http://www.courageouscounselling.ca/

Courageous Counselling and Play Therapy, Saint Thomas, ON (2025)

09/08/2025

Hi there! 👋 I’m Kristi, a play therapist — and this is my turtle friend! 🐢

We know that starting something new — like coming to play therapy — can feel a little scary or uncertain at first. That makes sense. We wanted to introduce ourselves to help things feel a bit more familiar before you even walk through the door. 💛

Our playroom is a cozy space where kids can be themselves, explore big feelings, and feel safe while we play and grow together.

If you or your grown-ups have any questions about play therapy or how turtle and I could support your family, we’re happy to help!

We can set up a free consult call which can be done directly through my website or you can give me a call at 226-884-8327 to chat more. 📞

We can’t wait to meet and play with you! 🎨🧸

09/03/2025

You start the day asking:

“What do you want for breakfast? 🥞”
“Which shoes do you want?”
“Do you want to go to the park or stay home?”
“What should we bring with us?”
“Is now a good time to leave? ⏰”

It sounds respectful.
It sounds empowering.

But by mid-morning, you’re managing 20 decisions and fielding resistance to almost all of them — and your child is melting down over the smallest thing. 😩

Because all those choices?
They aren’t always helpful.

Too many decisions feel heavy on a young nervous system. It puts them in charge of things they’re not developmentally ready to lead.

And it puts you in the exhausting position of walking on eggshells, trying to guess what they’ll choose or how they’ll react to the next transition.

Here’s a simple example:
Instead of asking, “What do you want for dinner?” — and hearing “Pizza!” (followed by a meltdown when you say, “We can’t have pizza tonight, we had it yesterday”) — try this:
“We’re having spaghetti and caesar salad tonight. I know you don’t like caesar dressing, so you can decide how much dressing you want on your salad.”
You’re setting the plan and boundaries, while still giving your child a small way to have control.

Here’s the reframe:
You can lead with calm, confident clarity.
You can say, “This is what’s happening.”
You can provide structure without being rigid.

This doesn’t take away your child’s voice. It gives them something even more important:
A sense of safety. Of being held. Of knowing someone else is steering the ship. 🚢

Clear leadership doesn’t shut down connection — it makes space for it. ❤️

08/26/2025

When your child is falling apart it’s so tempting to go straight into fixing:

🗣 “Use your words.”
🧠 “Let’s figure this out.”
📣 “That’s not okay — you need to calm down.”

We jump into problem-solving, not because we’re impatient, but because we want to help. We want it to stop. We want them to feel better.

But here’s the thing:

A dysregulated brain can’t problem-solve.

A disconnected child can’t access logic.

Before your child can hear your wisdom, their nervous system needs to feel safe with you.

Try this instead:
🤲 Get close. Soften your voice.
💬 “I see how upset you are. I’m right here.”
🌬 Breathe with them. Sit with them. Let the storm pass.

That’s co-regulation — you lending your calm so their brain can come back online.

When your child feels seen and held, they begin to settle. And from that place?

✨ Now they’re ready to learn, listen, repair or reflect.

08/26/2025

Want support NOW but can’t commit to weekly therapy?

I’ve created two focused therapy options for families who need help now—without the ongoing commitment.

🧸 Parent-Child Play Support Package

A 2-day therapeutic experience that includes:

✔️A recorded parent-child play session (with one or both parents)
✔️A personalized feedback & practice session
✔️A customized Play Plan

In just two days, you’ll gain clarity, tools, and a path forward to support your child and relationship through play.

✨ Parenting Intensives

A full-day therapy intensive for parents of young children navigating big behaviours.

Includes:

✔️Focused one-on-one therapeutic support designed around your family’s needs
✔️In-depth time to understand your child’s behaviours and what’s driving them
✔️Practical evidence-based strategies you can begin using right away

You’ll leave with real strategies and a clear plan👍

🗓️ Spots are limited. Book a consult call through my website to learn more and see if it’s the right fit.

