Child Anxiety Therapy for Young Children

Anxiety can look different in young children.

Sometimes it's obvious: “What if something happens?” or “I don't want to go.”

Other times, anxiety looks like clinginess, avoidance, frequent reassurance-seeking, stomachaches, tears, shutdowns, difficulty separating, or refusing things that used to feel manageable.

I work with children ages 2–10 and their parents to understand what's underneath the anxiety and build greater confidence, flexibility, and emotional safety.

Anxiety can show up as:

Separation anxiety or difficulty separating from parents
Excessive worrying or reassurance-seeking
Fear of new situations
Avoiding activities, school, people, or places
School refusal
Clinginess
Frequent “what if?” questions
Shutdown or freezing
Big emotional reactions around feared situations
Physical complaints when anxious
Difficulty with changes or uncertainty

How I help

Young children don't always have the words to explain anxiety. Play can give them another way to communicate, explore difficult experiences, and practise new ways of responding.

For children: play-based, developmentally appropriate therapy to help them express feelings, build emotional awareness, develop regulation skills, and experience themselves as capable.

For parents: support understanding your child's anxiety, responding during difficult moments, and bringing what we learn in therapy into everyday life.

Parent involvement is a core part of my approach

Because anxiety doesn't only happen during therapy sessions, parents are an important part of the process. I'll help you understand what may be maintaining your child's anxiety and support you in responding in ways that build confidence without accidentally making anxiety bigger.

To learn more about parent involvement, click here.

In-clinic or in-home

Services are available in-clinic or in your home. This allows you to choose in clinic services, or in home services if your child might be most comfortable in their own environment.

Learn more about service options here.