Chris Downey
Bio
Chris offers counselling for youth, teens, and families, helping young people feel understood and empowered while the people who care for them feel supported.
Most caregivers aren’t looking for perfect kids, they’re looking for more connection. But when anxiety, big emotions, school challenges, or ongoing tension take over, families can feel stuck in cycles of frustration and exhaustion. Chris works alongside families to bring more calm, clarity, and confidence into everyday life.
With over 20 years of experience supporting children, youth, and families, Chris brings both professional insight and lived experience into each session. He is currently completing his Master’s in Counselling practicum and is also an adoptive parent, offering a deep, personal understanding of the complexities of family life, attachment, and belonging.
Chris specializes in youth counselling (ages 10+), as well as supporting families navigating neurodiversity, adoption, fostering, and complex emotional needs. His work focuses on helping young people better understand themselves while equipping caregivers with practical, realistic strategies that support long-term change.
His approach is relational, calm, and grounded in attachment. Sessions are designed to feel safe, supportive, and practical — helping families move out of survival mode and into healthier patterns of connection.
Over time, clients experience stronger relationships, improved emotional regulation, and a greater sense of stability both at home and in daily life.
Chris’s Counselling Approach
Chris provides attachment-based counselling for youth and families, integrating person-centred, strengths-based, and narrative approaches to support meaningful and lasting change.
He understands that behaviour is often a form of communication, especially in children and teens. His work focuses on helping families look beneath the surface of anxiety, frustration, or withdrawal to better understand what a young person is experiencing and what they need.
Chris offers youth mental health counselling that combines emotional safety with practical tools. Sessions may include support with emotional regulation, communication skills, identity development, and navigating relationships both at school and at home.
For caregivers, Chris provides clear, actionable strategies that help reduce conflict, build trust, and strengthen connection. His goal is not just short-term relief, but long-term growth, helping families create rhythms that feel sustainable and supportive.
When you work with Chris, you can expect a steady, compassionate presence and a collaborative process that meets you where you are, whether you’re navigating early struggles or long-standing challenges.
Counselling Specialties
- Anxiety & Depression (Youth)
- Trauma & Emotional Regulation
- Self-Esteem & Identity Development
- Neurodiversity (ADHD, ASD Support)
Chris provides counselling for youth anxiety and depression, helping children and teens understand their emotions, reduce overwhelm, and build healthy coping strategies. Sessions focus on emotional awareness, regulation skills, and restoring confidence both at school and at home.
Through trauma-informed counselling for youth, Chris helps young people process difficult experiences safely and at their own pace. His approach supports nervous system regulation, emotional safety, and rebuilding trust in relationships.
Chris offers self-esteem counselling for teens, helping young people develop a stronger sense of identity, confidence, and belonging. Sessions focus on understanding personal strengths, navigating comparison, and building a more grounded sense of self.
Chris provides neurodiversity-affirming counselling for youth, helping children and teens with ADHD or Autism better understand how they experience the world while building practical tools for emotional regulation, focus, and daily functioning.
Book a Counselling Session
Please select from one of the options below to book your session.
Teachers: Counselling Session
Designed specifically for educators, this session provides lived-experience counselling from professionals who understand the challenges of teaching. Focus areas include burnout prevention, classroom stress, and work-life balance. Strengthen emotional resilience and rediscover joy in your teaching journey.
SELECT YOUR SESSION TYPE
LOOKING FOR A SESSION ON-SITE?
On-site sessions may be available if your school or institution is partnered with the REACH Program. After booking your in-person session, please message your counsellor through JaneApp to confirm on-site availability for your session.
What to Expect
Frequently Asked Questions
Wondering how to book, prepare, or connect with your counsellor?
Our FAQ section covers everything you need to know about counselling sessions, booking through JaneApp, confidentiality, and getting started.