Children and Teen Mental Health, ADHD & Autism
Kassandra Smalley
Registered Psychotherapist, MACP, BASc, CYC
You’ve been holding a lot for a long time.You might feel stuck in patterns you don’t fully understand, even when you’re trying to do things differently.
Maybe you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in patterns that are hard to break, especially in your relationships, your family, or how you see yourself. You might notice that certain reactions or emotions feel bigger than the situation, and you’re not always sure why.
For some, this shows up in parenting, trying to support your child while managing your own stress, self-doubt, or emotional load. For others, it shows up in people-pleasing, difficulty with closeness, or feeling disconnected from yourself.
I support individuals navigating anxiety, relationship patterns, and life transitions, with a focus on maternal mental health and neurodivergent individuals, including ADHD and autism.
My approach is attachment-informed and trauma-aware, focused on helping you better understand long-standing patterns and build more supportive ways of relating to yourself and others.
A core theme in my work is exploring how our earliest relationships and life experiences continue to shape the way we see ourselves, navigate emotions, and connect with others
This work often includes:
Anxiety, overwhelm, and persistent self-doubt
People-pleasing, perfectionism, and difficulty setting boundaries
Relationship patterns, attachment concerns, and challenges with trust or vulnerability
Maternal mental health, including pregnancy, postpartum, and the transition to parenthood
Neurodivergence, explored through a strengths-based, affirming, and individualized lens
Therapy with me is collaborative, paced, and responsive. I value emotional safety, reflection, and developing insight that can be applied meaningfully to everyday life.
At its core, my work is about creating space to slow down, make sense of your experiences, and move forward with greater clarity and self-trust, especially during times of stress, transition, or change.
A space for different stages of life, identities, and experience
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I integrate a range of evidence-informed modalities depending on your needs, including:
Attachment-Based Therapy
Family Systems Therapy
Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Strength-Based Therapy
Person-Centred Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBCT / mindfulness-based approaches)
Motivational Interviewing
Humanistic Therapy
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
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Trauma, Attachment & Parts Work
Training focused on trauma-informed and attachment-based psychotherapy.
Targeting Attachment Wounds | Personal Transformation Institute | Tyler Orr | 2026
Deciphering Dissociation: Understanding and Screening for Dissociation | Personal Transformation Institute | Laura Mullis, LCSW, CAADC | 2026
Treating Adult Children of Personality Disordered Parents: From Assessment to Treatment Strategies | Envision | Dr. Daniel Fox | 2026
An Attachment Focused Approach to Trauma and Loss | NICABM | George Faller & Leanne Campbell | 2026
2-Day Intensive Trauma Treatment Certification Workshop | PESI | Arielle Schwartz, PhD | 2025
Getting Creative with Parts | PESI | Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C | 2025
Emotionally Immature Parents and the Impact on Adult Children | Leading Edge Seminars | Dr. Lindsay Gibson | 2025
Trauma-Focused School Counseling | Mental Health Academy | Dr. Mark Brackett | 2025
Polyvagal Meets Attachment-Centered Play Therapy | PESI | Dr. Stephen Porges & Clair Mellenthin | 2025
Suicide Risk, Self-Harm & Crisis Assessment
Training related to suicide prevention, risk assessment, and crisis support.
Foundations of Risk Assessment & Crisis Conversations in Clinical Practice: Level 1 | Finding Solutions | Alexandra Myers | 2026
Self-harm in Teenagers: The Spectrum from Nonsuicidal Self-Injury to Suicidality | SickKids CCMH Learning Institute | Marshall Korenblum, MD, FRCP©, Dip. Child Psych. | 2026
Understanding Youth Suicide Risk | Mental Health Academy | Dr. Jonathan Singer | 2025
Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) | Columbia Lighthouse Project | Kelly Posner, PhD | 2025
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
LivingWorks | 2018.
Neurodiversity & Neuro-Affirming Care
Training related to supporting neurodivergent clients, including ADHD and autism.
Neurodiversity in Women: Therapeutic Strategies for Empowering Women with Autism or ADHD | PESI | Jennifer Gerlach, LCSW | 2026
Affirming Play Therapy Approaches – The Agent of Change for Neurodivergent Kids | PESI | Robert Jason Grant, EdD | 2026
Neurodiversity Fundamentals | Mental Health Academy | Elaine Taylor-Klaus | 2025
Neurodiversity & Neuro-Affirming Counseling | Mental Health Academy | Dr. Emily Goodman-Scott | 2025
Autistic Children and Youth: Effective & Affirming Care | Leading Edge Seminars | Katy Albert, MEd | 2025
Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Training related to supporting children and adolescents.
Empowering Children Facing Cultural Trauma: Play Therapy Approaches to Build Resilience | PESI | Carmen Jimenez Pride & Catherine Denham | 2026
DBT for Adolescents (DBT-A) – Level 2 Accreditation | Association for Psychological Therapies (APT) | Online Modules | 2025
Adolescent Substance Use | Mental Health Academy | Dr. Amanda Giordano | 2025
The Purposeful Use of Daily Life Events (DLE)
TransformAction Consultation & Training | 2019
Therapeutic Modalities & Clinical Skills
Training in psychotherapy approaches and clinical interventions.
