Team Kidcrew
Kidcrew Therapy Team Resources
Improved Child Mental Health
IMPORTANT: We ask that your physician sends Kidcrew a referral, prior to
booking a consultation (thank-you!).
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CHIROPODY | CHIROPRACTIC | NATUROPATHY | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY | PARENTING | PHYSIOTHERAPY | THERAPY
The Therapy Team at Kidcrew
Our therapy team is dedicated to helping your family with mental health problems, childhood mental disorders and will help improve your child’s mental health.
Our child mental health team at Kidcrew has put together a list of the top 5 questions asked by parents.
How do I know if my child is experiencing typical childhood fears and kids’ anxiety or if something more is going on, like a mental health disorder?
All children experience some fear and anxiety.
Not only is this normal, but it is protective. This is especially true of young children. This can lead to a variety of physical and mental health challenges. One of the easiest ways to determine if fear or anxiety has become too big and is leading to mental health challenges is to see if it impacts the child’s functioning in any way.
- Does it stop them from participating in certain activities?
- Does it distract them in a way that affects their ability to learn in class or connect with others during social activities?
- Does it prevent them from being independent (e.g., going into a room alone to dress)?
Consultation with a mental health professional can help identify whether support is needed.
A mental health care provider can assess your children’s mental health and determine if there are any emotional or mental disorders such as anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, conduct disorder, substance abuse, or mood disorders that may prevent children from feeling their best.
For more information, please reach out. The goal is to provide child and adolescent support in a positive way to ensure the health and wellbeing of the child and family at school and home.
How to promote child mental health during the pandemic?
Children and families have been thrown into a new world with minimal extracurricular activities, limited social interactions, increased safety protocols, and unpredictable shifts to online learning. As a result, it has been challenging for many families to remain patient and attentive with their children. One of the first steps to bring calm to the storm (for both children and parents) is establishing a routine that includes meal and snack breaks, outdoor play, quiet time, self-care, and safe socializing. Routines allow children to develop a sense of security and mastery over their environment and regain predictability and hope.
Why does a kid need a child therapist?
Children and their families may need support for various concerns impacting child mental health and life at home or school. These concerns could be minor – affecting one small area of their lives and needing only a few sessions with a therapist. Others may have concerns that are significantly impacting their lives and require much longer ongoing work. Our most frequent referrals to mental health professionals center on anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions, sadness and depression, learning difficulties, and communication between family members. We provide diagnosis and prevention strategies for childhood mental health concerns. A therapist may work directly with the child, the parents, or the whole family based on the family’s needs and preferences. We will assess if your child suffers from one of many mental health disorders, identify risk factors and work to improve your children’s mental health. Good mental health will improve your child’s behavior in early childhood and older children.
Do therapists prescribe medication?
No, therapists do not prescribe medication. Most often, a prescription is not required to improve the mental health of a child. However, after a thorough assessment and sometimes a therapy course, a therapist may recommend that you discuss medications with your pediatrician or psychiatrist. A therapist can work in conjunction with your family physician, your child’s pediatrician, or other health care provider to ensure comprehensive care. Your mental health professional will provide education, review treatment options, which often focus on talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, and offer guidance on strategies you can use at home. They will set realistic goals. There are many different approaches to dealing with mental health disorders in children. Child or adolescent psychiatry can assess mental illness and your child’s behavior and physical health to make a plan for medication if needed.
Why validate kids’ emotions? The Importance of processing a child’s feelings.
As parents, our goal is to help our children learn how to process their feelings to learn how to have feelings and not be had by them. We attend to emotions because they are first, fast, and are a guidance system that tells us how to respond. When parents validate their children’s emotions, they can experience and move through them. Children learn that when they have a painful feeling or experience, they can come to you. Emotional challenges are a part of life to eventually regulate/validate themselves (instead of other unhealthy ways of coping) and develop fundamental problem-solving skills.
Thearapy Resources
coming soon
Our Therapy Team
Dr. Farah Dobani-Budhani,
Ph.D, C.Psych
Psychologist
Agnieszka Gajdzis,
M.A., C.Psych.Assoc.
Psychologist
Mike Stroh,
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Psychotherapist
Nikki Goldman-Stroh,
RP
Psychotherapist
Your Questions About Therapy
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Who are the Kidcrew Therapy Team members?
What are some typical reasons families seek therapy?
