Child & Youth Counselling Services

Art & Play Therapy

Art therapy seeks to provide a safe space for clients to process complex emotions and issues they are dealing with, like anxiety, depression, abuse, and other traumas. Through exploring different art modalities, clients are guided along a constructive, creative process that promotes self-expression and facilitates positive life perspectives.

Play therapy, commonly used with young children, encourages children to make choices and allows a therapist to observe how a child expresses themselves in a safe environment with reasonable rules and limits. Especially valuable for children undergoing stressful situations, this therapy style promotes positive changes in behaviour, interpersonal relations, and problem-solving skills.

Hatts Off residents have the opportunity to participate in art and play therapy at no additional cost. Conducted by several consulting psychotherapists, therapy sessions take place on site at programs or in the Hatts Off office and can be held one-on-one or in a group setting.

Addictions Counselling

As young people with mental health issues or in difficult circumstances are more likely to develop addiction, it is vital that they have access to help so they don’t develop patterns of behaviour detrimental to their well-being. Hatts Off clients who are struggling with addictions are offered the assistance of an experienced counsellor who specializes in treating addiction and who can help assess the extent of the problem as well as any underlying issues and develop an individualized treatment plan outlining the services they will need.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a structured, practical approach to psychotherapy that focuses on becoming more aware of how thoughts affect emotions and behaviour. Clients are guided by a therapist to monitor and examine their thought processes in their day-to-day life and to understand how these thoughts can contribute to problems they may be experiencing with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance abuse, post traumatic stress or other disorders.

We believe CBT plays an integral role in treating and providing a long term solution for many of the challenges young people and adults face. Like our other services, this therapy is available to all our clients who wish to partake.