Recognizing and Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Live Webinar CE Provider | Dr. Mia Nunez | 2026
Solution Focused Brief Therapy Certification – Level 1 | PESI | Elliott Connie, MA | 2025
Mindfulness Certification Course | PESI | Richard Sears, PsyD | 2025
Braving New Conversations: From Problem Solving to Deep Healing | PESI / Psychotherapy Networker | Jon Kabat-Zinn & Daniel Siegel | 2025
Permission to Feel | Mental Health Academy | Dr. Mark Brackett | 2025
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health Commission of Canada | 2021
Family Therapy & Relational Work
Training focused on systemic and family therapy.
EFFT Essentials – Emotionally Focused Family Therapy | ICEEFT | Gail Palmer & Jim Furrow | 2025
Restorative Practices
International Institute for Restorative Practices | 2020
Cultural, Equity & Social Context
Training related to cultural awareness and equity in mental health care.
Aging and Mental Health: Health Equity, Diversity and Anti-Racism | CAMH – PSSP | 2026
Utilizing a Multi-Tiered, Multi-Domain System of Supports | Mental Health Academy | Danielle Duarte | 2025
Village Key-ple | Mental Health Academy | Chanelle Joseph-Nwosu & John Nwosu | 2025
Specialized Topics
Training related to specific areas of practice.
Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training Course | Postpartum Support International | Live Webinar Series | In Progress (Feb–Jun 2026)
Counselling Approaches to Grief and Loss | The Teaching Clinic | Bella Krieger | 2026
The Foundation of Sexual Wellness: A Holistic Approach | AASECT | Taylor McConnachie | 2025
Ethics & Inclusive Practice
Training focused on inclusive and affirming practice.
Self-Guided Foundational Safe Zone Training | Safe Zone Project | 2025
Channeling the Potential of AI | Mental Health Academy | Dr. Carol Dahir | 2025
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Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
Yorkville University — 2025
Bachelor of Applied Science in Family and Community Social Services
University of Guelph — 2023
Social Service Worker Diploma
Humber College — 2023
Child and Youth Care Advanced Diploma
Seneca College — 2020
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Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
Professional Member
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA)
Professional Member: EFFT Therapist
International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
Professional Member
Ontario Association of Child and Youth Care (OACYC)
Neurodiversity-affirming Support
Many of the people I work with have spent years feeling misunderstood, working hard to keep up, or wondering why things seem harder for them than they appear for others. I provide neurodiversity-affirming therapy for children, teens, and adults with ADHD, autism, and other developmental differences. Many of the individuals I work with are navigating anxiety, emotional regulation challenges, social difficulties, burnout, masking, low self-confidence, or feeling misunderstood by the people around them.
Over the past decade, I have worked across schools, treatment centres, social services, and healthcare settings supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families. This experience has taught me that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every person has unique strengths, needs, and ways of experiencing the world.
Many neurodivergent individuals have spent years trying to fit into environments that were never designed with their needs in mind. Over time, that can be exhausting. Together, we focus on understanding how your brain works, building on your strengths, developing practical strategies, and creating a life that feels more manageable and authentic to you.
Maternal Mental Health
Pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood can bring significant emotional, physical, and relational changes. While these experiences can be meaningful and rewarding, they can also leave you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, isolated, uncertain, or unlike yourself.
I support individuals navigating pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, fertility challenges, pregnancy, parenting stress, and the many transitions that come with becoming a parent. For some, this may be the first time they are slowing down long enough to notice how much they are carrying. For others, becoming a parent can bring up questions about their own childhood, relationships, and experiences of being cared for.
My approach recognizes that parenting does not happen in isolation. Our support systems, relationships, expectations, and early experiences often shape the way we experience pregnancy, parenthood, and caregiving.
Therapy can provide a space to process these changes, make sense of what you're experiencing, and identify what you need during this stage of life. You do not need to have everything figured out to reach out for support.
Understanding Patterns & Relationships
Much of my background has been working with children and youth, which has given me a strong understanding of how early emotional environments and relationships can shape the way we relate to ourselves and others over time.
Sometimes these patterns show up in relationships, in the way we respond to stress, or in the expectations we hold about ourselves and others. You might notice them as people-pleasing, difficulty setting boundaries, self-criticism, perfectionism, relationship challenges, or feeling stuck in ways that are difficult to understand.
Often, these patterns developed for a reason. They may have helped us cope, stay connected, or navigate difficult situations earlier in life. The challenge is that what once helped us can sometimes continue to show up long after it is needed.
Together, we slow things down and make sense of where these patterns come from, how they continue to show up in the present, and what might need to change. From there, we focus on building greater self-awareness, emotional flexibility, and more intentional ways of relating to yourself and others.
Whether I am working with a child, teen, adult, caregiver, or parent, I view people within the context of their relationships and life experiences. Understanding those connections is often an important part of creating meaningful and lasting change.
You Might Be Here If…
The Person Behind the Therapist
My path into this work has not been linear, but it has always been rooted in a deep respect for people’s lived experiences and a belief that support should be compassionate, accessible, and human.
My experiences in various roles within the helping-profession has shaped my understanding that emotional well-being is influenced not only by individual experiences, but also by relationships, environments, and access to care.
These experiences have given me a lasting understanding of how emotional environments, especially those marked by stress, inconsistency, or unmet needs, can shape how we relate to ourselves and others later in life. This foundation that continues to inform my work with the individuals I support.
