Parenting counselling in Vaughan
A calmer, more connected home.
No one hands you a manual, and some days are harder than anyone warns you about. Parenting counselling gives you practical tools and support for the hardest moments, without the guilt. In Vaughan and online across Ontario.
Takes 2 minutes. No credit card. No referral needed.
- 24+ Registered PsychotherapistsLook any of us up on the CRPO register
- Direct billing availableSun Life, Beneva, Green Shield
- Evenings and weekendsIn person or online
Support for the parent, not just the child.
Parenting counselling is for you: the stress, the second-guessing, the power struggles that turn bedtime or the school run into a battle. It isn’t about being told what you’re doing wrong. It’s about being supported, so the hardest parts feel more manageable.
When you’re running on empty, small moments can tip into shouting or shutting down, and the guilt comes after. You learn to respond instead of react, to read what your child is really asking for, and to reconnect when things have felt strained.
Parenting counselling is practical, evidence-based support that helps you understand your child, set calm and consistent boundaries, and respond instead of react, with tools you keep.
- Understand what your child’s behaviour is telling you
- Calm, consistent tools you can use the same day
- Judgment-free, in person or online
What’s been hardest at home lately?
Tap anything that sounds familiar. None of these means you’re doing it wrong. They’re common, and very workable.
Start with what you’re noticing.
Tap what sounds like home lately, and we’ll suggest a sensible next step.
You’ve noticed 1 thing.
That’s common, and very workable. A free 20-minute consult is a calm way to talk it through and find the right fit for your family.
You’ve noticed 3 things.
That’s a lot to carry. Reaching out for support is one of the most caring things a parent can do, and you don’t need a crisis to come.
Worried about your teen? We also see teens directly, and we can help you decide whether they need support of their own.
Book a free 20-minute consultThis isn’t a diagnosis.
What’s underneath the behaviour?
Most tough behaviour is a need that hasn’t found words yet. Step through a few familiar moments, what may sit underneath, and a calmer way to respond.
- 1What you see
“Every request turns into a battle.”
- 2UnderneathOften a need for some control.Offering small, safe choices lowers the temperature without giving up the limit you’re holding.
- 3The shift
“Two small choices took some of the fight out of bedtime.”
- 1What you see
“The smallest thing sets off a meltdown.”
- 2UnderneathAn overwhelmed nervous system, not a bad child.Big feelings can flood a child before anyone can think straight. Helping them settle comes before correcting the behaviour.
- 3The shift
“When I stayed calm first, the storm passed sooner.”
- 1What you see
“They want my attention every single minute.”
- 2UnderneathUsually connection-seeking.Short bursts of focused, one-on-one time often ease it more than trying to ignore it.
- 3The shift
“Ten minutes of real attention bought us a calmer evening.”
- 1What you see
“I keep reacting in ways I don’t want to.”
- 2UnderneathWe help you respond instead of react.Using real moments from your week, you and your therapist decode the patterns in your home and shape one or two calm, consistent responses to try before you next meet.
- 3The shift
“I still lose it sometimes, but now I know how to come back and reconnect.”
An illustration of a common pattern, not a real client’s words. Most tough behaviour is a need that hasn’t found words yet, and it’s very workable.
Talk it through, free for 20 minutesMeet therapists who support parents
Every therapist below is registered with the CRPO and works warmly with children, families and the parents who love them. Watch a short intro, read their profile, or let us match you in your free consultation.
Watch introElnaz Bayandor
Registered PsychotherapistCRPO #13225Online only
Warm and patient, working closely with children and parents to understand the message underneath a child’s behaviour.
Watch introChantal Ruzsa
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)CRPO #20606Woodbridge · Online
Helps parents understand their child’s emotional world, with practical strategies that build connection and confidence at home.
Not sure who fits?
Let us match you in your free consultation. If the fit isn’t right, we’ll help you switch to another therapist on the team.
Parent sessions, or the whole family together.
Most parenting counselling is with you, and co-parents are welcome to come together. When the struggle is showing up between everyone, family sessions can help.
Support for you
Tools and support for the hardest moments, built around your own child and home. Individual work starts with a 70-minute initial assessment.
