Child Psychologists in Calgary: Assessment, Counselling and Support
Helping children understand their strengths, overcome challenges, and thrive.
Every child develops differently. Some experience difficulties with learning, attention, emotions, behaviour, or relationships. Others may be doing well in many areas but struggling with particular demands at home, at school, or in social situations.
For parents, it is not always easy to know whether these difficulties are part of typical development or whether additional support would be helpful.
At The Family Psychology Place, our Calgary psychologists provide psychological assessments, counselling, and consultation for children, adolescents, and their families.
Our goal is to understand each child’s individual strengths and challenges, identify the factors contributing to their difficulties, and help families make informed decisions about appropriate support.
With offices in North and South Calgary, we provide individualized psychological services that recognize the importance of each child’s development, experiences, relationships, and environment.
How Can a Child Psychologist Help?
A child psychologist works to understand how children think, learn, experience emotions, behave, and interact with others.
Depending on their training and area of practice, psychologists may provide psychological assessments, counselling, diagnostic evaluations, and consultation with parents or schools.
Children may benefit from psychological services when experiencing:
Attention and executive functioning difficulties
Problems with concentration, organization, planning, impulse control, or completing tasks.
Learning and academic challenges
Difficulties with reading, writing, mathematics, memory, or demonstrating knowledge despite appropriate instruction.
Emotional concerns
Persistent anxiety, sadness, excessive worry, emotional sensitivity, or difficulty managing frustration.
Behavioural difficulties
Frequent emotional outbursts, aggression, avoidance, difficulties following expectations, or challenging interactions at home or school.
Social and communication differences
Difficulties developing friendships, interpreting social situations, communicating effectively, or adjusting to changes.
Developmental differences
Questions about autism, ADHD, intellectual development, giftedness, or other aspects of a child's developmental profile.
Family and life transitions
Challenges related to separation, loss, family changes, stressful experiences, or other significant events.
Not every difficulty requires a formal assessment or ongoing counselling. Sometimes an initial consultation can help parents better understand their concerns and determine the most appropriate next steps.
Child Psychological Assessments in Calgary
A psychological assessment provides a structured way to understand a child’s abilities, development, emotions, behaviour, and everyday functioning.
Rather than focusing exclusively on a particular symptom or diagnosis, a comprehensive assessment considers how different factors may contribute to a child’s experiences.
Depending on the referral question, an assessment may involve interviews, developmental history, standardized testing, questionnaires, behavioural observations, and information from parents or teachers.
At The Family Psychology Place, we offer several types of assessments for children and adolescents.
Psychoeducational Assessments
Psychoeducational assessments help explain how children learn and why they may experience academic difficulties.
These assessments may examine intellectual abilities, academic achievement, memory, attention, processing speed, and executive functioning.
They can help identify learning disabilities, clarify learning strengths and challenges, and provide recommendations for school and home.
Assessments may also explore giftedness and twice-exceptionality, where advanced abilities coexist with learning, attention, or developmental difficulties.
ADHD Assessments
ADHD assessments examine patterns of attention, impulsivity, activity level, and executive functioning.
A child with ADHD may struggle with organization, completing assignments, following instructions, managing impulses, or regulating attention.
However, similar difficulties can also arise from anxiety, learning challenges, sleep difficulties, or other factors.
A comprehensive ADHD assessment considers developmental history, information from different settings, and the impact of symptoms on everyday functioning.
Autism Assessments
Autism assessments explore developmental patterns involving social communication and interaction, restricted or repetitive behaviours, interests, and sensory experiences.
Children with autism demonstrate a wide range of abilities, personalities, and support needs.
An individualized assessment considers developmental history, current functioning, strengths, and areas where additional support may be beneficial.
Behavioural and Emotional Assessments
Children’s behaviour can be influenced by emotional, developmental, cognitive, social, and environmental factors.
A behavioural or emotional assessment helps clarify patterns of behaviour, identify possible contributing factors, and determine what types of support may be most effective.
For example, a child who regularly avoids schoolwork may be experiencing attention difficulties, anxiety, a learning disability, or frustration associated with repeated academic challenges.
Understanding these differences is important because similar behaviours may require very different approaches.
Mental Health Assessments
Some children experience persistent anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, or other concerns that affect their well-being.
Mental health assessments help clarify the nature of these difficulties, consider relevant developmental and environmental factors, and identify appropriate treatment recommendations.
Child and Adolescent Counselling in Calgary
While assessments focus on understanding a child’s difficulties and abilities, counselling focuses on helping children and adolescents develop strategies to manage challenges and improve everyday functioning.
Counselling approaches are adapted to the child’s age, developmental abilities, individual needs, and treatment goals.
Parents and caregivers may also be involved in treatment, particularly when changes in family routines, communication, or responses to behaviour can help support progress.
In some situations, parent consultation or parent-based treatment may be more appropriate than individual counselling for the child.
Depending on their needs, counselling may help children:
- Understand and manage anxiety, worry, and difficult emotions.
