Children & Young People
Children & Young People: Calm, Confidence & Emotional Support
Children and young people today face a wide range of pressures — from school demands and friendships to social media and life transitions. These can sometimes lead to anxiety, low confidence, poor sleep, or difficulties managing big emotions.
My work offers gentle, strengths-based support tailored to the child or young person in front of me. Sessions blend talking therapy, guided relaxation, and play-informed approaches — creating a safe space where children can explore their emotions and build practical coping tools.
“Jemma started seeing my daughter when she was 10 and experiencing challenges with anxiety and negative thoughts… It was such a benefit to my daughter, reducing her anxiety levels and increasing both her confidence and resilience.”
— Maria
How Solution-Focused & Play-Based Support Can Help
Using a warm, age-appropriate approach, I support children and young people to:
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Improve emotional regulation
- Build self-confidence and self-esteem
- Navigate school and social pressures with more ease
- Develop a stronger sense of self-worth and resilience
Because children have vivid imaginations, they often respond exceptionally well to visualisation, metaphor, and gentle relaxation. These tools become the foundation for lasting emotional change.
Support Between Sessions — Continuity and Progress
Parents receive regular updates and optional relaxation audio to use between sessions — supporting continuity and progress.
For extra parent and family support, I also recommend resources from the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership NI CYPSP, which provides helpful guidance on emotional wellbeing and family support in Northern Ireland.
What to Expect from Sessions
Each session is personalised and engaging, with a strong focus on building rapport, safety, and trust. With children, establishing a connection is especially important — creating a space where they feel comfortable, understood, and safe to express themselves.
For Children Under 12
I typically begin with a semi-structured, chat-based emotional regulation programme using lots of visual aids and props. These sessions are designed to gently introduce key emotional concepts through age-appropriate conversation and creative tools. We focus on:
- Understanding feelings and triggers
- Introducing the brain model and emotional regulation tools
- Building emotional awareness through visuals, stories, and hands-on activities
This 4-week structure helps children build emotional insight and confidence in a safe, engaging way before transitioning into more flexible, solution-focused sessions tailored to their needs.
For Young People Over 12
Sessions for those aged 12 and up follow a similar structure to adult sessions but are carefully adapted to suit each young person’s age and stage. Using age-appropriate language and techniques, we explore their strengths, challenges, and goals. Sessions combine talking therapy, visual tools, and guided relaxation to help them:
- Develop greater self-awareness
- Reframe unhelpful thought patterns
- Build practical strategies for emotional regulation and resilience
This approach encourages young people to feel heard and supported while developing confidence in themselves and their ability to manage life’s challenges.
We work collaboratively — not only with the child or young person but also with their support network. For children under 12, a parent or caregiver must be present during sessions. For young people aged 12–15, whether a parent is present is decided in agreement with the family.
For young people aged 16 and over, sessions are considered confidential in line with best practice and safeguarding guidance. If a young person is deemed capable of making informed decisions about their care (sometimes called Gillick competence), they are entitled to the same level of privacy and confidentiality as an adult.
Parents are always welcome to reach out to discuss how best to support their child, and I’ll do my best to balance that with respecting the young person’s trust and independence.
Home Visits for Under 16s
For children under 16, I offer home visits (with a parent or trusted adult present). Familiar surroundings can make sessions feel more relaxed and help children feel safe enough to open up and engage.
Now Integrating Play Therapy Training
As part of my continuous professional development, I’m currently training with the Centre of Excellence. Learn more about the Play Therapy course here. This adds even more creative, non-verbal, and imaginative tools to my existing solution-focused practice — especially helpful for younger children or those who find it hard to talk about emotions.
I also run 4-week emotional regulation sessions for children under 12, with a version being adapted for preschool settings.
“Hello Positivity has helped me massively on my outlook on life… I’ve learnt how to deal with my negative thoughts and accept myself for who I am and find my self-worth.”
— Emily (age 17)
Ready to explore how this support could help your child or teen?
Let’s have a friendly, no-pressure conversation. Contact me here to find out more.
