Kirstie Kneppers
PhD, Registered Psychologist
Virtual and In-Person Sessions Available
Kirstie is a registered psychologist who specializes in providing therapy for children, teenagers and young adults who struggle with mental health or life issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder, parent/child issues, communication issues, and more.
Kirstie’s Main Specializations
Counselling for Children, Teenagers, & Young Adults
Kirstie works with children across the developmental period from preschoolers to young adults. In working with children, she always works with parents as well to teach strategies and include them in treatment planning and implementation. Theoretical focus is based in attachment theory (building and supporting the parent-child relationship) and often includes cognitive-behavioural approaches (teaching children and their parents the links between their thoughts, feelings and actions and strategies to manage different challenges).
Areas of focus in counselling may include autism, anxiety, ADHD, behavioural management, emotional regulation, depression, friendship challenges, social skills and social competencies, Obsessive Compulsive disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and adapting to various family challenges such as divorce or grief. Kirstie has also worked with some children who have experienced child abuse/trauma but this is no longer a primary area of focus for me.
Kirstie has found that children learn best through experiential learning, so ideas are often taught and reinforced through role playing, games, play and practice opportunities in the office (not simply talking about ideas in an abstract way).
Counselling for Parents
When working with younger clients, sometimes it is most effective to teach strategies to parents that they can then use daily with their children. This may include some joint sessions with their child, or separate parent coaching sessions focusing on building the parent-child relationship, working on following directions and positive interactions.
Assessments & Testing
Kirstie has over 20 years of experience completing cognitive assessments/ IQ testing (preschoolers to adult) and academic achievement testing, as well as identifying giftedness, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Assessments include direct testing, parent, teacher and child interviews, and school observations (when possible). Kirstie provides recommendations to schools, parents and students to support learning profiles.
Kirstie also completes Autism assessments which include cognitive assessment, parent and teacher/caregiver interviews, questionnaires (including adaptive functioning, social responsiveness and other areas of clinical concern), observation with other children (if possible), and ADOS-2 administration and interpretation.
Mental Health Concerns That Kirstie Works With
-
Anxiety Disorders
Kirstie helps children, teenagers and youths cope and heal from generalized anxiety, social anxiety, performance anxiety, test anxiety, and panic disorders.
-
Depression Disorder
Kirstie has years of experience helping people with depression understand the cause of their sadness while providing helpful strategies to live a more fulfilled and joyful life.
-
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Kirstie provides coping strategies and effective intervention to children and teenagers on the spectrum to help increase self-sufficiency and independence.
-
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Therapy helps people struggling with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) manage intrusive obsessive thoughts while easing the urge to relieve anxiety by engaging in compulsive behaviours.
-
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Kirstie can help people affected by ADHD tackle limiting beliefs that hinder hope and self-efficacy, while encouraging building strengths and mitigating weaknesses with acceptance and self-compassion.
-
Parent-Child Relationship Issues
Situations, such as grief, divorce, or having different perspectives, can strain the relationship between a parent and their child. Kirstie provides a safe space to bridge communication and find common ground to build on.
-
Emotional Regulation
Kirstie helps children, teenagers and young adults regulate their emotions by challenging them to rethink a situation to reduce anger or depression, identify and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, and be mindful to reduce anxiety and stress.
-
Communication
Kirstie helps children and parents learn valuable communication skills that bridge the gap in their understanding and to ensure that every member of the family feels heard, respected and acknowledged.
-
Grief & Loss
Losing a loved one is a devastating tragedy, especially for young people who have no previous experience with the intense feelings of sadness that come with it. Kirstie can help children, teenagers and young adults accept their loss, process their grief, and begin to move on as best as they can.
-
Unexpected Life Circumstances
Kirstie provides counselling to help children, teenagers and young adults cope, process and navigate a variety of life issues including divorce or separation of parents, diagnosis of a chronic or terminal illness, moving to a new city, and any other life circumstances that they made be struggling with.
-
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Children with ODD tend to have serious behavioural problems such as defying parents and breaking rules. Kirstie works with children and parents to set clear expectations, regulate emotions and create an effective consequence/reward system.
Kirstie’s Therapy Approaches
Attachment theory: Kirstie has studied and used Attachment theory, a psychological theory that focuses on how children build close emotional attachments to caregivers, since she completed her Master’s degree studying attachment patterns in siblings in 1994.
Cognitive-Behavioural Strategies: Kirstie has over 20 years of experience in using cognitive behavioural therapy to treat various mental health concerns.
Social skills and competencies: Kirstie has spent the last 6 years increasing her focus, training, and experience in social skills and competencies, which include listening skills, perspective taking, problem solving and engaging with others.
Communication: Kirstie has years of experience in improving communication within families but also helping children learn to communicate their needs in a socially appropriate way that will allow others to support them.
More About Kirstie
Not only does Kirstie enjoy working with children professionally, but she is a parent and understands the realities and challenges of incorporating new ideas into a busy family life. In her free time, Kirstie loves to keep learning, stay active and have fun with her family, nearly-grown kids and very energetic dog!