03/04/2025

🌞 Courageous Counselling is excited to offer four unique Summer Group Intensives designed to help kids tackle worries, build social skills and master emotional coping strategies. Get ready for a summer full of growth, confidence and fun! 🌞

Why choose an intensive?
✔️ A focused, immersive experience that helps kids achieve meaningful growth in a short amount of time.
✔️ Small group sizes to ensure plenty of personal attention, support, and feedback from our experienced facilitator.
✔️ Children build connections with peers, fostering a supportive community where they can learn from each other.
✔️ A cost-effective alternative to individual therapy.

✨ Ready to help your child build confidence, resilience, and valuable social skills? Learn more and sign up today on my website: www.courageouscounselling.ca/summer-group-intensives

01/21/2025

Children often express their emotions and process big changes more easily through play.

By using tools like a dollhouse, action figures, or favourite toys, you can help them visualize and navigate life’s transitions. These playful activities help your child feel secure and understood while they work through their feelings. 🧸✨

💡 Play invitation: Use little figurines to represent your child, you, and your child’s other parent, and play out the character going from one “house” to another. This is a great opportunity to invite your child into the play and see where they take it.

For example, you could say: “I wonder if the little dinosaur wants to say something to the mommy/daddy 🦖” and you can also reflect possible feelings: “I wonder if the little dinosaur is feeling confused or worried about anything… I know I might be feeling that way.” Then, see how your child responds.

Children often don't sit and pour out all of their questions and feelings in one long sitting — expect small doses of playful exploration or a random question while eating a snack and praise them for asking you! 🌟

By involving their imagination, you’re not only encouraging creativity but also giving them a safe space to process emotions in a way that feels natural to them. Play can be a powerful part of their emotional journey and healing process. 💖

Read more about how play can support your child in my latest blog on my website: https://www.courageouscounselling.ca/blog/talking-to-young-children-about-separation-or-divorce-a-guide-for-parents

12/31/2024

🌟 Reflecting on 2024 & Looking Ahead to 2025 🌟

2024 has been an exciting year of growth and transformation at Courageous Counselling! Some highlights include:

✨ New Office, New Possibilities: I opened the doors to a beautiful new permanent office space.

 ✨ Furnished Play Therapy Space: With the full setup of a dedicated play therapy space, children can feel safe and supported in their healing journey.

 ✨ Community Commitment: As the only Certified Play Therapist currently serving St. Thomas, I’m dedicated to providing the highest standard of care through ongoing training, supervision and intensive learning.

 ✨ Future-Focused: I’m currently working on creating free online resources for parents and developing group curriculum for children and parents.

Looking to 2025: I want to hear from YOU!

What are your needs? How can Courageous Counselling and Play Therapy better serve you and the St. Thomas community?

👉 Your voice matters! Email me at: kristi.forbes@courageouscounselling.ca or comment below with "QUIZ" if you'd be interested in participating in a more formal anonymous survey designed to help shape future services and resources.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I’m looking forward to continuing to support children and families in the community in the year ahead.💫

12/12/2024

🧠💭 Helping Kids Challenge Negative Thoughts 💭🧠

A really great skill we can teach our kids is how to challenge their negative thinking. When they’re feeling upset or discouraged, asking simple, reflective questions can help them step back and gain perspective.

Questions like: ❓ "What would you tell a friend who's feeling this way?" ❓ "Is there another way to think about this situation?" ❓ "What's a more helpful thought?"

By practicing these questions regularly, children start to develop a habit of questioning negative thoughts, making it easier for them to shift their mindset over time. The more they practice, the more automatic it becomes. 🌱✨

Remember: When engaging in this process with your kids, always ensure to first accept whatever their thoughts or feelings are by saying something like "thank you so much for telling me that... it must feel really difficult to feel that way..."

Once your child feels heard and connected to you, that is when you move into the practice - or come back later when they are in a more teachable and problem-solving state!

