Helping Your Child Feel Heard: Child and Family Therapy in Niagara Falls
- laurabrunopsychoth
- Oct 4
- 3 min read
Parenting comes with big questions and even bigger emotions. Sometimes kids and teens need more support than parents can provide on their own. Child and Family Therapy creates a safe, creative, and supportive space for children and parents to learn tools to manage big emotions, build confidence, and strengthen family relationships.
At Laura Bruno Psychotherapy in Niagara Falls, we help families navigate life’s challenges with approaches that meet children where they are and involve parents in meaningful ways.
Meet Cheryl, Child & Family Therapist
Cheryl is a skilled child and family therapist with over 17 years of experience supporting children, teens, and their families through school stress, family changes, emotional ups and downs, anxiety, trauma, and grief. She is also a certified Trauma and Resiliency Specialist, bringing specialized expertise to help kids build coping skills and emotional strength.
Her approach combines evidence-based therapy techniques with play, art, and expressive tools to help children thrive emotionally, while involving parents in meaningful ways to strengthen family relationships.
Through Cheryl’s insights, we’ll explore common misconceptions about child therapy, how therapy works for children and families, and what success looks like for both kids and parents.
Involving Parents in Child Therapy
Parents are invited to participate in sessions in ways that support their child’s growth. Cheryl explains:
“Parents can book a session before therapy begins, or join the first portion of their child’s session. Some children attend with their parent in the room, and that’s okay. I often follow up with parents via email, with the child’s consent, to share tools learned during sessions.”
Parental involvement helps reinforce coping skills at home and strengthens family communication.
When Can Kids Start Therapy?
Therapy can begin as early as age six, depending on the child’s maturity level and willingness to engage. Cheryl notes:
“The key question is whether the child sees the issue as something worth working on. Motivation and readiness are more important than age alone.”
What Child Therapy Looks Like
Therapy for children often differs from adult sessions. Instead of sitting and talking the entire time, sessions may include:
Art and drawings
Fidgets or movement activities
Cooperative games and play-based exercises
Cheryl emphasizes:
“Parents may think their child isn’t listening because they’re playing, but actually they are. Play is a way for kids to process emotions safely and effectively.”
Approaches are tailored to each child, including CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy), SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy), and sensory-based trauma programs. Expressive tools and games make therapy engaging and age-appropriate.
Common Misconceptions About Child Therapy
Kids aren’t stressed: Children often pick up on adult stress and chaotic schedules.
Kids are manipulative: Many behaviours are a reflection of lagging skills that can be supported through therapy.
What Success Looks Like
Success in child therapy isn’t always dramatic. Cheryl explains:
“Small, meaningful moments matter most. When a child feels understood, uses tools learned in therapy, or no longer feels anxious about activities they love, that’s a success. Helping children understand that trauma or grief isn’t their fault and that ‘the storm won’t last forever’ is powerful.”
Family Therapy and Emotional Safety
Family life affects a child’s emotional well-being. Family therapy provides space to:
Slow down and listen to one another
Improve communication
Navigate parent-child struggles, blended family stress, or ongoing tension
Our approach is attachment-focused and centered on emotional safety, helping families reconnect and build stronger relationships.
FAQ: Child & Family Therapy
Q: What type of therapy is best for children?
A: It depends on your child’s needs. Many children benefit from CBT, DBT, SFBT, sensory-based trauma programs, play therapy, and expressive tools.
Q: What age can kids start therapy?
A: As early as six, depending on maturity, willingness, and readiness to engage.
Q: What does a child therapist do? A: A child therapist provides a safe space for kids and teens to process feelings, learn coping tools, and work through stress, anxiety, family changes, or trauma. Parents are often included to reinforce skills and strengthen family connection.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If your child or family is struggling, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Child and Family Therapy in Niagara Falls can provide a safe space for your child to feel understood and for your family to reconnect.
📩 Reach out today to book a consultation with Cheryl or a member of our team. We’d be honoured to walk alongside your family on this journey.
By: Janessa Meissner
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