We get many referrals for anxiety (including separation anxiety, OCD, selective mutism), supporting kids with big feelings, emotional regulation, attention and focus, tics, and anger management. We also help families with sleep, toileting, self-esteem, bullying, and family transitions.
What kinds of therapies do you offer?
All of our therapists are trained in cognitive-behavioral strategies. In addition, different team members have various training and theoretical leanings, including emotion-focussed therapy, play therapy, and behavioral interventions for selective mutism.
Do you offer psychoeducational assessment?
We can offer psychoeducational assessment, but our capacity to do this is limited, and we are a more intervention-focused team.
How do I get a referral for therapy?
Families can refer themselves by contacting the admin at medical@kidcrew.com or (416) 654-5437. Due to high demand, there are times when our ability to accept new patients is limited. We continue to grow the team to allow us to see more patients.
Do I get a choice in who I see?
Once you have contacted Kidcrew admin to refer yourself, you will be sent an online form to complete. The form asks the main areas of concern, whether there is a specific therapist you want to see, and any preferences for appointment times.
Will you liaise with other members of the team?
Absolutely! We love being part of a team and, when appropriate, with your consent, will talk to any other professionals and educators involved in your child’s care. Depending on the nature of the contact, there may be charges for this.
My child’s doctor is not at Kidcrew. Can we still see you?
We have Pediatricians available daily for in-person sick visits by appointment. Book Online Here.
Please check with the Kidcrew administrative team to see whether or not we are currently accepting external referrals. You may contact the team at: medical@kidcrew.com or (416) 654-5437.
Does OHIP cover your therapy appointments?
Unfortunately, our appointments are not covered by OHIP. If you have private coverage, you should check which types of therapists your insurance covers. Our team includes psychologists, social workers, a psychotherapist, and several therapists who a psychologist supervises. Clients working with a therapist supervised by a psychologist would be billed under the psychologist.
Families in Ontario looking for free community mental health services can use this website to find services near them. Toronto mental health services can be found here.
How much are your therapy appointments?
Our therapists charge between $180-230 per 50-minute session. A sliding scale fee may be offered on a limited basis. You will be issued a receipt with which you can seek reimbursement from a private insurer if you have one. You should check your coverage for the different disciplines we offer.
Who should attend the first appointment?
Different therapists have different preferences about who attends the first appointment, so it is always worth checking with them. If you prefer to have an initial meeting without your child present, any of our therapists would be happy to do that.
How long are therapy appointments?
Therapy appointments are typically 50 minutes and might be parents only, the child only, or a combination. In some situations, some therapists may offer 25-minute sessions for online therapy.
What is your wait time like for the Therapy Team?
Do therapists prescribe medication?
No, therapists do not prescribe medication. Most often, a prescription is not required to improve the mental health of a child. However, after a thorough assessment and sometimes a therapy course, a therapist may recommend that you discuss medications with your pediatrician or psychiatrist.
A therapist can work in conjunction with your family physician, your child’s pediatrician, or other health care provider to ensure comprehensive care.
Your mental health professional will provide education, review treatment options, which often focus on talk therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy, and offer guidance on strategies you can use at home. They will set realistic goals.
There are many different approaches to dealing with mental health disorders in children. Child or adolescent psychiatry can assess mental illness and your child’s behaviour and physical health to make a plan for medication if needed.
Why validate kids’ emotions? The Importance of processing a child’s feelings.
As parents, our goal is to help our children learn how to process their feelings to learn how to have feelings and not be had by them. We attend to emotions because they are first, fast, and are a guidance system that tells us how to respond. When parents validate their children’s emotions, they can experience and move through them. Children learn that when they have a painful feeling or experience, they can come to you. Emotional challenges are a part of life to eventually regulate/validate themselves (instead of other unhealthy ways of coping) and develop fundamental problem-solving skills.
Why does a kid need a child therapist?
Children and their families may need support for various concerns impacting child mental health and life at home or school. These concerns could be minor – affecting one small area of their lives and needing only a few sessions with a therapist. Others may have concerns that significantly impact their lives and require much longer ongoing work. Our most frequent referrals to mental health professionals center on anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions, sadness and depression, learning difficulties, and communication between family members. We provide diagnosis and prevention strategies for childhood mental health concerns. A therapist may work directly with the child, the parents, or the whole family based on the family’s needs and preferences. We will assess if your child suffers from one of many mental health disorders, identify risk factors and work to improve your children’s mental health. Good mental health will improve your child’s behaviour in early childhood and older children.