Parenting Counselling & Family Support in Burnaby
Clinical counselling for parents — reduce overwhelm, repair the parent-child connection, and find a calmer way through the hardest seasons of raising kids.
Parenting counselling at KidStart supports the parent, not just the child. Led by Joanne Kwong, a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #27879), it gives you a confidential place to process the stress, guilt, and overwhelm that come with raising children — especially children who need extra support.
This is different from behavioural parent coaching, which teaches strategies for managing a child’s behaviour. Parenting counselling works on you: your stress, your triggers, your relationship with your child, and the family patterns you may be repeating without meaning to.
Many parents who come to us are exhausted, second-guessing themselves, or reacting in ways they do not like. Counselling helps you understand why — and gives you a steadier foundation to parent from. We serve families across Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Greater Vancouver, in person and online.
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When Parents Reach Out
Asking for support is not failing as a parent — it is one of the most protective things you can do for your family. Parents typically come to counselling when:
- Stress, anxiety, or low mood is affecting how you show up at home
- You react with anger or shut down, then feel guilty afterward
- Raising a child with autism, ADHD, or developmental needs has worn you thin
- You and your co-parent are not on the same page
- Old patterns from your own childhood are surfacing in your parenting
- A separation, loss, or major change has shaken the family
- You love your child but no longer enjoy parenting them
The Hidden Load Parents Carry
Parental stress is not a personal weakness — it is measurable and widespread. Canadian research two years into the pandemic found parents reporting close to double the pre-pandemic rate of moderate-to-severe psychological distress, with mothers, parents managing home-work conflict, and those supporting children with extra needs carrying the heaviest load.
When that stress goes unaddressed, it shapes the whole household: shorter fuses, more conflict, less patience for the very behaviours that need calm. Counselling interrupts that cycle by giving the stress somewhere to go besides your child.
A Trauma-Informed, Family-Systems Approach
Joanne draws on Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, all through a trauma-informed lens. That means counselling looks at the whole system — you, your child, your own upbringing, and the patterns moving between generations.
The goal is not to make you a "perfect" parent. It is to help you respond instead of react, repair after the hard moments, and build a relationship with your child that can hold both of you on the difficult days.
1. Free Consultation
A short call to understand what you are carrying and what you want parenting to feel like.
2. Understanding the Pattern
We map your stress triggers, your reactions, and the family dynamics underneath them.
3. New Responses
You build practical, trauma-informed tools to stay regulated and connected when things get hard.
4. Repair & Maintain
You learn to repair ruptures with your child and sustain the changes without ongoing sessions.
Have Questions? We're Here to Help.
Every child's journey is different. Book a free consultation to discuss your child's needs with our team.
Counselling or Behavioural Parent Coaching?
KidStart offers both, and many families use them together. Behavioural parent coaching (delivered through our behaviour team and parent-coaching programs across Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Greater Vancouver) teaches concrete strategies for a child’s specific behaviours. Parenting counselling works on the parent’s own stress, emotions, and relationship patterns.
If you are not sure which you need, that is exactly what the free consultation is for — we will help you find the right starting point.
Parenting Counselling Across Burnaby, Coquitlam & Greater Vancouver
Our clinic is at #220 – 3355 North Road in Burnaby, on the Burnaby–Coquitlam border near Lougheed Town Centre and the Millennium Line SkyTrain — convenient for parents from Metrotown, Brentwood, North Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, and Port Moody.
Parenting counselling is available in person at the Burnaby clinic and by secure video across British Columbia, including appointments that fit around school pick-ups and work.
- Free 15-minute consultation — no referral required
- In-person in Burnaby or secure online sessions anywhere in BC
- Evening appointments available on select weekdays
- Provided by a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) — often reimbursable through extended health benefits
- Sessions in English, Cantonese, or Mandarin
Meet Your Counsellor
Parenting counselling at KidStart is provided by Joanne Kwong, who has spent her career at the intersection of child development and family wellbeing.
- Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #27879), BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
- Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) — deep understanding of child behaviour and development
- Master of Social Science in Counselling, University of Hong Kong
- Trauma-Informed Practice Certificate (2026)
- 17+ years supporting children and families, fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin
- In-person in Burnaby and secure online sessions across BC
Have Questions? We're Here to Help.
Every child's journey is different. Book a free consultation to discuss your child's needs with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does parenting counselling cost, and is it covered by insurance?
Parenting counselling at KidStart is a private-pay service, and many extended health benefit plans reimburse sessions provided by a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) — check your plan for "Registered Clinical Counsellor" or "RCC" coverage. Your exact session fee is confirmed at your free 15-minute consultation, and no referral is required to begin.
What is the difference between parenting counselling and parent coaching?
Parent coaching teaches strategies to manage a child’s behaviour — it is focused on the child. Parenting counselling focuses on you: your stress, emotions, triggers, and relationship patterns. KidStart offers both, and they work well together. The free consultation helps you choose the right starting point.
Will the counsellor tell me I am doing it wrong?
No. Counselling is not about judgment or grading your parenting. It is a confidential, supportive space to understand what is happening and build steadier, more connected ways of responding. Joanne uses a trauma-informed, strength-based approach.
Do I need to bring my child?
Usually not. Parenting counselling is typically one-on-one with you (or with both co-parents). The focus is on supporting you so you can support your child.
I am raising a child with autism or ADHD and I am burnt out. Can this help?
Yes. Caregiver burnout is one of the most common reasons parents come to us. Counselling gives your stress somewhere to go and helps you sustain the energy and patience that intensive parenting demands.
Is parenting counselling confidential?
Yes, within the legal and ethical limits all Registered Clinical Counsellors in BC follow. Your counsellor will explain those limits in the first session.
Can both parents attend together?
Absolutely. Co-parents are welcome to attend together, and getting on the same page is often a central goal of the work.
Related Reading for Parents
In-depth guides to help you understand your child's behaviour and what support looks like.
You Take Care of Everyone. Let Us Take Care of You.
Book a free consultation with our Registered Clinical Counsellor and find a calmer, more connected way to parent — starting with the support you deserve.