The whole family
When conflict is showing up between you, working together can ease it and rebuild trust. Your first family appointment runs a full 90 minutes at the same rate.
About family therapyWhat your first session looks like
Wanting support with parenting is a strength. Your first appointment is a 70-minute assessment, and regular sessions run 55 minutes. Here’s how the first one tends to go.
- 1Minutes 0 to 15
Settling in
No blame, no judgment. Your therapist welcomes you, explains confidentiality, and makes clear you’re here for support and tools, not to be graded as a parent.
- 2Minutes 15 to 60
Understanding your family
Together you look at your child, your home and what’s hardest right now, using a real example from your week, so the picture makes sense.
- 3Throughout
Working with you
The focus is on what you can still influence. If your child needs therapy of their own, your therapist will say so and help you arrange it.
- 4The last 10 minutes
Leaving with next steps
You agree on one or two practical things to try before next week, at a pace that fits your family.
“I’m not saying you’re doing it wrong. I want us to be on the same page, for the kids.”
Lead with the kids, not with blame.
Does your child need support of their own?
This page is about supporting you. If your child or teen needs therapy directly, our child and youth therapists can help, and many families do both at once.
Child & youth therapyWarm connection, calm structure.
Parenting support works best when it strengthens your bond with your child and gives you steady, consistent tools. Sessions typically end with one or two concrete strategies to try before you meet again.
Attachment-based parenting
Strengthen the secure connection that helps your child feel safe enough to settle.
More on attachment-based therapyEmotion coaching
Help your child name and ride big feelings, one calm conversation at a time.
Emotion management therapyPositive, consistent boundaries
Limits that are warm and firm, so kids feel secure and you feel less reactive.
Parent coaching and support
A steady, evidence-based sounding board for the decisions and doubts you carry, from the early years to the teens.
Youth and teen therapyInnerSight was founded by Svetlana Antonyshyn, RP, on the belief that healing should treat the person, not a label. More about our approach.
What the research says
We’ll always be honest about evidence. Most of this research tests structured, often group-based parenting programs rather than one-to-one counselling, so it applies to sessions here by inference. The picture is encouraging, mostly in the short term.
A Cochrane review of 48 trials found group parenting programs eased parents’ stress, anxiety, low mood, anger and guilt, and built confidence, in the short term. Only the gains in stress and confidence were still clear six months on.
A Cochrane review of 13 trials found group parenting programs for children aged 3 to 12 with behaviour problems reduced those problems and harsh parenting, and improved parents’ mental health, at least in the short term.
Across 77 evaluations of parenting programs for children up to age 7, the parts linked to larger effects included more positive time together, talking about emotions, consistency, and parents practising new skills with their child.
In a trial with 216 parents of four- and five-year-olds, a six-session emotion-coaching group led to more coaching and less dismissing of children’s feelings, and parents and teachers reported fewer behaviour problems.
Our Registered Psychotherapists do not diagnose or prescribe. If you’re wondering about ADHD or autism, that assessment belongs with your doctor. We work with you rather than on your child, and if your child needs their own therapy, we’ll say so and help you arrange it.
Clinically reviewed by Svetlana Antonyshyn, Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO #001652). Last reviewed October 2026.
What parenting counselling costs
No hidden fees and no pressure. Most private insurance plans cover a portion of psychotherapy fees. We can bill Sun Life, Beneva (formerly SSQ) and Green Shield directly when your plan is with one of them, and we provide receipts for claims with other insurers.
- $0
- Free consultation · 20 minMeet a therapist, ask anything, and see if it feels right. No credit card and no obligation.
- $245
- First appointment · 70 minA longer first conversation to understand what’s going on and set goals together.
- $180
- Ongoing sessions · 55 minEvery session after your first, in person or online.
- $125
- Reduced-fee sessionWith select supervised therapists in training. Reduced-fee couples and family sessions are $175.
Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice may be charged a cancellation fee. Sessions aren’t covered by OHIP, but psychotherapy from a Registered Psychotherapist may qualify as a medical expense at tax time. Worried about cost? See our reduced-fee program, or call us. We’re happy to walk you through it.
How far could your benefits go?
