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Rising Minds Counselling and Psychotherapy

Youth Therapy

A place to talk, feel heard & be yourself.

Online counselling for youth ages 10 and up across British Columbia and Ontario.

Youth therapy isn’t simply a scaled-down version of adult therapy. It’s a space built around the way young people experience and make sense of their world, with support for anxiety, low mood, stress, confidence, resilience, difficult experiences, relationships, family challenges, screen and gaming concerns, and sport or performance pressures.

For young people: this is your space to talk about what matters to you.

For parents and caregivers: you can feel confident that therapy is developmentally appropriate, collaborative, and guided by professional and ethical standards.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Therapy that meets you where you are.

Sessions are collaborative, not clinical-feeling — your pace, your language, your goals. 

Therapy that meets young people where they are.

Youth therapy is collaborative and tailored to each young person’s age, personality, experiences, and needs. Sessions offer room to talk openly, explore what’s going on, ask questions, build greater self-understanding, or simply have somewhere to put things that may feel difficult to carry alone.

Privacy matters, especially for young people. Before therapy begins, Erica will clearly explain confidentiality, its limits, and how parents or caregivers may be involved based on the young person’s age, circumstances, and consent requirements.

Parent or caregiver involvement can be discussed together and considered based on age, consent, clinical needs, and the young person’s circumstances.

supportive for young people.

Youth Therapy That Meets Them Where They Are

01

A space just for them

Not a scaled-down version of adult therapy — an approach shaped around a young person's age, experiences, personality, and ways of communicating.

02

Privacy with appropriate family involvement

Young people need space to speak openly and build trust in therapy. Parents and caregivers may be involved when appropriate, depending on the young person's age, circumstances, consent, and clinical needs, while respecting confidentiality and clearly explaining its limits.

03

Secure, virtual sessions

Body: Encrypted video sessions through Noustalk, from wherever feels comfortable.

04

Age 10 and up

Virtual counselling may be available for youth beginning around age 10, depending on developmental needs, presenting concerns, and whether online therapy is an appropriate fit.

Why work with Erica?

Young people deserve therapy that respects who they are, gives them room to develop their own voice, and meets them with curiosity rather than judgment.

Erica brings a warm, collaborative, and developmentally responsive approach to her work with youth. Her work is trauma-aware, attachment-informed, and grounded in evidence-informed therapeutic approaches, with attention to the connections between emotions, relationships, thoughts, the body, and the nervous system.

As both a counsellor and a mom to two teenage boys, Erica brings professional knowledge alongside a personal appreciation for the joys, challenges, changes, and complexities that can come with the teenage years. She understands the importance of respecting a young person’s growing independence and privacy while thoughtfully considering the role parents and caregivers can play in supporting them.

Rather than expecting every young person to communicate, engage, or experience therapy in the same way, Erica adapts her approach to the individual—their age, personality, experiences, needs, and ways of expressing themselves.

Above all, young people are treated as individuals with their own perspectives, strengths, challenges, questions, and stories.

3 steps

How It Works

1. Start with a complimentary consultation
A brief conversation to ask questions and explore whether virtual counselling may be a good fit.

2. Begin with getting to know them
Early sessions focus on understanding the young person, what matters to them, and what they may want support with.

3. Therapy evolves from there
Sessions are tailored to age, needs, communication style and goals, with parent or caregiver involvement when appropriate.
Areas We Support

Helping young people navigate life’s challenges.

Anxiety, worry & overwhelm

Low mood & emotional challenges

Stressful or difficult experiences

Confidence, identity & self-esteem

Friendships, relationships & family challenges

School, sport & performance pressure

Screen use & gaming-related concerns

Change, loss & life transitions

Questions

Youth Therapy FAQs

What age do you start seeing clients?
We see youth starting at age 10 for virtual counselling.

Confidentiality is an important part of creating a trusting therapeutic relationship, including with young people. What is discussed in therapy is generally kept private, within the limits of confidentiality and applicable consent requirements.

Before counselling begins, Erica will explain these limits clearly and discuss how information may be shared with parents or caregivers when appropriate. If there are concerns about a young person’s immediate safety or other circumstances where disclosure is legally or ethically required, additional steps may need to be taken to help support their safety.

Not necessarily — involvement depends on your child’s age and what’s clinically appropriate, and we’ll talk through that with you upfront.
Yes. There may be times when a separate conversation with a parent or caregiver is helpful, particularly when sharing relevant background information or discussing how best to support your child. At the same time, youth therapy is centred on building a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship with the young person. Parent involvement is approached thoughtfully, with consideration for the young person’s age, needs, privacy, and the goals of therapy.
Coverage may be available through extended health benefits, depending on your individual plan and the therapist’s professional designation. Please check directly with your insurer. Receipts are provided for reimbursement.
Get in touch

Somewhere they can feel heard.

A complimentary 15-minute consultation is a chance to ask questions, talk about what brings you here, and explore whether working together may be a good fit.