Grief Counselling for Children and Teenagers
Support for young people from age 6 after a death in the family, and for the parents trying to help them.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationSupport for young people from age 6 after a death in the family, and for the parents trying to help them.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationEvery clinician is registered with a regulatory college — the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), or the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
We want therapy to be financially accessible for everyone. Reduced rates are available case-by-case based on need and availability.
We submit directly to most major insurers, so you don't pay out of pocket upfront.
Our office is in Ottawa. All client records are stored in Canada and handled under PIPEDA and PHIPA.
Some of what parents describe when they first call.
WHAT PEOPLE BRING
Children often move in and out of grief quickly. Tears at breakfast, soccer by lunch. This isn't a sign that they're fine or that they're avoiding it; it's how many children handle something too large to hold all at once.
Where did they go, will you die too, was it my fault. Repeated questions are a child's way of checking that the answer hasn't changed. Parents can find them exhausting to answer while grieving themselves.
Older children may protect a grieving parent by hiding their own reaction. Withdrawal, irritability and trouble at school are common ways it shows instead.
Sessions for a child or teenager are adjusted to their age. Younger children often work through drawing, play and stories rather than sitting and talking. Teenagers usually want a space that is theirs, where they're not managing a parent's feelings as well as their own. Parents are involved in setting things up and in reviewing how it's going, and the therapist will be clear from the start about what stays private between them and your child.
We also see parents on their own. Many people who find this page aren't sure whether their child needs anything, and a single session to think it through is a reasonable use of an hour. That can cover how to answer hard questions, whether a child should attend the funeral, and how to look after yourself while you look after them.
Our therapists who see children for grief work with ages 6 and up. For a young person in immediate distress, Kids Help Phone is available around the clock at 1-800-668-6868, or by texting CONNECT to 686868. The wider picture of how we work with loss is on our grief counselling page, and our child and teen therapy page covers other reasons families come in.
Email, phone, or fill out our booking form. There's no script and no pressure. You can share as much or as little as you want.
A real person, not a bot, will reply as soon as we can with a few options for a free 15-minute consultation.
We listen. You ask questions. No paperwork, no obligation. If we're not the right match, we'll point you toward someone who might be.
Direct billing where possible. Evening and weekend availability. Virtual or in-person in Ottawa.
Sessions are 50 minutes in length. Rates vary by therapist and are confirmed during your free consultation. We accept e-transfer and credit cards, and direct-bill most insurers.
Sliding-scale spots are available based on need. Ask during your free consultation.
Same 50-minute format, structured for two participants and shared concerns.
Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Social Worker services are covered by most extended health plans in Canada. We recommend confirming your specific coverage before your first paid session. Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, and most major insurers include coverage.
We direct-bill where your insurer allows it. Otherwise, you pay at the time of session and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
Every session generates a receipt listing the provider's license number, suitable for insurance reimbursement.
In-person sessions are held at our Ottawa office. Virtual sessions use a secure, PIPEDA-compliant video platform. You can switch between the two.
We ask for 24 hours notice on cancellations. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged the full session fee.
After the free 15-minute consultation, your first paid session is intake-focused. Bring questions, anything you have already tried, and any goals you have in mind.
QUESTIONS
Our therapists who work with grief see children from age 6, as well as preteens and teenagers. For a child under 6, the consultation will usually focus on supporting you as the parent, and we will say so plainly if we are not the right place.
In most cases a child who is old enough to ask about it can be given the choice, with a clear description of what will happen and a trusted adult whose only job is to be with them. There is no rule that fits every family, and this is a common thing to talk through in a first session.
Your therapist will explain at the start what is shared with you and what stays between them and your child. In Ontario this depends on your child's capacity to make decisions about their own care, not on a fixed age. With a young child, you are usually kept informed about how things are going. A teenager who is capable of consenting to their own treatment can ask that the details of sessions stay private, and that is usually what makes the space useful to them. Whatever the arrangement, you will be told right away about anything that affects your child's safety.
Yes for teenagers and many preteens. Younger children usually do better in person at our Centrepointe office, and your therapist will recommend which is likely to work for your child.
No. You can book directly with a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker without a doctor's referral. Some insurance plans ask for one before reimbursing, so it is worth checking your policy.
Psychotherapy with a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker is not covered by OHIP. Many extended health and workplace benefit plans cover dependents, though plans differ on which credentials they reimburse. Check whether yours covers RP, RSW, or both.
Therapy is a longer-term relationship. If you're in acute distress, please reach the services below first. They are free, confidential, and available right now.
