Child Counselling & Support
Children can have a lot going on beneath what adults see on the surface.
Worry, frustration, big emotions, changes at school or home, friendship difficulties and family stress can all affect how a child feels and responds. Sometimes a parent knows exactly what has changed. Other times, they simply know their child seems to be having a harder time.
I work with children and parents with an understanding that a child is more than a behaviour, a difficult moment or a diagnosis. Getting to know the child, the family and the context around what is happening matters.
My background includes 16 years in education, including specialized mental-health and intensive behavioural-support settings. I also have extensive experience supporting children with ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences.
In-person child counselling is available in Calgary. Virtual counselling is available throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba where appropriate for the child and family.
Understanding the Child, Not Just the Behaviour
When a child is struggling, adults often see the behaviour first.
A child may become more emotional, withdrawn, frustrated or resistant. School may become harder. Routines may turn into conflict. Parents may find themselves wondering whether to push, step back or try something completely different.
Behaviour can be important information, but it doesn’t always tell us the whole story.
I try to understand what may be happening around the child as well as what the child is experiencing. Home, school, friendships, development, family relationships and individual differences can all be part of the picture.
Counselling isn’t about labelling a child as the problem. It is about creating space to understand them more fully.
Experience That Extends Beyond the Counselling Room
My experience with children began long before I became a counsellor.
Before completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, I spent 16 years working in education, including specialized mental-health and intensive behavioural-support settings.
During those years, I worked with children and adolescents with a wide range of educational, behavioural and emotional needs. I also worked alongside parents, school psychologists, social workers, behaviour specialists, occupational therapists and other professionals supporting young people.
I hold a Master of Education as well as a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. This background helps me understand children not only from a counselling perspective, but also within the everyday environments where they spend much of their lives.
It also taught me how important it is to look beyond a behaviour or diagnosis and get to know the individual child.
Michelle McMillan, MACP, CCC
Canadian Certified Counsellor
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
Master of Education
ADHD Counselling for Teens
The teenage years can already involve a lot of change. Expectations at school increase, friendships and relationships become more complicated, independence grows and questions about what comes next start becoming more important. For teens with ADHD or other neurodivergent experiences, some of these demands can bring additional challenges. Counselling gives teens a place to talk openly about what's happening in their lives without assuming that every difficulty is because of ADHD. Depending on the teen, our conversations might include school pressures, organization, friendships, family relationships, emotional regulation, self-esteem, independence or the transition toward adulthood. My years working with young people in educational and specialized settings give me an understanding of the environments teens navigate every day. Just as importantly, I believe teens need to feel that counselling is a place where they can be heard and understood as an individual, not simply managed as a set of behaviours or symptoms.
Supporting Children and Parents
When a child is having a difficult time, the effects often reach beyond the child. Parents may be trying to understand behaviour, respond to intense emotions, navigate concerns at school or find ways to reduce recurring conflict at home. Children themselves may be dealing with experiences they don't yet know how to explain. My background working with children in educational, behavioural-support and counselling settings informs the way I work with children and their parents. The goal isn't to fit a child into a predetermined idea of what ADHD looks like. It's to understand the individual child, what's happening around them and where support may be helpful.
ADHD in Adulthood
ADHD-related challenges don't necessarily end when school does. Adults may come to counselling because they’re struggling with attention, organization, competing responsibilities, emotional regulation or relationships. Others may already understand their ADHD well but want support with a particular relationship, life transition or recurring pattern. Sometimes ADHD is central to what someone wants to talk about. Other times, it's simply one part of a much bigger picture. Counselling can focus on what is happening in your life now and what you would like to better understand or approach differently.
ADHD, Relationships and Families
ADHD can sometimes become part of relationship and family dynamics, particularly when two people experience or interpret the same situation very differently. Couples and families can find themselves repeating arguments around responsibilities, communication, parenting, organization or expectations. Over time, the original issue can become less important than the pattern that has developed around it. Counselling provides space to slow those patterns down, understand what is happening for the people involved and explore different ways of approaching the relationship. The goal isn't to identify one person as the problem or to attribute every relationship difficulty to ADHD.