Try this with your kids and let me know how it goes! What was helpful? What parts were challenging? 😀

12/02/2024

As a parent it’s easy to doubt yourself, especially when you’re faced with challenging behaviours.

But remember this powerful affirmation:

👉🏼 I am doing my best and that is enough.

I know I struggle to feel like I'm "enough" in many aspects of my life, parenting included. Even if it's hard to believe these words in this moment, I'd love to hold this for you until you're ready.

I believe parenting needs to start with grace and self-understanding and compassion and then yes - we need to put in the hard work - but I think we often forget to do this part first! If we can learn to extend grace to ourselves and model this - how powerful will it be to then extend that to our children and for them to learn to do that for themselves?

And how beautiful is this line to also use when parenting our kids, extending the affirmation to them as well: You are doing your best and that is enough!

By reminding yourself of this truth, you’re fostering your own confidence and emotional balance. This not only helps you stay calm in tough moments but also teaches your child how to manage their emotions.

You are enough, just as you are. Keep showing up and trust in your journey. 💛

10/12/2024

There are a lot of misconceptions about play therapy, and I am here to clear some of them up 👌

👉🏼 Misconception #1: "Play therapy is only for 'problem' kids."

💡Reality: Play therapy benefits all children, not just those with challenges. It helps with emotional expression, social skills and overall development.

👉🏼 Misconception #2: "Play therapy is just playing."

💡Reality: While play is a big part of it, trained therapists use specific techniques to help children explore their feelings and resolve issues directly through their play, which makes sense when play is the natural way they communicate and make sense of their world!

👉🏼 Misconception #3: "Play therapy is only for young children."

💡Reality: Play therapy works for kids of all ages, including teens. It helps them communicate and process their experiences in a way that feels comfortable to them.

Want to learn more about how play therapy can benefit your child?

Let’s connect! Head to my website to learn more and to get in touch with me. 😊

www.courageouscounselling.ca

06/14/2024

🌞☀️ With summer just around the corner, it's the perfect time to prioritize family activities that nourish both body and soul! 🌻👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Whether it's a picnic in the park, a hike in nature, or a day at the beach, spending quality time together outdoors can do wonders for your family's mental health and well-being. 🏞️💖

I LOVE sharing with parents that they are already doing so many things that benefit their child's and family's mental health and well-being!! So let's keep it up and maybe do these things even more. 😉

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💬 What are your favourite family activities to enjoy during the summer months? Share your ideas in the comments below so we can get inspired! Let's make this summer one to remember, filled with joy, laughter, and precious memories with our loved ones. 💕

Check out my newest blog: "Summer Fun: 10 Family Activities to Promote Health and Well-being" for further inspiration!

You can check out the blog here:👉 https://arugula-horse-aazt.squarespace.com/config/pages/664f81bd1bb2ab57054ed51e/content

06/12/2024

🌟 Calling all parents and caregivers! Are you looking to deepen your connection with your child? Theraplay® activities in counselling might just be the magical solution you've been searching for! 🌈💖

🤝 What is Theraplay?

Theraplay isn't just about talking through issues; it's about actively engaging in playful interactions to nurture a stronger, more secure bond between parent and child. In counselling sessions, Theraplay techniques are tailored by the therapist to enhance the parent-child relationship, promoting trust and safety, self-esteem, empathy, and joyful connection.

🌟 Ready to embark on a journey of playful exploration and connection with your child? Try Theraplay activities in counselling and watch your parent-child relationship thrive! 🌟

Check out my website to learn more about Theraplay and all the other ways we can work together👇
https://www.courageouscounselling.ca/services-2

Courageous Counselling and Play Therapy

09/08/2025

09/03/2025

08/26/2025

08/26/2025

03/04/2025

01/21/2025

12/31/2024

12/12/2024

12/02/2024

10/12/2024

06/14/2024

06/12/2024

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