Back-to-school is often a very exciting time for students – a time when they can see their friends again, show off their new wardrobe, and take the new classes that they have been looking forward to since the summer. But school can also be a time when a young person’s depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder...
Teenage Self-Harming Seeing evidence of your child self-harming, or hurting themselves with intention, can be a terrifying experience for a parent. In addition to the fear, you may be unsure of what to do or say, and want desperately to stop the behaviour. This is a common experience for many parents, as the instances of self-harm...
“Feeling blue” or feeling “down in the dumps” is a normal part of being a teenager. There are many moments in one’s adolescence when they experience upsets or moments of sadness. Experts remind us that adolescence can be a very unsettling time and teens can be faced with an array of physical, emotional, psychological and...
“My kid is a little OCD.” A teacher recently told us about hearing a parent utter these words. A lot of people use this or similar verbiage, it turns out, to describe quirks or mannerisms which mimic Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. People may use this kind of phrase to describe someone who seems to...
“Does my son need therapy?” “Should I get my daughter counselling?” There are questions we’re asked all the time here at Capital Choice Counselling in Ottawa. The series of events – or the long, gradual decline – that brought you to this place is significant and shouldn’t be diminished in any way. Chances are, if...
Do you have trouble sleeping? Have you found yourself tired and lethargic at school? Unable to focus in class? “Dragging” by the end of the day, or sooner? If so, you’re not alone. A recent study found that 75% of young adults aren’t getting enough sleep. You’ve probably heard people (parent and teachers) tell you...
With exam time approaching, many students find themselves stressed – more than usual, even. Is it the pressure to do well? Do youth feel a burden placed by society (teachers, parents, et al)? Perhaps its in our competitive nature as human beings? Whatever the reasons, a clear link exists between exams and anxiety. We’ll delve...
Have you noticed a shift in behaviour of your child or teen? Does he or she seem to be struggling more, appearing to feel either sad and tired, or tense and worried? Or perhaps a combination of all these things? It is possible that they’re dealing with depression and/or anxiety. Then again, it’s also possible...
Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a term that is used to describe children who engage in a consistent pattern of angry, argumentative, defiant behavior for a period greater than six months. Every child has his or her moments of defiance and opposition, a simple rite of passage for all youth, and something that all parents expect to...
