604-617-0301 | [email protected] | www.thrivekidsbc.ca

Welcome to Thrive Kids

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Clinical Counselling
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

As seen on
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In The Press

Breakfast Television  Vancouver Interview – July 2nd, 2019, click here
CTV Morning Live Interview – June 25th, 2019, click here

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Services

Clinical Counselling and EMDR Therapy 

With the support of a qualified and experienced clinical counsellor, children can develop practical strategies to understand and manage their emotions, build confidence, and strengthen their ability to navigate everyday challenges. Clinical counselling provides a safe and supportive space where children and youth can explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences while learning skills that promote emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience.

When appropriate, we also offer trauma-informed EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy adapted for children and youth. EMDR can help individuals process distressing experiences that may be contributing to anxiety, fears, or overwhelming emotional responses. 

Play-Based, Synergetic Play Therapy

We offer a child-centred, anti-oppressive approach that honours the uniqueness of every child, regardless of background, culture, or lived experience. Our work is grounded in Synergetic Play Therapy, which recognizes that children communicate and process their experiences through play. hrough creative, child-led play, children are given space to express emotions that may be difficult to put into words, while also learning how to understand and regulate their internal experiences.

Parent Support

Parents are supported with personalized guidance that honours the unique dynamics, values, and experiences within each family. Our approach recognizes that every child exists within a larger relational system, and meaningful change often happens when parents feel supported, understood, and equipped with practical tools.

Parent sessions focus on strengthening communication, supporting children’s emotional regulation, and deepening the parent child relationship. Together, we explore strategies that help parents respond to challenging behaviours with greater clarity and confidence, while also understanding the emotional needs that may be driving those behaviours.

 

Collaborative Care Consulting and Prediagnostic Testing 

Through pre-diagnostic evaluation and collaborative consultation, I support parents in identifying patterns they may be noticing at home while also helping interpret feedback from teachers, specialists, and other professionals. This process often includes reviewing developmental history, emotional and behavioural patterns, learning differences, and social experiences across settings. When appropriate, I collaborate with educators, occupational therapists, physicians, and other specialists to ensure that strategies are aligned across home and school environments. 

Our Services

Founder & Facilitator

DR. SHAISTA KABA FATEHALI

Shaista is a registered clinical counsellor who works with children, youth, and families through a compassionate, thoughtful, and collaborative approach.

Shaista holds a PhD in childhood development, which informs her deep understanding of how children grow emotionally, socially, and cognitively. This background allows her to view each child within the broader context of their developmental stage, relationships, and environment, helping families better understand the underlying needs behind behaviour and emotional struggles.

She is trained in Synergetic Play Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), allowing her to support children through both play based emotional processing and trauma informed therapeutic work. These approaches help children safely express difficult emotions, process overwhelming experiences, and develop stronger emotional regulation and resilience.

In addition to her clinical training, Shaista brings the unique perspective of being an experienced teacher who understands the school system from the inside. This background allows her to better support children who may be struggling academically, socially, or emotionally within school environments. She understands the realities of classrooms, school expectations, and the pressures children face, and she often works collaboratively with families and schools to help create consistent support across settings.

As a counsellor, Shaista centres her work around honesty, sincerity, and deep respect for each child’s unique story. She strives to create an atmosphere where children feel truly seen, heard, and understood. When children experience this sense of safety and connection, they are better able to explore their emotions, express themselves freely, and begin the process of healing and growth.

Shaista believes that every child carries their own strengths and potential, even when they may feel overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure of themselves. By focusing on each child’s individual needs, experiences, and aspirations, she helps them build confidence, develop emotional awareness, and discover the resilience that already exists within them.

Her work integrates evidence based therapeutic approaches with a warm, relational style that values collaboration with families. Shaista understands that supporting a child often involves working closely with parents, caregivers, educators, and other professionals to ensure children receive consistent understanding and support in all areas of their lives.

At the heart of her work is a simple goal: helping children and families not just cope, but truly Thrive.

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Why Choose Us

A place where children, families and caregivers can directly engage in the heart mind, and help kids Thrive!

Virtual Appointments

Tailored Programs

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Approved by Kids

Trusted by Parents

Trained Professionals

Testimonials

See what families have to say about our services.

AH FROM NORTH VANCOUVER

We reached out to Shaista for assistance in helping our 8-year-old some overcome some challenges with regards to self-esteem, confidence, awareness and socialization. After just one week of hourly sessions, we noticed our son transition from an introverted, shy and hesitant person to someone less shy, more outgoing and much more confident. We practice the lessons that Shaista taught us daily. The difference she made in our lives and that of our son have been incredible. 

