Collaborative counselling for recurring behaviour patterns affecting daily life. Registered Psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists. Certified Canadian Counsellors are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and social workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers. In-person in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Behavioural Issues Counselling Is Right for Your Child

You may not be sure whether the patterns you are noticing are serious enough to reach out about. Maybe a child in your life keeps getting into trouble and you are not certain if this is just a phase. Maybe you have been told your reactions are "too much" and you are starting to wonder if something deeper is going on. Or maybe you are a parent who is exhausted by the same conflicts repeating week after week, and you are questioning whether a therapist could actually help.

These doubts are common. Behaviour-related concerns do not always come with a clear label or a dramatic turning point. Sometimes they look like small, grinding patterns: a short fuse that keeps damaging relationships, difficulty following through on things that matter, emotional outbursts that leave everyone feeling drained, or a child who struggles in settings where other children seem to manage.

These patterns are not signs that something is permanently wrong with you or your child. They often reflect the ways a person has learned to cope with stress, unmet needs, or circumstances that have been difficult over time. They make sense in context, even when they are causing real problems.

If you are still deciding whether support could help, this page is a starting point. You can read about what this kind of counselling involves, who it may suit, and how to take the next step if and when you are ready.

Who We Help

Behavioural issues counselling at Wholesome Psychology may be a good fit for:

• Children and teens experiencing recurring behavioural difficulties at home, school, or in social settings
• Adults who notice patterns of conflict, impulsive reactions, or emotional responses that interfere with daily life
• Parents and caregivers looking for guidance on how to respond to challenging behaviour
• Families dealing with ongoing tension and looking for calmer, clearer ways to communicate
• People who want to understand the context behind recurring patterns rather than just managing surface-level behaviour

This service may not be the right fit for:

• People in immediate crisis or danger (see crisis resources below)
• Situations requiring forensic, legal, or court-ordered services, which fall outside the scope of this therapy service
• Formal diagnostic assessment or psychoeducational testing, which is a separate assessment service

Crisis Resources

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact one of the following resources:

• 911 for immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What This Service Is

"Behavioural issues" is a broad, non-diagnostic term. On this page, it refers to recurring behaviour patterns that are causing difficulty in a person's daily life, whether at home, school, work, or in relationships. It is not a clinical diagnosis, and this page does not imply one.

Counselling for behavioural issues is a collaborative process. It involves working with a therapist to understand what may be driving the patterns, exploring the context behind them, and building practical strategies that fit the person's life and goals. The pace is set by the client, not the therapist.

This service is not a legal service, an investigative process, or crisis intervention. It does not include formal psychological assessment. If diagnostic clarification or psychoeducational testing seems relevant, that can be discussed as a separate assessment service.

Confidentiality applies to everything shared in sessions, within legal and ethical limits. Your therapist will explain those limits clearly in your first appointment. A more detailed explanation of confidentiality and privacy appears later on this page.

Signs Behavioural Issues May Be Affecting You

Behaviour-related concerns can show up in different ways depending on age, setting, and circumstances. You or someone in your life may recognize some of these patterns:

• Frequent arguments or conflicts that follow a similar cycle
• Reactions that feel out of proportion to the situation
• Difficulty managing frustration, irritability, or anger
• Trouble sticking with routines, expectations, or commitments
• Emotional outbursts that leave you or others feeling drained
• Pulling away from people or situations to avoid conflict
• Tension at home, school, or work that does not seem to ease
• A sense that the same problems keep coming back despite your efforts

Having these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong. Many of these patterns are common reactions to stress, unmet needs, developmental factors, or difficult circumstances. With the right kind of support, people can often develop a clearer understanding of what is driving the patterns and build more effective ways to manage them.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use the Match Tool to get a recommendation, browse therapist profiles, or call the admin team at 780-904-4880 for guidance.
• Book your first session. In your first appointment, your therapist will review confidentiality, consent, and the limits of the service. You will have a chance to talk about what has been happening and what you hope to work on. There is no expectation to share everything right away.
• Build your plan together. Based on what you discuss, your therapist will work with you to develop a plan that fits your goals. This is a collaborative process. Your voice matters at every stage.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are typically 50 minutes, scheduled weekly or bi-weekly. Frequency can be adjusted based on your needs and preferences.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist will review progress regularly. Plans can be adjusted as your needs change. There is no fixed number of sessions required.

If you are new to therapy, the Getting Started page explains the process in more detail.

Evidence and Approaches

"Behavioural issues" is a broad term that covers a range of presentations, so the therapeutic approach is tailored to the individual. The following approaches have some research support in related areas and may form part of a treatment plan, depending on the person's goals and circumstances.

Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches

What it helps with: Cognitive-behavioural approaches can help people recognize links between thoughts, feelings, and behavioural responses.

Evidence summary: A Cochrane systematic review found that anger management based on cognitive-behavioural therapy is likely to reduce outwardly aggressive behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities, though the evidence for other outcomes is less certain (Prior et al., 2023). The review notes that most studies were small, and more research is needed to determine which approaches are most effective across different populations.

Limitations: The Cochrane evidence relates specifically to people with intellectual disabilities and may not generalize to all populations seeking behavioural issues counselling. Individual responses vary.

Behavioural Interventions

What it helps with: Structured behavioural interventions may help children and adolescents develop social and self-regulation skills.

Evidence summary: A systematic review and meta-analysis examined behavioural interventions for social challenges in children and adolescents, finding that structured, skills-based approaches have been studied as a way to support this population (Darling et al., 2021). The review was published in JAMA Pediatrics and examined a range of intervention formats.

