Unicorn Psychology

01/16/2026

New words I learned this week
GG good game🔥
Preppy - over prepared ( looking great physically) kids 😎

12/31/2025

✨ A Year in Reflection at Unicorn Psychology ✨

This year, our team had the privilege of supporting over 1,300 children, teens, and families.
We also provided 210 free therapy sessions, because access to mental health support should never be a luxury.

Along the way, we learned (and re-learned) some important truths that we want to share with parents.

🧠 One key observation:
Many children use words like “depressed,” “anxious” but often they don’t fully understand what those words mean.

Research consistently shows that our kiddos borrow mental-health language from social media, peers, and adults. These words can become shortcuts for big, confusing feelings

Saying “I’m depressed” may actually mean:
• “I feel lonely”
• “I feel overwhelmed”
• “I don’t feel understood”
• “I don’t know how to explain what’s happening inside”

What the research tells us and how we can support kids in 2026

Emotional vocabulary develops through co-regulation and conversation, not correction
When adults respond with curiosity instead of fear, children learn to reflect rather than escalate❤️

At Unicorn Psychology, we don’t rush to labels.
We slow down, listen carefully, and help children and parents translate feelings into understanding.

Thank you for trusting us with your families this year.
We’re deeply grateful and we’re looking forward to 2026 ❤️

11/28/2025

How we accidentally make kids more depressed by asking “Are you depressed?”

Children rarely understand or use adult mental-health labels. When we ask a child, “Are you depressed?” or “Do you have anxiety?”, we pull them out of their actual experience and into performing a diagnosis they can’t yet make sense of.

This doesn’t help them open up.
It often shuts them down.

Research shows that young children share more when adults reflect what they observe rather than asking them to identify a condition.

Instead of labels, try:

I’ve noticed you seem quieter than usual. How has your day been?
Something feels heavy for you lately. Want to tell me about it?”
What does your body feel like when you’re having a hard moment?”

11/28/2025

Once upon a time, a parent remembered their unused benefits before the new year… and booked a session that helped their child feel calmer, more confident, and more connected.

If your family still has 2025 benefits waiting, this is your moment to do the same.

Unicorn Psychology offers gentle, inclusive therapy for kids, teens, and families.
Whether your child is navigating anxiety, identity questions, school pressures, or big emotions we’re here to help them feel understood and supported.

Most benefits renew January 1.
Spots fill quickly. Booking link in bio😎

10/28/2025

Are you ready for trick or treat?

10/09/2025

Free support for Alberta teachers❤️

As Alberta’s teachers take a stand, we see the courage it takes to advocate, not just for fair conditions, but for the well-being of your students and yourselves.

At Unicorn Psychology, we stand with educators who give so much of their energy, patience, and heart to the next generation. We know that behind every classroom are countless hours of emotional labour, creativity, and care.

To support you through this stressful time, we’re offering free therapy sessions for Alberta teachers , a safe, confidential space to rest, reflect, and recharge.
Call our Admin team
403.815.0271

10/09/2025

10/05/2025

“I give myself very good advice,
But I very seldom follow it…”
Alice in Wonderland

We all have a part that knows what’s good for us the calm, wise, “I-should-probably” part.
And then… there’s another part that resists. The one that says, “Not now,” or “I just can’t.”

In Internal Family Systems (IFS), we don’t call that resistance a self-sabotage, we call it protection. That part isn’t ignoring you, it’s guarding a younger part that once learned that doing the “right” thing didn’t always feel safe.

🌸 All your parts mean well. Some just need to feel safe first.

10/03/2025

Have you try emotional vitamins?

10/03/2025

This week I’ve been sitting down with teachers to consult about some of my kiddo clients. With schools heading into strike, I want to say how much I support them.

Being a teacher isn’t just being a teacher. It’s being a human who shows up every day to care, guide, and hold space for kids, even when the system asks for more than it gives back.

I see how deeply teachers invest in children, and I stand with them as they advocate for themselves and for the future of our kids.

09/24/2025

As a child psychologist, I want to be clear:
Autism is not caused by a single factor, and current research does not show a proven link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy and autism.

Scary claims only create guilt and stigma. Families need evidence-based guidance from doctors, not politics, and autistic children need our respect, not fear.

05/12/2025

As parents, we use the word “no” often with our children. To a point, we have to. But could we be overusing it?

How many times per day do you think researchers have found that kids hear “no” or some form of correction?