- Develop emotional regulation and coping skills.
- Improve confidence and self-esteem.
- Strengthen social relationships and communication.
- Manage frustration, anger, or behavioural difficulties.
- Adjust to family changes, loss, or stressful experiences.
- Develop problem-solving skills and greater independence.
Does My Child Need Counselling or a Psychological Assessment?
This is one of the most common questions parents have when seeking psychological services.
The answer depends on what you are hoping to understand or change.
A psychological assessment may be appropriate when:
- You are unsure why your child is struggling.
- There are questions about ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, or developmental differences.
- Your child’s academic performance is inconsistent with their apparent abilities.
- Emotional or behavioural concerns are complex or have not improved with previous support.
- You need a clearer understanding of your child’s strengths and support needs.
Counselling may be appropriate when:
- Your child is experiencing anxiety, sadness, stress, or emotional difficulties.
- They need help developing coping or emotional regulation skills.
- Family relationships or social difficulties are affecting their well-being.
- A specific concern has already been identified and treatment is the next step.
- Parents would benefit from guidance in responding to their child’s needs.
Some children benefit from both assessment and counselling, while others need only one of these services. An initial consultation can help clarify which approach is most appropriate.
What Happens During a Child Psychological Assessment?
The assessment process is individualized according to the child’s age, presenting concerns, and referral questions.
Initial consultation and developmental history
The psychologist gathers information about the child’s development, health, learning, behaviour, emotional functioning, and family circumstances. Parents can describe their concerns, goals, and the areas in which their child is doing well.
Assessment and information gathering
Depending on the referral question, the psychologist may complete interviews, questionnaires, standardized testing, or behavioural observations. Information from teachers or other professionals may also be considered when appropriate.
Interpretation and understanding
The psychologist examines the findings to identify meaningful patterns, understand strengths and challenges, and determine whether diagnostic criteria are met when relevant.
Feedback and recommendations
Parents receive an explanation of the findings and recommendations that may include strategies for home, educational supports, counselling, or other services.
When appropriate, a written report summarizes the assessment findings and recommendations.
The goal is to provide families with a clearer understanding of their child and practical guidance for moving forward.
Why Families Choose The Family Psychology Place
A Comprehensive Range of Services
Our practice provides psychological assessments and counselling for a broad range of emotional, behavioural, developmental, and learning concerns.
This allows families to access different types of psychological support within one practice.
An Individualized Approach
Children with similar difficulties do not necessarily have the same needs.
Our psychologists consider each child’s developmental history, abilities, experiences, and environment when making recommendations.
Understanding Strengths as Well as Challenges
A meaningful psychological assessment does more than identify difficulties.
It also recognizes a child’s abilities, interests, and strengths, which can provide an important foundation for learning, confidence, and personal development.
Practical Recommendations
We aim to provide families with information they can use.
Depending on the service, recommendations may address learning strategies, emotional regulation, behavioural support, family relationships, and school functioning.
Convenient North and South Calgary Locations
The Family Psychology Place serves children, adolescents, and families through our two Calgary offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether my child needs a psychologist?
Consider whether difficulties are persistent, becoming more significant, or interfering with learning, relationships, emotional well-being, or everyday activities. You do not need to know the cause of the difficulty before seeking professional advice.
Does my child need a diagnosis to receive counselling?
No. Children can benefit from counselling or parent consultation without having a formal psychological diagnosis.
Can a psychologist assess my child for ADHD, autism, or learning disabilities?
Registered psychologists with appropriate training and competence can assess these conditions. The type of assessment depends on the child’s developmental history, presenting concerns, and referral questions.
How long does a child psychological assessment take?
Assessment timelines vary according to the complexity of the concerns and the type of evaluation required. The psychologist can explain the anticipated process and fees before the assessment begins.
Will the assessment provide recommendations for school?
When appropriate, psychological assessment reports may include recommendations related to classroom learning, accommodations, executive functioning, or emotional and behavioural support. Schools determine how recommendations are implemented within their policies and available resources.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
Families can generally contact private psychology practices directly to inquire about services. However, some insurance plans may have specific requirements, so it is advisable to confirm coverage before scheduling.
Are psychological services covered by insurance?
Many extended health benefit plans provide coverage for services delivered by registered psychologists. Coverage limits, eligible services, and reimbursement requirements vary by plan. Families should confirm their individual benefits before proceeding. See funding support.
Helping Your Child Understand, Grow, and Thrive
When a child is struggling, the most important first step is understanding what may be contributing to the difficulty.
Sometimes that means identifying a learning or developmental difference. Sometimes it involves addressing anxiety, strengthening emotional regulation, adjusting expectations, or helping parents and teachers respond more effectively.
At The Family Psychology Place, our goal is to help children and families develop a clearer understanding of their strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth.
Come for answers… stay for solutions.
Contact our North or South Calgary office to discuss your concerns and learn which psychological services may be appropriate for your child.