School Anxiety & Refusal
Making school a safe, manageable place again.
Collaborative Solutions for School Success
School avoidance is a high-stress, complex situation for families that requires a wrap-around approach. We work clinically to uncover the root cause, whether it be academic struggles, social anxiety, neurodivergent masking, or sensory overwhelm.
Leveraging Sheila's behaviour intervention experience, we actively collaborate with teachers, principals, and school counsellors to create gentle exposure plans, IEP accommodations, and safe transition routines.
For teens experiencing school anxiety or avoidance, youth and teen counselling in Port Coquitlam offers gentle, collaborative support to help school feel safe again. For younger children, child counselling offers a play-based space to make sense of school worry. This work also connects with our anxiety counselling and emotional regulation pages. For a closer look at the experience itself, our school refusal page describes it in more detail. The main FAQ covers fees, availability and what to expect.
School anxiety and refusal support is offered from the Port Coquitlam office, with families welcomed from Coquitlam, Port Moody and the wider Tri-Cities.
Not sure whether this support is the right fit? A free 15-minute consultation is a simple place to begin.
Book a Free 15-Minute ConsultationProfessional Collaboration
A child's growth is supported best when their whole village works together. Sheila actively collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to ensure consistent, wrap-around support across all environments. We partner closely with:
Bridging the Gap: To ensure that therapeutic strategies translate into real-world success, Sheila is available to attend school meetings (including IEPs), conduct school and daycare observations, and help develop cohesive, evidence-based behaviour and emotional regulation plans that work seamlessly between home, school, and clinic.
Learn how Sunny Spot can collaborate with families, educators and school teams.
For things to try at home, explore our free school anxiety resources for parents.
Frequently asked questions
Not Sure How to Tell Your Child About Counselling?
The way counselling is introduced can shape how safe and open it feels. Our gentle parent guide includes age-appropriate language, simple scripts, what to avoid, and what the first sessions may look like.
Read the Parent Guide
Ready to talk about what support could look like?
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