Child Therapy Richmond Hill
Children's Mental Health Richmond Hill
Supporting a child’s mental health involves more than addressing symptoms. Children often communicate emotional challenges through behaviour, play, relationships, and everyday interactions. At Alpha Child Therapy, we provide a safe and supportive environment where children can develop emotional awareness, strengthen resilience, and learn healthy coping strategies. We support children experiencing anxiety, ADHD, autism-related challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, grief, trauma, separation anxiety, and other mental health concerns throughout Richmond Hill and surrounding communities.
Play Therapy for Children in Richmond Hill
Children do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling. Worries, frustration, sadness, behavioural challenges, family changes, or difficult experiences are often expressed through play long before they can be described in conversation. Play therapy provides a safe and developmentally appropriate way for children to communicate, process emotions, and build healthy coping skills.
At Alpha Child Therapy, Shiva Movafaghian uses evidence-based play therapy to help children improve emotional regulation, confidence, social skills, resilience, and problem-solving abilities. Through carefully guided play, storytelling, creative activities, and child-centred interventions, children can explore their experiences, strengthen emotional wellbeing, and develop the skills they need to thrive at home, at school, and in relationships.
Child Therapist & Counselling Services
Every child experiences challenges differently. Our child therapy and counselling services are tailored to each child's unique emotional, behavioural, and developmental needs. Using evidence-based approaches, including play therapy, parent coaching, cognitive behavioural strategies, and trauma-informed care, we help children build confidence, improve emotional regulation, strengthen relationships, and develop the skills they need to thrive at home, at school, and in everyday life.
WHY US
Why Families Choose Alpha Child Therapy
Choosing the right therapist for your child is an important decision. At Alpha Child Therapy, we understand that every child has unique emotional, behavioural, and developmental needs. Families choose our practice because we provide compassionate, child-centred support in a safe and welcoming environment where children can feel understood, supported, and empowered to grow.
Led by Child and Youth Therapist Shiva Movafaghian, Alpha Child Therapy brings more than 20 years of experience helping children and families navigate challenges such as anxiety, ADHD, autism, trauma, grief, emotional regulation difficulties, and major life transitions. Through evidence-based approaches, including play therapy, parent coaching, and trauma-informed care, we help children develop healthy coping skills, build confidence, and strengthen their emotional well-being.
Located in Richmond Hill, we work closely with parents to ensure therapy extends beyond the counselling room, providing practical strategies that support children at home, at school, and in everyday life. Our goal is to help every child feel more confident, resilient, and capable of reaching their full potential.
What Sets Us Apart
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Child and Youth Therapist with over 20 years of experience
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Specialized training in Play Therapy and child mental health
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Child-centred and family-focused approach
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Support for anxiety, ADHD, autism, trauma, grief, and behavioural challenges
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Parent coaching and practical guidance for families
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In-person therapy in Richmond Hill and virtual sessions across Ontario
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Evidence-based and trauma-informed therapeutic approaches
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Insurance-friendly services for eligible plans
About Shiva Movafaghian
Shiva Movafaghian is a Child and Youth Therapist, certified play therapist, certified life coach, ABA Trainer, and family counsellor with over 20 years of experience in child and youth mental health. As the founder of Alpha Child Therapy Centre in Ontario, Shiva specializes in helping children and families navigate challenges such as anxiety, ADHD, autism, and complex family dynamics. Her qualifications include life coaching certification and hands-on experience in Canadian schools, enabling her to provide unique insights and effective guidance.OUR SERVICES
Our specializations
At Alpha Child Therapy Centre, we are dedicated to supporting children and families through a wide range of challenges. Our expert-led services specialize in addressing anxiety, phobias, sleep disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum, trauma, and more. By offering compassionate care tailored to each child’s needs, we empower them to overcome obstacles, build resilience, and thrive in every aspect of life. Explore our areas of expertise to learn how we can help your family navigate these important journeys.
ADHD
Does your child struggle with focus and impulsivity? Discover tools to help them thrive.
Learning Disorders
Every child can learn and grow. Discover how we can support your child’s journey.
Anger Management
Is your child’s anger becoming hard to manage? Learn how to guide them toward calmness.
Autism Spectrum
Your child’s uniqueness is their strength. Let’s unlock their full potential.
Self-Confidence
Helping your child believe in themselves can change everything. Ready to start?
Fear and Phobia
Are fears holding your child back? Let’s help them feel brave and confident.
Sleep Disorders
Is bedtime a constant struggle? Learn how to help your child sleep peacefully.
Separation Anxiety
Saying goodbye shouldn't be so difficult or overwhelming. Discover ways to ease your child’s anxiety.
Trauma
Does your child carry the weight of a painful past? Let’s work toward healing together.
Death and Loss
Helping kids process grief can feel overwhelming. Let us guide you and your child.
OCD
Is your child stuck in repetitive behaviors or thoughts? Let’s help them break free and find calm.
Technological Assessment
Mental health & cognitive rehabilitation services for different age groups.
Online Courses & Tools
Solutions for Sleeping Disorders
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for both children and parents. In this episode, we discuss common sleep disturbances in children and explore the science behind sleep disorders. […]
FREE
SOS Help for Emotions: Managing Anxiety
SOS Help for Emotions – Managing Anxiety, Anger, And Depression is a self-help book that is fun to listen to and easy to apply. […]
FREE
Children's Anxiety
Anxiety in children can be subtle yet deeply disruptive—affecting their emotional development, school performance, and relationships. This comprehensive course, […]
$149.99
Visit our new office. We're looking forward to seeing you!
147 Oxford Street, Richmond Hill ON, L4C 4L6
Testimonials
Play therapy improved my daughter’s self-confidence. She is now much happier and has more friends. It was Shiva’s experience and skills that helped her to speak up, define her anxieties and stand up for herself.
Working with Shiva helped my son and our family to cope and get passed through a big loss and the shock. I had no hope for our family to find happiness again. Seeing my child’s sadness was really painful for me and my husband. We are so thankful.
The change in my son is extraordinary. He is no longer shouting and yelling. He can manage his feelings for the most part and has learned how to express them in a positive way. Shiva has taught him how to use Mindfulness.
Our daughter had nightmares and would wake up several times at night. I saw how play therapy techniques by Shiva created for her worked like a miracle. She sleeps like an angle all through the night now.
Unfortunately, we didn’t know how to get our son to go and sleep in his own room for almost 5 years! But parent coaching and developing a better relationship with our son, made a big change in our life in a really short time. Now we are all in our own rooms and enjoy privacy.
They say as your children grow up so do their problems. But Shiva showed us how resolving small problems gradually can help our child to grow healthy emotionally. Thank you Shiva for bringing back happiness instead of helplessness to my child and my family.