He actually agreed to attend a summer day camp which was a major struggle before due to the aforementioned issues. His camp leaders called him “outgoing”, “friendly” and “brave”. Never before had we ever heard such words in relation to our son. He felt so proud and this experience encouraged him even more. We are forever grateful to Shaista for sharing her knowledge, talent and skills.

AD FROM BURNABY

Thank you for being the most stupendous, extraordinary, and awesome life coach.I have learned a variety of things such as stepping out of my comfort zone, wishes and gratitude, how to express my feelings and positive self talk. You are teaching me to be myself and to advocate for myself at school.

Your Thrive Kids Camps are educational, entertaining and help kids deal with their problems and worries. I have also met new friends at Thrive Kids Camp. One day I want to do my own camps for kids. I want to help other kids too. You are the best.

RM FROM BURNABY

Shaista has been instrumental in increasing the confidence in my child as his life-coach. She builds an amazing rapport with kids, and they feel safe enough to share their issues and then implement the tools that she suggests.

My son has enjoyed and benefitted from both the online and in-person workshops and camps that Thrive Kids offers.

I highly recommend Shaista and Thrive Kids for anyone looking for an educator and life-coach for their children like her and her team always go above and beyond

KW FROM BURNABY

Shaista, CEO of Thrive Kids, decided to step up and fill a huge gap during the 2020 pandemic year. In offering a weekly, virtual get together for moms and their newborn babies, Shaista provided a sense of safety and community for these moms, while being accompanied by her own newborn child. I had the pleasure of offering some sessions to the group. Shaista was extremely accommodating and easy to work with. She is a natural teacher who emits radiance, passion and joy in her interactions. Shaista’s positive energy is contagious. Her work and presence are a genuine asset to anyone who has the pleasure of working with her.

NJ FROM BURNABY

Thrive Babies has been a blessing for my baby girl and I and we always look forward to our weekly classes! Shaista is an incredible teacher. Having a baby herself, she is very understanding, warm and relatable.

One of the greatest things about the program, is that Shaista provides all of us with the materials that she uses during the class so that we can actively participate and engage with our babies during classes. She takes the time to drop off these materials to our doors prior to the start of classes so that we are prepared.

The materials that she provides are amazing! They include age appropriate books, sensory development items, finger puppets, bubbles, print outs of songs as well as props among many other things. Each class, Shaista models and teaches us various ways that we can use these materials with our babies in order to keep them stimulated and engaged.

Classes also include various songs and movements as well as how to develop certain skills such as language and cognition. My daughter and I particularly enjoy the songs with movement and props! As a first time mom, I leave each class with new tools that I use with my daughter every day such as how to engage with her, how to encourage language, how to foster and further develop our bond, and much more. As well, I love that I am able to connect with other parents during classes. Shaista creates a safe space for us to talk and always ensures to open the floor to discussion, questions and comments.

Overall, I am thrilled with Thrive Babies and I would highly recommend the program. Thank you Shaista for all of your hard work and care particularly during these challenging times!!

DA FROM TORONTO

Shaista, CEO of Thrive Kids, decided to step up and fill a huge gap during the 2020 pandemic year.

In offering a weekly, virtual get together for moms and their newborn babies, Shaista provided a sense of safety and community for these moms, while being accompanied by her own newborn child.

I had the pleasure of offering some sessions to the group. Shaista was extremely accommodating and easy to work with. She is a natural teacher who emits radiance, passion and joy in her interactions.

Shaista’s positive energy is contagious. Her work and presence are a genuine asset to anyone who has the pleasure of working with her.

L FROM BURNABY

Thanks for offering the classes, we had so much fun and miss our Friday sessions already!

Your materials and sessions gave me lots of fresh ideas for ways to have fun with B, both during the classes and throughout the week.

I saw him grow and develop new skills from week to week. I definitely didn’t have time or energy at this life stage to round up all the materials myself, so the kit worked great.

AS FROM PORT MOODY

Thrive Babies was a wonderful experience for my daughter and I. My daughter loved coming to class and especially loved the songs and circle time. She was so curious and enthusiastic! Shaista is patient and connects with each child in the class on a personal level. I would highly recommend this program to all parents!

YP FROM LOS ANGELAS

A big thank you!!
It’s been a great learning experience for Yash and for us as well seeing Yash grow from what he used to do back in May-June 2020 and what we see him now do.

He is much more fluent, much more clearer in his speech, talks about almost everything on a daily basis, about all his friends, you. He is now fluent in reading, writing, mathematics, logical reasoning, in fact way ahead than we were thinking he would do in a year.

When we talk about visiting Canada, he talks about visiting you and joining class from there as well – he is that much attached.
So again we couldn’t thank you enough for the work that you have done and the way you handle kids patiently.

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