Understanding Your Child’s Brain and Behaviour.

These sessions are not traditional therapy but rather 2-3 evidence-based sessions grounded and focused in brain science, regulation, and practical tools to help manage difficult situations more effectively.

Family systems are inherently complex, and challenges within a family are rarely attributable to any one individual. It is essential to consider all perspectives to fully understand the dynamics at play. In family therapy, each member’s voice is valued, ensuring that the collective experience is acknowledged when addressing difficult situations. Families vary in structure, background, experiences, values, and opinions, and it is natural for all families to encounter periods of difficulty. My role as a mental health practitioner is to guide and support your family through these times.

Family counselling is designed to strengthen communication, enhance coping strategies, and identify patterns within the family system that may contribute to stress. Through this process, families can work together to foster healthier relationships and navigate challenges more effectively.

Common presenting themes include:

- Parent-child relationships concerns
- Adoption
- Divorce
- Intergenerational trauma
- Traumatic events
- Communication difficulties
- Emotional or behavioural concerns
- Life transitions

Children and adolescents encounter a range of stressors as they move toward adulthood. Developmentally, it is common for them to lack the skills needed to effectively communicate their needs. It can be distressing for caregivers to witness their child struggle and feel uncertain about how to provide support. Creating a safe and supportive environment where children can express themselves in ways that suit their individual needs is an essential first step.

I offer a variety of hands-on and talk-based therapeutic modalities to foster a supportive and empathetic space, tailored to each child’s unique preferences and developmental stage.

Symptoms you may notice in your child:

- Withdrawn from activities they previously enjoyed
- Trouble performing in school
- Lack of appetite or disordered eating
- Obsessive and compulsive behaviours
- Damaging behaviours (aggression towards others or items)
- Abrupt mood changes
- Isolation
- Self-harm
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- Trouble with the law
- Complaining of physical ailments with no known cause (i.e., headaches, stomach aches)

I have specialized training in providing clinical intervention for youth who exhibit sexually intrusive behaviours. Recognizing that this can be a complex and sensitive concern for families to navigate, my role involves working collaboratively with both the young person and their caregivers. Together, we address these behaviours within a therapeutic framework focused on safety, healthy boundaries, and long-term well-being.

Please note, if there is an open police investigation and or the young person has plead ‘not guilty’ to criminal charges, therapeutic interventions to address these specific concerns must be suspended until all court proceedings have concluded. If deemed appropriate, I can complete an adolescent sexual offending risk assessment.

ART is an evidence-based psychotherapy that works to heal individuals who experience upsetting symptoms related to traumatic events or life experiences. ART works rapidly and commonly helps individuals within 1-3 sessions by reprogramming the way in which distressing memories and images are stored in the brain. This is accomplished by using rapid eye movements (similar to the eye movements that occur while you are sleeping). ART is informed by other psychotherapies (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, guided imagery, brief psychodynamic therapy, exposure therapy, Gestalt therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy); ART is very specific and directive in which event is being processed.

ART can help with (but not limited to):
- Abuse (physical, psychological/emotional, sexual)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Other trauma related disorders
- Interpersonal relationship conflict
- Emotional Distress and dysregulation

Understanding yourself or your child shouldn’t feel confusing or incomplete. My assessment services are designed to provide clear answers, meaningful insight, and practical next steps - not just a diagnosis on paper.

I offer comprehensive psychological assessments for children, adolescents, and adults, including:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Learning Disorders
- Executive Functioning
- Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Concerns

Adolescent Sexual Offending Risk Assessment. An assessment to determine if an adolescent client is at risk (at the time of the assessment; assessment cannot predict future risk) of sexually intrusive behaviours. This assessment can be used to advocate for mental health treatment; in addition, it may be used in court proceedings. The process includes: Interviews, Review of Assessment Tools, and Review of Historical Documents.

*Assessment length may vary depending on testing required. Standardized assessments are conducted in-person only. Assessments are completed at Fercho Psychological Services.