Understanding when your child may benefit from counselling, psychological assessment, or additional support.
Every child experiences emotional ups and downs, changes in behaviour, and occasional difficulties at home or school. For parents, the challenge is knowing when these experiences are part of typical development and when additional support might be helpful.
Not every difficulty requires psychological treatment. However, when concerns about a child’s emotions, behaviour, learning, or relationships persist or begin interfering with everyday life, consulting a psychologist can provide valuable insight.
Recent Canadian research highlights the importance of paying attention to children’s mental health. Statistics Canada reported in 2024 that approximately 21% of youth aged 12 to 17 who had rated their mental health positively in 2019 reported fair or poor mental health in 2023. Although many children and adolescents are doing well, these findings remind us that emotional difficulties can emerge or become more noticeable as children develop.
The important question is not simply whether your child is struggling, but what might be contributing to those difficulties and what kind of support would be most helpful.
Signs Your Child May Benefit From Psychological Support
Persistent Emotional or Behavioural Changes
Children experience sadness, frustration, worry, and anger just as adults do. These emotions are normal and often reflect the challenges of growing up.
However, parents may want to seek additional guidance when they notice:
- Persistent anxiety, excessive worrying, or frequent fears.
- Increased irritability, emotional outbursts, or difficulty managing frustration.
- Withdrawal from friends, family, or previously enjoyable activities.
- Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy.
- Frequent physical complaints, such as headaches or stomach aches, without an identified medical explanation.
- Negative self-talk, excessive self-criticism, or feelings of hopelessness.
Importantly, not every child expresses emotional difficulties in obvious ways. Some children become quieter or more withdrawn, while others demonstrate increased irritability, avoidance, or behavioural challenges.
The Canadian Paediatric Society encourages parents to consider changes in a child’s thinking, feelings, behaviour, and physical well-being, particularly when those changes affect functioning at home, at school, or with friends.
Difficulties at School or With Learning
Sometimes, the first indication that a child needs additional support is not an emotional change but an ongoing difficulty at school.
A child may be bright, curious, and motivated yet struggle with reading, writing, mathematics, attention, organization, or completing assignments.
Parents may notice that their child:
- Requires considerably more time than expected to complete schoolwork.
- Understands concepts verbally but struggles to demonstrate that knowledge in writing.
- Frequently loses materials, forgets instructions, or has difficulty staying organized.
- Becomes unusually frustrated or anxious about homework.
- Performs inconsistently despite appearing capable of more.
- Begins avoiding school or expressing negative beliefs about their abilities.
These difficulties do not automatically indicate a learning disability or ADHD. They may reflect several contributing factors, including learning differences, attention difficulties, anxiety, developmental factors, or a mismatch between a child’s learning needs and their environment.
Statistics Canada’s 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, reported in recent federal analyses, found that 8.4% of Canadian children and youth had a reported ADHD diagnosis, while 6.8% had a learning disability or learning disorder.
A psychological or psychoeducational assessment can help clarify the reasons behind persistent difficulties and identify strategies that support a child’s learning and development.
Social Relationships and Developmental Differences
Some children experience ongoing challenges with friendships, communication, flexibility, or understanding social situations.
Parents may notice difficulty making or maintaining friendships, unusually intense reactions to changes in routines, sensory sensitivities, or differences in communication and social interaction.
These characteristics do not necessarily indicate autism or another developmental condition. Children vary considerably in their personalities, preferences, and developmental patterns.
However, when these differences affect a child’s ability to participate comfortably in everyday activities, a psychological assessment may help identify their strengths, needs, and appropriate supports.
A 2024 Canadian study examining children and youth with autism found that learning, attention, and emotional concerns frequently occurred alongside autism. This highlights the importance of looking at the whole child rather than assuming that one diagnosis explains every difficulty.
Is It a Phase or Something More?
One of the most common questions parents ask is whether a concerning behaviour is simply a phase.
There is no single answer. Children develop at different rates, and temporary changes in mood or behaviour are often responses to ordinary life experiences.
Three questions can help parents decide whether additional support may be useful.
1. How long has the difficulty been present?
An occasional difficult day is different from a pattern that continues for weeks or months. However, some developmental or learning difficulties may have been present for years and become more apparent as expectations increase.
2. How much is it affecting everyday life?
Consider whether the concern interferes with school performance, friendships, family relationships, sleep, participation in activities, or the child’s overall well-being.
3. Is the child making progress with existing support?
Many children benefit from reassurance, predictable routines, changes in expectations, school accommodations, and support from trusted adults. When these approaches are not helping sufficiently, professional consultation may provide a clearer understanding of what is happening.
Parents do not need to wait until a situation becomes severe before seeking advice. Equally, an initial consultation does not automatically mean that a child requires ongoing therapy or a formal diagnosis.
When Might Your Child Benefit From a Psychological Assessment?
Counselling and psychological assessment serve different but complementary purposes.
Counselling generally focuses on helping children understand and manage emotions, develop coping strategies, improve relationships, and work through difficulties.
