Date & Time
Check multiple session dates
Duration
3 sessions, 90 minutes each
Supporting the First Week Back
Practicing responses to difficult mornings, school refusal, and heightened emotions.
This group helps parents with supporting their children and themselves while managing mental health challenges.
We are also running a group for youth for families that wish to seek their own support at the same time.
Please see here for more information.
- Stand alones or option to complete each module.
- July 21st, 2026 5:00pm and July 23th, 6:30pm,
August 18th, 2026 – 6:30pm & August 20th, 2026 – 5:00pm,
September 17th, 2026 at 6:30pm and September 22nd at 5:00pm - 90 Minutes
- 1 or 3 (you can opt for one, two or all)
Is This Right For You?
You May Benefit From This Group If:
- Your child experiences school anxiety, school avoidance, or significant distress related to school attendance
- You feel unsure how to respond when your child is anxious, overwhelmed, or refusing school
- You find yourself caught between wanting to help and not knowing what is actually helpful
- You would like practical strategies to support your child’s return to school
- You are looking to reduce conflict and strengthen connection within your family
- You would benefit from learning alongside other parents facing similar challenges
This Group May Not Be the Best Fit If:
- You are currently experiencing an acute mental health crisis
What Makes Group Therapy Effective?
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Group therapy offers opportunities that individual therapy alone cannot provide.
Participants receive:
- Support from others with similar experiences
- Opportunities to practice new relational skills
- Increased self-awareness through group interactions
- A sense of belonging and shared understanding
Research consistently shows that group therapy can be highly effective for personal growth, emotional healing, and relationship development.
Understanding School Anxiety and Avoidance
Supporting the First Week Back
Maintaining Progress Through Challenges
What Happens During a Typical Session?
Each session may include:
- Therapist guidance
- Group discussion
- Reflection exercises
- Experiential activities
- Skills practice
- Processing and integration
Every group develops its own rhythm, and participants are encouraged to engage at a pace that feels comfortable and appropriate.
Group Size
Unknown
Location
Online
Cost & Coverage
$45 per session.
Services provided by a Registered Psychotherapist may be eligible for reimbursement through your extended health benefits plan. Please consult your insurance provider to confirm coverage.
Format Details
3 sessions – can do one, two or all
- 90 Minutes Per Session
- Group Format
- Therapist Facilitated
Led by Halie MerlinMACP,Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Meet Your Facilitator
Halie Merlin, MACP
Halie MerlinMACP,Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
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Halie Merlin is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with a passion for supporting youth, parents, and families navigating anxiety, school avoidance, emotional regulation challenges, and difficult life transitions.
Before becoming a psychotherapist, Halie spent several years facilitating group programs focused on personal development, goal setting, emotional wellness, and life skills. Through this work, she developed extensive experience creating engaging workshops, facilitating meaningful discussions, and helping individuals build confidence through practical, achievable steps. Her background in group facilitation continues to inform her collaborative, strengths-based approach to therapy and psychoeducation.
Today, Halie’s clinical work focuses on supporting youth experiencing anxiety, school avoidance, emotional overwhelm, and family-related challenges. She also works closely with parents who are looking for effective ways to support their children while maintaining connection, reducing conflict, and fostering resilience. Halie has a particular passion for supporting youth who struggle with school refusal, school avoidance, anxiety, and difficult transitions, as well as the parents who are supporting them.
Halie believes that meaningful change happens when people feel understood, supported, and empowered to take manageable steps forward. Her approach is warm, collaborative, and practical, integrating evidence-based strategies from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), exposure-based approaches, and strengths-based interventions. She strives to create a supportive environment where youth and families can build confidence, develop effective coping strategies, and work toward meaningful and lasting change.
Through theFrom Dread to Ready-ish workshop series, Halie aims to help youth and families better understand anxiety, reduce avoidance, strengthen resilience, and approach the school year with greater confidence, connection, and hope.