
Emotional Regulation
Behaviour Management
Life Transitions
How we work with children under 12
We use play therapy as a primary way to help children express themselves, build emotional skills, and work through challenges in a safe, supportive environment. Through creative activities like drawing, games, and imaginative play, children can communicate in ways words sometimes cannot.
Step 1: Parent Intake
The first step in your child’s counselling journey is a parent-only intake session. This is a chance to share your child’s needs, your family’s goals, and any challenges you’re facing. By understanding your child’s unique world, we can create a personalized plan with clear goals that supports their emotional and social growth.
Step 2: Meeting Your Child
During 1:1 sessions with your child, we focus on building trust and helping them develop essential skills to navigate life’s challenges. We assess key areas of emotional and social development to guide a personalized plan that supports their growth and well-being. These areas are fundamental for helping your child build resilience, confidence, and strong relationships.
Step 3: Ongoing Parent Check-Ins
Ongoing parent check-ins give us a chance to share our observations and progress in the key areas of your child’s emotional and social development. Together, we explore what’s working at home and provide practical tools to support your child’s growth. During these appointments, we may also suggest parent-child sessions or even family sessions to strengthen connections and reinforce skills at home.
This approach has proven PROGRESS
*While this approach is recommended, we recognize that every family is unique. We continue to adapt and tailor our methods until we find what works best for your child and family.
13 & Up
Guiding Teens Through Their Journey
Navigating challenges with confidence and support
Relationship Building
Academic Support
Stress & Anxiety Management
Identity Exploration
How we work with teens 13 and up
For teens, we use creative and interactive approaches to help them express themselves, build emotional skills, and work through challenges in a safe, supportive environment. Through activities like art, journaling, role-play, and problem-solving exercises, teens can explore their thoughts and feelings in ways that feel natural and meaningful.
Step 1: Teen Intake Session
Teen intake sessions start with parents to review consent, goals, and any concerns. The rest of the session focuses on your teen—giving them a safe space to share what matters most, build trust, and help us create a plan that supports their emotional and social growth.
Step 2: 1:1 Sessions With Your Teen
Teens have the opportunity to take ownership of their progress, developing confidence, self-awareness, and practical strategies to navigate challenges. They are encouraged to take an active role in their sessions, making choices about what to focus on and how they want to approach their growth.
Step 3: Ongoing Parent Check-Ins
Ongoing parent sessions are flexible and tailored to your family’s needs—they may involve just the parent, or include the teen when helpful. These sessions provide a space to review progress, share observations, and explore what’s working at home. We provide strategies and tools to support your teen’s emotional and social growth, and at times the therapist may suggest parent-teen or family sessions to strengthen relationships and reinforce skills in everyday life.
This approach has proven PROGRESS
*While this approach is recommended, we recognize that every family is unique. We continue to adapt and tailor our methods until we find what works best for your child and family.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Our counselling sessions are $200 for 50 minutes. This rate is lower than the recommended fee guidelines set by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). We’ve chosen to keep our fees below the provincial standard so that counselling remains more affordable and accessible for families in Calgary and the surrounding area.
Yes, we understand that financial circumstances can vary, and we offer a sliding scale fee
structure in certain circumstances. Our team is committed to ensure that cost is not a barrier to
access the support and guidance you need. Please see your counsellor for more information.
Each individual’s journey is unique, and progress varies based on personal circumstances.
However, many of our families report significant and lasting improvements within 8-12 sessions.
Our supportive and experienced team is here to guide you every step of the way
Yes! We recognize that the payment process should be accessible and effortless.
We can direct bill to most major insurance companies. Contact your health provider to find out what coverage you have.
Yes, we do! We only work with FSCD contracts for Individual and Family Counselling hours. While FSCD funding typically does not cover the full cost of our standard counselling fees, many families choose to use their extended health benefits to help cover the remaining balance.
If you don’t have extended health benefits, we’re happy to discuss a reduced fee or adjust our rate to align with FSCD’s approved funding whenever possible. Please reach out so we can find an option that works best for your family.
We value your time and commitment to your mental health journey. We kindly request a
minimum of 48-hours notice for appointment cancellations to accommodate the needs of our
clients. Please keep in mind that any missed or cancelled appointments within 48 hours are
subject to a cancellation fee equivalent to the cost of your counselling session.
We collaborate with adults when it’s a good fit! While our primary focus is on parenting support, we also assist with individual issues. Contact us to see if our services align with your needs
Yes, typically, consent from both parents is required for minors to receive counselling
services. However, we understand that family dynamics can be complex, and our team is here
to navigate these conversations with sensitivity and understanding. Your wellbeing and privacy
are our top priorities, and we will work collaboratively with you to ensure that you feel
comfortable and supported throughout the process.
At this time, we do not offer formal psychological or diagnostic assessments. However, we do provide screenings that can help identify whether further assessment may be beneficial. If a screening suggests that a more in-depth evaluation is needed, we can provide recommendations and referrals to our trusted community partners who specialize in formal assessments.
Absolutely! We will never stop supporting someone simply because they’ve turned 18. Many of the teens we work with return for additional support as young adults. Since we already have a strong rapport and an understanding of their history, continuing counselling often feels natural and comfortable. We’re happy to keep walking alongside them as they navigate new stages of life.
At Tutum, no matter their licensing title, all our therapists provide the same high-quality care.
Every professional we hire holds a master’s degree and has specialized training in play therapy, family systems, and attachment-based approaches.
This ensures that no matter who you work with, you receive consistent, evidence-based treatment and recommendations tailored to your family’s needs.
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