A psychological assessment focuses on understanding how a child thinks, learns, processes information, regulates emotions, or experiences the world around them.
Parents may consider an assessment when there are questions about:
- ADHD or executive functioning difficulties.
- Autism spectrum disorder.
- Learning disabilities involving reading, writing, or mathematics.
- Giftedness or twice-exceptionality.
- Persistent academic difficulties despite appropriate instruction and support.
- Complex emotional or behavioural concerns that are not fully understood.
For example, a child who struggles to complete assignments may be experiencing attention difficulties, a learning disability, anxiety, or a combination of factors. Simply encouraging the child to try harder may not address the underlying concern.
Similarly, a child who earns good grades may still experience significant difficulties with organization, emotional regulation, or social relationships.
A comprehensive assessment considers the child’s developmental history, strengths, difficulties, and everyday functioning. Depending on the referral question, it may include interviews, questionnaires, standardized testing, and information from parents or teachers.
The goal is not simply to assign a diagnosis. It is to develop a clearer understanding of the child and provide practical recommendations for home, school, and everyday life.
How Can Major Life Changes Affect Children?
Family separation, moving to a new home, the arrival of a sibling, bereavement, bullying, or other stressful experiences can affect children in different ways.
Some children adjust with support from family, school, and other trusted adults. Others experience ongoing anxiety, sadness, behavioural changes, or difficulties managing everyday responsibilities.
The presence of a stressful event does not automatically mean a child needs therapy.
What matters is how the child is responding, whether the difficulties persist, and whether they interfere with functioning.
Recent Canadian research reinforces the importance of supportive relationships. A 2025 Public Health Agency of Canada report examining the mental health of school-aged children found that positive relationships with family, friends, and teachers were consistently associated with better mental health outcomes.
For many children, strengthening these relationships and helping adults respond effectively to their needs is an important part of supporting their well-being.
Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Counsellor: Who Should Your Child See?
Understanding the differences between professionals can help parents make informed decisions.
Registered psychologists have graduate-level education and supervised professional training. In Alberta, psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists. Depending on their training and area of competence, they may provide psychological assessments, diagnosis, counselling, and other psychological interventions.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health. They can assess and diagnose psychiatric conditions, prescribe medication, and provide other forms of treatment. Children with complex psychiatric concerns or those who may require medication management may benefit from psychiatric consultation.
Counsellors and therapists may provide support for emotional, behavioural, and relationship difficulties. Their education, credentials, professional regulation, and scope of practice vary, so parents should ask about their qualifications and experience working with children.
The most appropriate professional depends on the child’s needs. In some situations, collaboration among psychologists, physicians, teachers, and other professionals provides the most effective support.
What Happens When You First Contact a Child Psychologist?
Seeking psychological support does not have to begin with a lengthy assessment or a commitment to ongoing therapy.
The first step is often a conversation about the concerns that prompted you to reach out.
Parents may be asked about their child’s developmental history, emotional well-being, behaviour, school experiences, relationships, and previous supports.
Depending on the child’s age and the nature of the concerns, the psychologist may also speak directly with the child or adolescent.
From there, the psychologist can help determine whether counselling, psychological assessment, consultation, school-based support, or another service would be appropriate.
Sometimes the most valuable outcome of that initial conversation is reassurance and a clearer plan for moving forward.
Finding the Right Child Psychologist in Calgary
When looking for a child psychologist in Calgary, consider the professional’s experience with your child’s particular concerns and whether they provide the type of service your family needs.
Some psychologists specialize in counselling and emotional well-being, while others focus on psychological or psychoeducational assessment. Some provide both.
Parents may also wish to ask about the psychologist’s approach, the involvement of parents or caregivers, expected timelines, and whether written recommendations or communication with the school may be included.
At The Family Psychology Place, psychological services include counselling and assessments for children and adolescents experiencing emotional, behavioural, developmental, and learning difficulties.
Our approach emphasizes understanding each child’s individual strengths and challenges so that families can make informed decisions about the support that will be most helpful.
The goal is not to find something wrong with your child. It is to better understand what they need to learn, develop, and thrive.
References
- Statistics Canada. (2024). 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth — Changes in the mental health of respondents from the 2019 survey.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/240910/dq240910a-eng.pdf - Public Health Agency of Canada. (2025). The Health of Young People in Canada: Focus on Mental Health.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/science-research-data/young-people-canada-focus-mental-health.html - Public Health Agency of Canada. (2024). Functional difficulties in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder: Analysis of the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-44-no-1-2024/functional-difficulties-children-autism-spectrum-disorder-analysis-2019-canadian-health-survey-children-youth.html - Public Health Agency of Canada. Chronic conditions in childhood: Prevalence. Recent analysis of the 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth.
https://health-infobase.canada.ca/chronic-conditions/childhood/prevalence.html - Canadian Paediatric Society. Your Child’s Mental Health. Caring for Kids.
https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/mentalhealth/mental_health