Limitations: The review focused on social challenges specifically, not on behavioural issues as a broad category. Findings may not apply equally to all age groups or presentations. Readable full text was not available in the evidence pack, so outcome-specific claims cannot be confirmed.

Practical and Skills-Based Supports

What it helps with: Practical supports such as routine-building, communication skills, and caregiver guidance may help reduce the frequency and intensity of challenging behaviour patterns.

Evidence summary: Clinical guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) describes prevention and intervention approaches for challenging behaviour, including practical, contextual, and non-punitive strategies (NICE, n.d.). The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reports that attention, learning, mood, anxiety, and developmental conditions can co-occur in Canadian children and youth, suggesting that behaviour-related concerns often exist alongside other needs (PHAC, 2026).

Limitations: The NICE guidance referenced in the evidence pack relates specifically to people with learning disabilities. The PHAC data describes population-level prevalence of long-term conditions, not behavioural issues specifically. Neither source supports strong efficacy claims for behavioural issues counselling as a broad service.

What Results to Expect

Recovery and change are not linear processes. Some people notice shifts in how they understand their patterns within a few sessions. Others benefit from longer-term work to build skills and address deeper contributing factors.

Some people find relief from just 2-3 sessions, particularly when the focus is on a specific behavioural pattern or a practical strategy. Others find value in ongoing support over weeks or months.

Several factors influence outcomes, including the nature of the concerns, the person's current circumstances, the quality of the therapeutic relationship, and the consistency of practice outside sessions. No therapy guarantees specific outcomes, and what works well for one person may not be the right fit for another.

Therapeutic fit matters. If your current therapist or approach does not feel right, changing therapists is always an option. The admin team at 780-904-4880 can help with this.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is confidential. Your therapist is bound by the professional standards applicable to their designation, including the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) for registered psychologists, the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) for Certified Canadian Counsellors, and the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) for social workers. In Alberta, client information is also protected under the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

There are a limited number of situations where confidentiality may be overridden by law:

• Risk of serious harm to yourself or another person
• Suspected abuse or neglect of a child (mandatory reporting under Alberta law)
• A court order requiring disclosure

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly during your first session, before you share anything personal. You are welcome to ask questions about confidentiality at any point in the process.

For children and youth, the therapist will discuss how caregiver involvement and privacy will be handled at the start of care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened in detail?

No. You are in control of what you share and when. Some people prefer to focus on present-day patterns, triggers, and practical strategies rather than detailed descriptions of past events. Your therapist will work at a pace that feels manageable for you.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes. Counselling is confidential, with a small number of legal exceptions: risk of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, and court orders. Your therapist will explain these limits before you begin. See the Confidentiality and Privacy section above for more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed answer. Some people find that a few focused sessions are enough to shift a specific pattern. Others benefit from longer-term work. Your therapist will review progress regularly, and together you can decide what makes sense going forward.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Therapeutic fit matters, and finding the right person to work with can take time. If your therapist does not feel like the right match, the admin team can help you connect with a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

You can also use the Match with a Therapist tool, review therapist profiles, or call 780-904-4880 for guidance.

Can I access therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available for clients across Alberta. The same confidentiality standards and professional obligations apply to virtual and in-person sessions.

Is behavioural issues counselling only for children?

No. People of all ages may seek help with recurring behaviour patterns, conflict, emotional reactions, or related stress. The service is available for children, teens, adults, parents, and families.

Does this page mean I have a diagnosis?

"Behavioural issues" is a broad service term, not a diagnosis. If formal assessment or diagnostic clarification is needed, that is a separate process.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. Registered psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Certified Canadian Counsellors are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and social workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers. Provisional psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist.

Many clinicians have training and experience in areas related to behavioural concerns, emotional regulation, child and youth development, family dynamics, and parenting support.

You can browse individual profiles on the Our Therapists page, use the Match Tool for a guided recommendation, or call the admin team at 780-904-4880 for help choosing.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people experiencing behavioural difficulties. Therapists working with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches tailored to the child's developmental stage and individual needs.

Clinicians work with caregivers to support the child's environment outside of sessions. The extent of caregiver involvement is discussed at the start of care and adjusted as therapy progresses. Related services include Child and Youth Counselling and Parenting Challenges.

In Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reports that diagnosed long-term conditions, including attention, learning, mood, anxiety, and developmental conditions, are common in children and youth (PHAC, 2026). Behaviour-related concerns can occur alongside these needs, though the presence of behavioural patterns does not necessarily indicate a specific condition. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) offers public information on behavioural supports for children and youth through its Better Behaviours service (CAMH, n.d.).

Getting Started

If you are considering support for behavioural concerns in Edmonton, St. Albert, or virtually across Alberta, you can take the next step in whichever way feels most comfortable:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call: 780-904-4880
• Email: info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Learn more: Getting Started with Therapy

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Starting the conversation is enough.

References

• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (n.d.). Better Behaviours for Children and Youth Service. Retrieved May 2, 2026, from https://www.camh.ca/en/patients-and-families/programs-and-services/better-behaviours-for-children-and-youth-service
• Darling, S. J., Goods, M., Ryan, N. P., Chisholm, A. K., & Haebich, K. (2021). Behavioral intervention for social challenges in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 175. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.3982
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Challenging behaviour and learning disabilities: Prevention and interventions for people with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges. https://www.nice.org.uk/
• Prior, D., Win, S., Hassiotis, A., Hall, I., Martiello, M. A., & Ali, A. K. (2023). Behavioural and cognitive-behavioural therapies for reducing aggressive behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. CD003406.
• Public Health Agency of Canada. (2026). Prevalence: Chronic conditions in childhood. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/
• World Health Organization. (2025). ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics (2025-01 release). https://icd.who.int/