Pick your plan’s yearly maximum for a Registered Psychotherapist.
An estimate, not a quote or a promise of coverage. Plans differ on the percentage reimbursed, per-visit limits, deductibles and which providers they recognize, so check your benefits booklet or ask your insurer about “Registered Psychotherapist” and “Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying).”
Book a free 20-minute consultDon’t take our word for it. Check.
Anyone can say they’re good at this. Here’s what you can verify about us in about two minutes, without speaking to anyone.
Regulated, not self-declared
“Psychotherapist” is a protected title in Ontario. Our team are Registered Psychotherapists, accountable to a College with a public complaints process.
See every therapist’s registrationSupervised every month
Our therapists meet for clinical supervision every month, so the work stays accountable to someone other than the person doing it.
How we workWe show our sources
Where we describe what therapy can help with, we name the source and link it, from Statistics Canada and CAMH to peer-reviewed trials.
What we help withNothing locks you in
No referral needed. No contract, no package to buy. Fees are published up front, $180 for a 55-minute session. If the fit isn’t right, tell us and we’ll help you switch to another therapist on the team.
Fees and coverageParenting counselling: your questions, answered
Still wondering about something? Ask us in a free consult, or call (905) 553-9507. Phones are answered weekdays 9 am to 5 pm, Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm.
Is this counselling for me or for my child?
This supports you as a parent. We help with the stress, the second-guessing and the day-to-day challenges of raising your child. For therapy for your child or teen directly, see our child and youth therapy page.
Do I need a referral for parenting counselling in Vaughan?
No referral is needed. You can book a free 20-minute consultation online at psychotherapyclinic.janeapp.com or call (905) 553-9507. Most parents have their first full session within a week.
Does needing parenting support mean I am a bad parent?
Not at all. Reaching out for tools and a calmer home is one of the most caring things a parent can do. There is no manual for this, and wanting support is a sign of how much you care.
Can you help co-parents who disagree?
Yes. We help with consistency and communication so children get a steadier message from both homes, including after separation or divorce. Sessions can be individual or together, whatever works best for your family.
My teenager will not talk to me. Can you help?
Yes. We work on connection and communication so conversations feel safer for both of you, and so your teen feels heard rather than managed. Small shifts in how you respond often reopen the door.
Is parenting counselling available online across Ontario?
Yes. We offer secure video sessions anywhere in Ontario, plus in-person sessions in Vaughan, Woodbridge and Barrie. Online works well for busy parents and you can practice new skills at home where they actually matter. Evenings and weekends are available.
How much does it cost and is it covered?
The first 20-minute consultation is free. Individual sessions are $180 for 55 minutes. There is no OHIP coverage, but most private insurance plans cover a portion of services from a Registered Psychotherapist. We bill Sun Life, Beneva (formerly SSQ) and Green Shield directly. Reduced-fee sessions are $125 for individual therapy and $175 for couples and family therapy, with select supervised therapists in training.
What happens in the first session?
It is a relaxed conversation about your family and what is hardest right now. Your therapist gets to know your situation, and you leave with one or two practical next steps you can use straight away.
How is this different from a parenting class or course?
A parenting class teaches general strategies to a group, on a set curriculum. Individual parenting therapy is built around your specific child, family history, and what has already been tried, and it can also hold your own stress, guilt, or overwhelm as a parent, which a class usually does not address.
Is this parenting stress, or something more?
Most parents who come to us are dealing with ordinary, exhausting stress: a strong-willed child, a rough transition, conflict at home. That is common and very workable. If your child is also struggling with their own mental health, we also offer dedicated child and youth therapy, and can help you sort out what kind of support fits best.
Parenting counselling near you
In-person sessions in Woodbridge, Maple and Barrie, plus secure video sessions anywhere in Ontario. Evenings and weekends available.
Online across Ontario
Secure video sessions from anywhere in the province, so you can practise new skills at home where they matter.
Book an online consultAppointment hoursMonday to Friday, 9:30 am to 8:00 pmSaturday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
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With the right tools and support, home can feel calmer and more connected, and the first step is a free, no-pressure conversation. You can take it today.
Phones answered Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday 9 am to 2 pm.
