Child and Adolescent Therapy in Airdrie and Canmore
​
​

​

Children rarely say "I am struggling" in words. They show us, through worries, meltdowns, and battles over school. Therapy provides a safe place for children to learn how to communicate feelings, practice new skills, change behaviors, and provide you, as the parent, with a plan to feel confident supporting your child.
At Child Inspired Psychology Group, our therapists provide warm, evidence-based therapy for children and teens, in person at our Airdrie and Canmore offices.

 

Does this sound like your family?

​

• Your child's worries have grown bigger than you can talk them out of at bedtime.

• Meltdowns and big emotions are starting to run the household.

• Teachers are flagging focus, attention, or friendships, and homework ends in tears.

• Your child has been through something hard, including loss, and you are not sure how to help them through it.
   

If any of this feels familiar, you are not failing, and neither is your child. Kids do not process feelings the way adults do. With the right support, children come through this. Parents do too.

Therapy that speaks your child's language: play

A fifty-minute conversation is not how most children open up. That is why our child and adolescent therapy leads with play therapy and play-based interventions: games, art, sand tray, and stories that help children express what is going on inside, practise new skills, and build confidence. Play is the doorway. From there, every session is guided by proven, evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) adapted for children, alongside emotion-focused and solution-focused approaches.

We support children and teens with:

• Anxiety

• ADHD and executive functioning

• Social skill development for children with autism

• Attachment concerns

• Childhood trauma, grief, and loss
   

Parents are part of the process too. For some families that means regular check-ins. For others it means focused parent coaching, often specific to supporting a child with ADHD or building a behaviour plan that works at home and at school.
 

Teens are not young adults. Adolescents need therapy built for their stage, so sessions trade the playroom for a casual, focused space that taps into their strengths to build emotional regulation and stronger relationships at home, at school and with peers.

​​​

What working together looks like

​
Knowing what happens before you walk through the door makes the first step easier.

Here is how it works.
 

1. We meet with you first: Before we meet your child, we sit down with you, and we encourage both parents or caregivers to come along. This is where we gather the developmental, family, and school background that shapes everything after it, and where we agree the goals for therapy together. By the end of that session, your child's first appointment already has a plan behind it. Parent sessions are usually held by secure video.
    

2. You see the space before your child does: We give you a tour of the office, in person or virtually, so you can describe the room and the therapist to your child in your own words. Children arrive far more settled when the place is already familiar to them, even second-hand.
    

3. The first session with your child: One parent joins for the first 10 minutes, while your child's therapist welcomes them, explains why they are here and what the next little while will look like. Your child then has around 30 minutes with the therapist. For the last 10 minutes, you come back in, so you leave knowing what came up and how to carry it on at home.
    

4. Ongoing sessions, with you kept in the loop: After that, sessions are usually your child and their therapist, with a parent update session every 3 to 4 sessions. You are welcome to email ahead of any appointment if something has come up that week. As a guideline, many families see meaningful progress in 6 to 8 sessions.
    

If you are separated or divorced
 

We need consent from both parents before your child begins therapy, unless a court order confirms sole guardianship. Having primary care does not, on its own, allow one parent to consent.

Knowing this before you reach out means we can get your child started without delay, so please have contact details for both parents ready.

We prefer to hold the first parent session with both of you together, though we can arrange separate sessions if you would rather.

Not sure where to start? Some of our therapists offer a free 15 to 20 minute consultation, a chance to ask questions and see whether booking makes sense before you commit.

Navigating separation or divorce? See our support for children through separation and divorce.

Why Airdrie and Canmore families choose us

Led by Dr. Michelle Soucy Dahl, Ph.D., Registered Psychologist with over 25 years of experience supporting children and families.
A collaborative team of therapists, from our doctoral-level Registered Psychologist to our Certified Counsellors and supervised interns, so there is a fit and a fee that work for your family.
Direct billing available to most plans with Canada Life, Green Shield, Sun Life, Blue Cross, Medavie and Telus Health.
A dedicated play therapy room with sand trays, so younger children have a space built for the way they express themselves.
Two welcoming offices, one in Airdrie and one in Canmore.
 

Questions about coverage? Visit our fees and direct billing FAQ.