Beyond Ashes Counselling

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be booking new clients or existing clients until further notice. Thank you for all the support and well wishes!

A few years ago I had the opportunity to attend a CADDRA (Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance) Conference in Calgary while I was completing my capstone project for my Masters. My capstone focused specially on children between 9-12 with a diagnosis of ADHD and psychological treatments.

If I were to identify a special interest, it would be children diagnosed or speculated to be experiencing ADHD or ODD (often diagnoses that accompany each other). From all the research I have completed, ADHD requires a multi-modal approach. Involvement of the family unit and other support systems actively involved in the child’s life is important.

When we think of therapy, we think of individual sessions, often focusing on building emotional regulation and coping skills; however, many individuals experiencing ADHD have challenges with executive functioning which impacts the ability to recall the new skills built in therapy and place this skill in the environment where it’s needed (ex. a child can display emotional regulation in a controlled therapeutic session, but have difficulty taking this knowledge into the home or playground). Involvement of the family allows the adults to provide in the moment reminders of skills built in therapy and to also advocate for their child in other environments as they learn and grow alongside their child. This is one of the many reasons I’m so excited to offer family sessions.

Here’s my go to resource for evidence based research surrounding ADHD for all ages:

https://caddac.ca/understanding-adhd/in-general/

If you find this information helpful, please share!

When discussing emotional regulation with kids, educators and therapists will often talk about how the aim is to be “calm” or get back to the “green zone”. This is an optimal state in many situations, however it’s important to remember that all feelings are okay, and that there are times when “calm” isn’t useful or appropriate.⠀
⠀
For example, calm is not useful, appropriate or expected of kids if⠀
• They’re about to run a race⠀
• It’s their birthday⠀
• Their pet has just died⠀
• There’s a fire⠀
• They’re going to their favourite place⠀
• They had a fight with a friend⠀
• They failed an exam⠀
⠀
Regulated does not always mean calm. It means being able to manage your energy and emotions so that your alertness level and behaviour match the situation. This could mean showing feelings of sadness, fear, happiness, excitement, anxiety, disappointment, or anything in between, depending on the energy demands of the situation. And as adults, meeting kids wherever they’re at, without trying “fix” or rush them through the emotions they need to process and feel.
⠀
There is also a level of subjectivity to this, and this is where empathy comes in, e.g. what is upsetting for one child may not be upsetting for another; what is exciting for one child may not be exciting for another.
⠀
No matter the situation, all feelings are okay (but not all behaviours are).⠀
⠀
It’s important to remember that kids under the age of 7 will naturally experience many more situations in which they’re not calm, due to the underdeveloped nature of their brain, developmentally limited regulation skills and the fact that they’re still in the egocentric stage of development, where everything is all about them.

Also important - emotional regulation is not something that is taught first and foremost, it is something that is experienced through others.

Mindful Tip: Identifying our thoughts can be challenging. A great way to get started is to ask ourselves: Am I rehashing something from the past? Am I rehearsing for something in the future? These thoughts indicate we are not in the present moment, which is the only place we have control. - Amanda

A Little About Me

I am a proud mom to a wonderful boy. You’ll often find me sitting in ice rinks cheering and supporting my son’s love for hockey. I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, obstacle course races, watching comedies, and Chai Tea Lattes. You’ll also find my shelves filled with books because I love to learn and grow.

Amanda has been a Registered Social Worker since 2013 and has experience in the non-profit and public sector. She has a Master of Social Work with a Clinical Specialization and was the recipient of the Excellence in Field Placement Award during her studies. Amanda whole-heartedly believes every client possesses unique strengths that provide the foundation for therapy. She draws from a variety of approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Behavioral Activation and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Amanda is passionate about encouraging creative expression through music, art, and play, as well as engagement in experiential activities. Amanda tailor’s therapeutic approaches to match each client’s needs. She has experience directly supporting children, youth and adults experiencing a variety of mental health concerns, addiction (including process addiction), grief and loss, trauma and stress, and life transition. She also has experience supporting family members impacted by a loved one’s difficulties. Amanda believes in the importance of the family unit and offers family therapy sessions focusing on rebuilding attachment, improving communication, conflict-resolution and overcoming traumatic/stressful experiences as a family.