ADHD, Relationships and Families
ADHD can sometimes become part of relationship and family dynamics, particularly when two people experience or interpret the same situation very differently. Couples and families can find themselves repeating arguments around responsibilities, communication, parenting, organization or expectations. Over time, the original issue can become less important than the pattern that has developed around it. Counselling provides space to slow those patterns down, understand what is happening for the people involved and explore different ways of approaching the relationship. The goal isn't to identify one person as the problem or to attribute every relationship difficulty to ADHD.
Big Emotions, Worry & Feeling Overwhelmed
Children don’t always have the words to explain what they are feeling.
Worry may show up as avoidance or repeated questions. Frustration may become anger or tears. A child who feels overwhelmed may shut down, become more reactive or have difficulty with situations which once seemed manageable.
Counselling can provide another place for a child to explore what is happening at a pace which feels manageable for them.
The goal isn’t to eliminate difficult emotions. Children experience worry, sadness, frustration and anger just as adults do. Understanding those experiences can be an important part of supporting them.
School, Friendships & Everyday Pressures
A large part of childhood happens outside the home.
School expectations, friendships, learning differences, changing social dynamics and feeling different from peers can all become significant parts of a child’s world.
My years in education give me a practical understanding of school environments and the different pressures children may experience within them.
When school or friendships are part of what is happening, they can be explored alongside the child’s experiences at home rather than treated as completely separate concerns.
ADHD & Neurodivergence
ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences are an important part of my work with children and families.
A child may experience differences involving attention, organization, transitions, emotions or expectations. At the same time, ADHD doesn’t define the child or explain every challenge they experience.
I approach these conversations with curiosity about the individual child rather than assumptions about what ADHD should look like.
Parents who would like more information about this area can also visit the ADHD Counselling & Support page.
Supporting Parents Alongside Their Child
Parents are an important part of a child’s world.
It can be difficult to know how to respond when your child is struggling, especially when approaches which used to work no longer seem helpful. Parents may also be receiving different advice from school, family members or other professionals.
Depending on the circumstances, counselling may include conversations with parents as part of understanding what is happening around the child.
There isn’t one parenting response which fits every child. Understanding the child and the family comes first.
In-Person and Virtual Counselling
I offer both in-person and virtual counselling depending on the child, their age, their needs and the family’s circumstances.
In-person counselling: Calgary
Virtual counselling: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Whether virtual counselling is a good fit for a particular child can depend on the individual child and what brings the family to counselling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Children may come to counselling while navigating anxiety or worry, big emotions, school or friendship difficulties, family changes, ADHD or neurodivergence and other challenges affecting everyday life. There doesn't need to be one clearly defined problem before a parent reaches out.
Yes. Parents can be an important part of understanding what is happening for a child. How parents are involved can depend on the child, the family and what brings them to counselling.
Yes. I have extensive experience supporting children with ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences. ADHD can be an important part of understanding a child without becoming the explanation for everything they experience.
For more information, visit the ADHD Counselling & Support page.
Yes. Before becoming a counsellor, I spent 16 years in education, including specialized mental-health and intensive behavioural-support settings.
Yes. I offer in-person child counselling appointments in Calgary.
Virtual counselling is available throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Whether virtual counselling is appropriate can depend on the individual child and their circumstances.
Wondering If We Might Be a Good Fit?
Every child is different, and finding the right counsellor for your child and family is personal.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation where we can talk briefly about what has been happening, you can ask questions and we can determine whether working together feels like the right next step.
Michelle McMillan
CCC, MACP
Therapy & Wellness
Virtual. Accessible. Confidential.
Virtual and in-person counselling for adults, couples, children, teens and families. Serving Calgary and clients across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.