We take the assessment phase seriously. We gather information from the child, the parents and at times if necessary from teachers and the school. This is done with your permission. We take our time to put your child at ease and explain our role in a way that is non-threatening and is respectful to the way the family has explained things. We often say we are like a coach who helps people improve their life by problem-solving some tricky situations. Though our sessions are confidential, especially with younger children, we are likely to incorporate family sessions and strategies. We understand you need some feedback too. If we believe your child is at risk of harm, we will always tell you. These are the limits of confidentiality that we explain to our clients. Depending on what the issue is, we may use cognitive strategies to combat negative thoughts, or behavioural techniques to remedy troubling behaviour. Therapy sessions with children is like journeying through a secret garden. We first have to gain the child’s trust, and then allow them to take us into the different aspects of their world so that we can see firsthand what is troubling them.