Parenting Support
Parenting brings changing responsibilities as children grow and family circumstances evolve. You may be trying to respond to difficult behaviour, manage competing needs or find an approach that fits your child's stage of development. Differences between caregivers can add further pressure, especially when everyone is tired or unsure what to try next.
At Maria Schmid & Partners, we offer parenting support to help parents and caregivers understand concerns and consider practical responses. Counselling provides time to look at what happens in your family, what you want to change and the strengths you can build upon.
The work takes account of your child's needs and your experience as a parent. Your own well-being, available support and family circumstances are important parts of developing an approach you can realistically use.
Book an appointment or call 403-801-4839 for help choosing a counsellor.
When parenting support may help
You may be looking for support with repeated disagreements, emotional outbursts, limits, routines or a relationship with your child that feels increasingly strained. Parenting concerns can also arise during transitions such as starting school, adolescence, separation, a new sibling or changes in caregiving responsibilities.
Sometimes the main difficulty is agreeing with another caregiver about how to respond. At other times, you may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility or notice that your reactions are different from the parent you hope to be. Counselling offers room to consider your child's experience alongside the needs and pressures of the wider family.
How we work with parents and caregivers
Your counsellor will explore your child's developmental stage, the family context and the situations that tend to become difficult. Looking at what happens before, during and after a challenging interaction can help identify what needs attention and where a different response may be possible.
Depending on your goals, the work may include communication, predictable routines, boundaries and ways to respond to strong emotions. You can also explore the expectations you carry into parenting and how your own experiences influence your responses.
Practical suggestions need to fit your household. Together, you can consider what is achievable, try an agreed approach and review what happened. The focus can change as your child grows or as you learn more about the concerns that brought you to counselling.
What to expect at your first appointment
The first appointment is an opportunity to describe your concerns, your child's strengths and the changes you hope to see. Examples from daily life can be useful, including what has already helped, what tends to escalate a situation and how different family members respond.
Your counsellor can discuss who should attend future appointments and whether parent support, family work or another service would best fit the concern. Any involvement of a child or additional caregiver will be discussed with you. You can also ask about the approach, confidentiality and the practical arrangements for ongoing support.
Meet the counsellors who work with parents and families
Maria Schmid
Registered Psychologist
Maria is a registered psychologist who works with parents on parenting strategies and family communication. She draws on her interest in attachment to help caregivers explore how they respond during difficult moments and what might support a stronger connection with their child.
Danielle Smith
Registered Psychologist
Dr. Smith is a registered psychologist who supports parents and caregivers experiencing conflict or communication difficulties with their children. She considers the child’s needs and the family’s patterns together, which helps parents choose where a change may be most useful.
Tricia Thomas
Registered Psychologist
Tricia is a registered psychologist with experience in child and adolescent counselling and work with families. Her background in play-based and narrative approaches informs how she understands a child’s experience and discusses concerns with caregivers.
Nicole Berggren
Registered Psychologist
Nicole is a registered psychologist with specialised training in infant and parent mental health. She supports caregivers adjusting to parenthood, paying attention to both their own well-being and the relationship they are building with their child.
Jason Stein
Registered Social Worker
Jason is a registered social worker who provides parent education and support alongside his work with youth and families. He helps caregivers think through difficult interactions and identify changes in communication or routines that make sense for their household.
Sheri Sadowick
Counseling Therapist (AB), Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (BC)
Sheri is a counselling therapist who supports parents managing caregiving demands and changes in family routines. She has a particular interest in helping shift-work families navigate periods of solo parenting and the transition when a partner returns home.