Parenting
Parenting Counselling
Parenting comes with no manual and every child is different: feeling exhausted and unsure isn't a sign you're doing it wrong.
When parenting starts to feel like more than you can carry alone
Parenting is one of the hardest, most demanding jobs there is. It lasts a lifetime, comes with no manual, and every child is different from the last. If you feel exhausted, discouraged, or unsure whether what you’re doing is working, you are far from alone.
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What parenting struggles can look like
It can show up as yelling more than you intend to and then feeling shame about it, a child who refuses to go to school, power struggles that never seem to end, or a strong-willed child who tests every limit. Underneath difficult behaviour, a child is often trying to communicate something: bullying, anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem can all show up as acting out or withdrawal.
How counselling helps you parent more consistently
A therapist helps you understand your own parenting patterns (many of which were “downloaded” from how you were raised) and builds practical, consistent strategies that fit your child. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a common starting point, helping you notice unhelpful cycles and replace them with calmer, steadier responses. The goal isn’t to become a perfect parent (there is no such thing) but to become more consistent, more aware, and less alone in the work.
You might recognize some of this
You can start where you are.
- Yelling more than you want to, then feeling guilt or shame about it
- A child who refuses to go to school
- Power struggles that escalate instead of resolving
- A strong-willed child who won't listen no matter what you try
- Feeling exhausted, discouraged, or in over your head
- Not knowing whether your parenting style is helping or hurting
- A child showing signs of anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem
This is a description of experiences, not a self-diagnosis checklist.
It may be time to talk to someone
You don't need to be in crisis to deserve support.
Consider reaching out if:
- Your child won't go to school and conversations aren't getting anywhere
- You're yelling more than you want to and it isn't working
- You're stuck in the same power struggles over and over
- You suspect your child's behaviour may be linked to anxiety, depression, or trauma
- You feel like you're failing even though you're trying everything you know
Needing help with your own kids doesn't mean you've failed as a parent.
Approaches a therapist may draw on
We match the approach to you, not the other way around. Your therapist may draw on one or several, depending on what fits.
Calmer, more consistent responses to everyday parenting.
Helps you identify unhelpful patterns inherited from your own upbringing and build calmer, more consistent responses to everyday parenting challenges.
Therapists who work this way: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)See the whole family's part, not one child as the problem.
Looks at how the whole family's dynamics contribute to a child's behaviour, rather than treating the child as the sole problem.
Therapists who work this way: Family Systems TherapyReal-time coaching to reduce power struggles.
Coaches parents through real-time strategies for reducing power struggles and building a steadier, more responsive relationship with their child.
Therapists who work this way: Parent-Child Interaction TherapyA therapist who fits your situation
Our registered therapists have real experience helping people through what you are facing.
Dr. Cathryn Harris
Registered Psychologist
PhD, C.Psych.
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Cathy Penny
Registered Social Worker
BA, BSW, MSW, RRP, RSW
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Rev. Chad Tomlinson
Registered Psychotherapist
MTS, MEd, MA, OCT, RP
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Dan Watterworth
Registered Psychotherapist
BTh, MDiv, RP
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Gretchen Savery
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
MA, BA, RP (Qualifying)
Families, Individuals
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Lisa Bynoe-Stevens
Registered Psychotherapist
BASc, MDiv, CSFT, RP
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Michelle Hodgson
Registered Social Worker
SSW, BA, BSW, MSW, RSW
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Michelle Pennells
Counsellor and Art Therapist
HBA, DTATI (Thesis Pending)
Families, Individuals
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Veesta Mavandadi
Registered Psychological Associate
MA, BSc, C.Psych.Assoc.
Individuals, Families
View profileCommon questions
A child's refusal to go to school is usually their way of communicating that something is wrong. It could be bullying, anxiety, depression, or trauma. A therapist can help you and your child figure out what's underneath the behaviour rather than just addressing the refusal itself.
Yelling is sometimes necessary for safety, but a steady pattern of it can be harmful to a child's emotional development. Therapy can help you name yelling as a skill gap rather than a character flaw, and build calmer ways of getting your child's attention and cooperation.
Good parenting means responding sensitively to a child's emotional, behavioural, and developmental needs at each stage, and helping them build the skills they need as they grow. No parent gets this right all the time, and there is always room to do better.
Avoid getting into power struggles with a strong-willed child. They are hard to win and tend to escalate. Consistency, calm eye-to-eye communication, and not investing in the fight are more effective than confrontation.
Professionals commonly describe four parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved), and many clinicians also talk about an overinvolved (sometimes called 'helicopter') pattern. Research links these styles to different outcomes for children, and most parents use a blend shaped by how they themselves were raised.
Yes. Sessions are available online or in person at one of our Ontario offices, whichever works best for your family.
Care you can lean on
Sessions with our registered therapists are covered by most extended health and workplace benefit plans. Not sure what yours includes? We're happy to help you check before you book.
Sessions typically start at $150 and vary by therapist. Not sure where to begin? Our Intake Specialists can talk through fees, coverage, and which therapist fits what you are facing. Call (905) 319-1488 during business hours.
Ready when you are. We're here to listen.
Browse our registered therapists and reach out when you're ready. We'll usually reply within one business day.