If your child begins to exhibit any signs of emotional distress, mood swings, behavioural changes, or even physical symptoms such as headaches, nightmares, self-harm and lack of concentration, they may be dealing with a psychological challenge and need professional counselling and care. The approach to counselling is different for children and adolescents than it is for adults because they think and react in different ways. Young children tend to benefit from an approach that focuses on art, play, and developmental models. A Calgary psychologist may take advantage of art and play therapy for kids that utilizes non-verbal communication and allows children to express themselves and use their imaginations in ways that make sense to them. Adolescents, on the other hand, often remedy their struggles best through practical, strength-based, and behavioural therapies. The first step in helping your children work through the challenges they face is getting to the root of the issue. Once we know where the pain and anxiety are coming from, we can effectively develop a plan to guide youth away from the edge in a gentle, open, and friendly environment.