Is Online Therapy Suitable for Children and Teenagers?
September 25, 2026
Once people decide they’re ready for counselling, one of the first things they want to know is how soon they can get started. It seems like a simple scheduling question, but it often carries more weight than that.
Many people spend weeks or even months debating whether they should reach out at all. By the time they contact a counsellor, they have usually been carrying something for quite a while, and they are often hoping they won’t have to wait much longer to start feeling some relief.
What I have noticed over time is that people rarely reach out the first time they think about therapy. More often, they reach out after telling themselves they should be able to handle it on their own, waiting for things to improve, or hoping the difficult period will simply pass. When they finally decide to book an appointment, they are usually ready to begin.
The answer depends on the counsellor’s availability. Some practices have appointments available within a few days, while others may have a waiting list of several weeks.
If having an earlier appointment is important, it can help to ask whether there are cancellation openings or whether online sessions offer additional availability. Some counsellors can also provide flexibility by offering appointments at different times of the day.
Rather than assuming you’ll have to wait a long time, it’s often worth reaching out and asking. You may be able to begin sooner than you expect.
Most people I work with do not begin counselling because everything has fallen apart. They begin because they notice the same patterns repeating. Anxiety that never really settles. Stress that continues building. A relationship that feels increasingly difficult. A loss that still feels heavy months later.
In my experience, counselling tends to be most helpful when people become curious about what they are experiencing, rather than waiting until they feel completely overwhelmed. You don’t have to reach a breaking point before support becomes worthwhile.
For many people, the question of timing goes beyond scheduling. It’s also about whether what they’re carrying is ‘enough’ to justify reaching out. That hesitation is worth examining, because in most cases, people don’t need to reach a crisis point before counselling becomes useful. If you’re unsure whether what you’re experiencing warrants support, do I need a referral to see a counsellor in BC walks through how straightforward the process of getting started actually is, and why so many people wish they hadn’t waited as long as they did.
Some people worry that they need to know exactly what they want to talk about before booking an appointment.
That is rarely the case.
The first session is usually a chance to slow things down and begin understanding what has been happening. You do not have to organize your thoughts beforehand or arrive with a clear explanation for why you are struggling. Many people simply know that something feels different, and that is enough to begin the conversation.
I often find that people leave their first session feeling relieved, not because every problem has been solved, but because they no longer feel like they have to carry everything on their own.
I’m Paul Cellarius (RCC, CCC, MA), a therapist trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). I work with children, young people, and families in Victoria. If you’re thinking about counselling, I offer a 15–20 minute consultation where we can talk about what’s bringing you in, answer your questions, and go over current appointment availability. Often, the hardest part is making that first call. Once you’ve taken that step, you don’t have to figure out the rest on your own.
