At Cultivate Mental Health, we meet children where they are. From Play Therapy for younger children to Drama Therapy and Talk Therapy for pre-teens, our Ottawa-based therapists provide a safe, engaging space to process emotions and build resilience. We believe in Integrated Care, offering dedicated Parent Coaching alongside child sessions to ensure lasting healing and stability for the whole family.
Child Therapy
Play Therapy
Play therapy uses play as a child’s natural language to help them express emotions and work through challenges. Through creative and guided play, children can explore their feelings, build problem-solving skills, and strengthen communication in a safe, supportive environment.
- Recommended for children 12 and under.
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy provides a safe, supportive space where children can explore emotional, behavioural, and mental health challenges. Using age-appropriate approaches, therapists help children express their feelings, build resilience, develop coping skills, and improve relationships.
- Recommended for children ages 7 and up.
Drama Therapy
Drama therapy is an expressive arts approach that uses storytelling, role-play, and imagination to support meaningful growth and change. It helps children explore emotions, connect with others, and practice healthy behaviours in an engaging and creative way.
- Suitable for children of all ages, including preteens and teens (and adults).
Parent–Child Relational Therapy (PCRT)
Parent–Child Relational Therapy supports and strengthens the relationship between parents and their children. Parents learn to understand the language of play while being guided to create a nurturing, strengths-based environment. Therapists collaborate closely with parents, offering tools for setting appropriate limits and applying play therapy principles. This structured, evidence-based approach helps build secure attachment and address behavioural concerns.
- Recommended for children ages 3–8.
Parent Support and Coaching
Parents can get support with challenges, build new skills, and strengthen their relationship with their child. Topics may include routines, limits, positive discipline, anxiety, behaviour, development, co-parenting, and communication. Coaching helps parents clarify values, improve relationships, and set healthy boundaries and consequences, leading to more positive and fulfilling family connections.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATED CARE
We strongly recommend pairing parent coaching with child therapy as an evidence-based approach to family wellness. Clinical research shows that when parents are actively involved in the therapeutic process, children demonstrate more significant and sustainable gains in emotional regulation and behavioural stability. By aligning home strategies with clinical goals, we create a consistent environment that reinforces the child’s progress and strengthens secure attachment.
