Understanding Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)
Has your child ever had an explosive meltdown over a gentle correction, or flatly refused to join a group activity out of fear of messing up? They aren't trying to be dramatic or defiant—they may be experiencing Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). Discover what RSD actually looks like in sensitive and neurodivergent kids, why traditional toughening up advice backfires, and how to help your child build nervous system safety.
Understanding Selective Mutism: What It Is and How to Help Your Child Find Their Voice
Selective Mutism isn't stubbornness or shyness—it's an anxiety response. Discover how a step-by-step approach at home and school can help your child build verbal confidence out loud.
Beyond High Grades: Understanding Giftedness from a Counsellor (and Parent) Who Gets It
Explore what giftedness actually means beyond academic achievement. Learn about asynchronous development, sensory intensities, twice-exceptionality (2e), and practical school advocacy strategies from a Clinical Counsellor and parent who has navigated the system firsthand.
The Hidden Picture: Understanding ADHD in Girls and Supporting Their Unique Journey
ADHD in girls often looks completely different than expected—frequently masked by perfectionism, quiet daydreaming, or chronic anxiety. Learn how to recognize the subtle signs of ADHD in girls across all ages, and discover how neuro-affirming support in Port Coquitlam can help your daughter thrive.
From Summer Freedom to School Routines: A 2-Week Nervous System Reset for Families
Struggling with the back-to-school transition? Discover a gentle, 2-week somatic guide to help your child or teen navigate school anxiety, morning routines, and nervous system regulation in Port Coquitlam.
The "Mistake Meltdown": Helping Kids Who Freeze Up When Things Don’t Go Perfectly
When a child explodes or freezes over a small mistake, it isn't just drama—their nervous system is perceiving a threat. As a teacher and clinical counsellor, here is how to help your child move past perfectionism and build true resilience.
Is It "School Refusal" or "School Can't"? A Former School Counsellor’s Guide to Morning Battles
Is morning a battleground in your home? If your child or teen struggles with severe school anxiety, they aren't just being defiant—their nervous system is overwhelmed. Read a former BC school counsellor's gentle guide to understanding "School Can't" and finding a meaningful, collaborative path forward for your family this summer.
Beyond Words: The Grounding Benefits of Pet Therapy for Kids and Teens
Discover how animal-assisted therapy helps children and youth regulate their nervous systems, lower anxiety, and find comfort without words. Learn about the science-backed benefits of pet therapy and meet Plum, our certified therapy dog providing a soft place to land for families seeking child and teen counselling in Port Coquitlam.
The Language of Play: Why Child-Centered Play Therapy is Vital for Kids in Port Coquitlam
Registered Clinical Counsellor explains the benefits of child-centered play therapy and expressive arts therapy for children facing anxiety or family changes in Port Coquitlam and the Tri-Cities.
The Thoughts We Don’t Talk About: Normalizing Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts
When I was a new mom, I experienced terrifying, intrusive flashes that I was too ashamed to talk about. Over 90% of new parents experience them—so why are we still suffering in silence? Here is what is actually happening when a tired brain's safety alarm gets stuck.
Beyond Being “The Best”: Modelling Resilience for Our Children
As a counsellor and a mom, I’ve learned that our kids don't need us to be superheroes; they need us to be human. Read about why I choose to model resilience through my own struggles with anxiety, and how it’s teaching my children empathy, care, and the power of being "enough."
Behind the Brave Face: Understanding Masking in Children
What happens when we stop focusing on achievement and start focusing on the child? Explore the reality of masking and why my practice is designed to be a place where you and your child are enough, exactly as you are.
Beyond the Label: Why Understanding Your Child’s Wiring Changes Everything
"When my son was diagnosed as gifted in Grade 4, I shared the same fear many parents do: Would a 'label' box him in? I soon realized that a diagnosis isn't a box—it's a roadmap. Learn why moving from labels to understanding helps children stop asking 'What is wrong with me?' and start asking 'How does my brain work?'"
Listening to the Body: Helping Children Decode Big Feelings
"My tummy hurts!" Is it a bug, or is it a big feeling? Explore how teaching children to listen to their body’s "early warning signals" can transform how they cope with anxiety, frustration, and overwhelm.
Beyond the Deep End: Why “Toughening Up” of Sensitive Kids Doesn’t Work (and What to Do Instead)
From soccer cleats that don't feel 'right' to the fear of a new classroom, parenting a sensitive child can feel like a constant battle of wills. As both a counsellor and a mom to sensitive kids, I'm sharing why we should stop asking them to 'suck it up' and how we can build a 'ladder of support' instead.
Is it Just the “Baby Blues?” Navigating Postpartum Anxiety in Port Moody
Is it just the 'Baby Blues,' or is it something more? While weepiness is common in the first two weeks, many parents in Port Moody and Coquitlam experience a 'tired but wired' anxiety that doesn't fade. Discover the key differences between transition stress and Postpartum Anxiety (PPA) or Postpartum Depression (PPD), and learn what to do if you suspect that you, or someone you love, has it.
The Identity Earthquake: Navigating the Transition to Parenthood
Why does the transition to parenthood feel so heavy? From the 'identity earthquake' to navigating new anxieties, learn how specialized perinatal support and somatic tools can help you move from survival mode to wellness
Fostering Independence in Children: Why it Matters and How to Support it
Fostering independence isn't just about teaching your child life skills; it’s about shifting the family dynamic. Discover how to step back with confidence, reduce power struggles, and help your child discover their own 'I can do it' moments.
Big Feelings and Self-Regulation: How to Co-Regulate
Big emotions are a normal part of childhood, but they can sometimes feel overwhelming—for kids and for us as caregivers. By modeling calm strategies like taking a breath or naming our own feelings, we can help children learn self-regulation and strengthen their ability to connect with themselves.
ADHD Support for Children/Youth: Supports Available in B.C.
Navigating the ADHD support system in British Columbia can feel like a full-time job. From understanding possible designations in schools to accessing community resources, it’s hard to know where to start. As an educator, registered clinical counsellor, and parent coach, I have found many beneficial resources to help your child with ADHD.