What happens in the free 30-minute introductory session?

It's a no-obligation, in-person visit where your child can explore the playroom, meet Fatemeh, and get comfortable with the space at their own pace — with zero pressure to commit to ongoing therapy afterward. It's simply the first step to see if it's the right fit.

How do I know what my child is doing in therapy if sessions are private?

To build a strong foundation of trust, your child needs to know the playroom is a private space. Specific details of everything your child says or plays with aren't shared. Instead, you'll receive the themes of their play, their emotional progress, and actionable strategies you can use at home. If a safety concern ever arises, you're notified immediately.

How long does a typical play therapy session last?

A standard session lasts 50 minutes. The remaining 10 minutes of the therapeutic hour are dedicated to clinical note-taking, resetting the room, and brief administrative updates with you.

How long will it take before I see changes in my child's behaviour?

It depends entirely on your child's unique history and developmental needs. Some children show positive shifts within 8 to 12 sessions, while children healing from deeper trauma or ongoing high-conflict family transitions may need longer, sustained support. Consistency is the key to lasting change.

Can you provide an assessment or report for a family court case?

No. The role of a child therapist here is strictly therapeutic — to provide a safe, neutral space for your child to heal away from parental conflict. To protect the integrity of the therapeutic bond, custody assessments or recommendations for court litigation aren't provided.

Supporting Your Child
When Words Aren't Enough

A child's natural language isn't talk; it's play. Children respond best to therapy through interactive play, but it's completely natural for them to feel nervous or resist the idea of coming to therapy at first.

To make sure this is the right clinical fit for your child, Polaris Counselling offers a no-obligation, 30-minute in-person introductory session before you ever commit to a full therapy plan; so your child can explore the space and settle in at their own pace.

Request a Free 30-Min Play Therapy Session

Sessions provided by a Certified Play Therapist (CPT) with the Canadian Association for Play Therapy

A space built for how children actually communicate.

Toys, sand tray, story books and games; not a couch and a clipboard.

Why this Matters to You

A real certificate, from a real governing body, not a weekend workshop.

Play therapy is a clinical modality. Anyone can buy toys for an office; not everyone has completed the supervised training hours, coursework and ethics review required to earn the CPT designation. When your child's therapist is certified, you're getting a method that's been tested, supervised and held to a professional standard of care.

Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO)Certified Play Therapist (CAPT)

Certified Play Therapist

Fatemeh Heshmati
MACP., RP,. CPT

Canadian Certified Play Therapist

Fatemeh holds an active certification as a Play Therapist (CPT) through the Canadian Association for Play Therapy, in addition to her registration as a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario. You can independently confirm both credentials below; no need to take our word for it.

Verify on CRPO Register View CAPT Member Profile

Certification isn't a formality; it changes what actually happens in the room with your child.

Why a Certified Play Therapist
Makes a Real Difference

The value of working with a CPT

Trained in child development

A CPT understands how a 4-year-old and a 12-year-old process emotion differently, and adapts every session accordingly.

Evidence-based methods

Sand tray, puppetry, art therapy bibliotherapy, and Theraplay® aren't improvised; they're standardized, researched interventions.

Held to a code of ethics

Certification comes with ongoing supervision requirements and accountability to a professional college, protecting your child.

Knows when to involve you

A certified therapist recognizes safety concerns immediately and knows exactly how and when to bring parents into the loop.

Who We Support

Our Areas of Practice

We provide dedicated clinical support for children, adolescents, and adults navigating a wide range of developmental, emotional, and situational milestones.

Neurodiversity & Learning

ADHD, Autism, neurodiversity support, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, giftedness, and Twice Exceptional ("2E") individuals.

Mood & Emotional Regulation

Anxiety, obsessive-compulsive (OCD) patterns, depression, sadness, low mood, coping-skill building, and adapting to new life changes.

Identity & Self-Concept

Self-esteem, body image concerns, eating disorders, and identity exploration, including LGBTQIA+ safe support.

Light blue heart icon representing care in play therapy

Trauma, Grief & Family Milestones

Trauma processing, grief, loss, behavioural challenges, social or school difficulties, foster care, and adoption journeys.

Icon of a group of people representing a community

Family Transitions

High-conflict parental conflict, separation, divorce, parent coaching, and structured Family Reunification Therapy.

No two individuals or families are identical. We draw from a wide selection of evidence-based interventions and distinct play therapy approaches, integrating them only when they fit best for your specific case.

Customized Modalities Built for Each Unique Case

Built Around Your Child

Play-Based

Play-Based Interventions

Multiple modalities of certified play therapy tailored to a child's natural cognitive development.

Talking Therapies

Structured Talking Therapies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Narrative Therapy.

Trauma-Focused

Trauma & Deep-Rooted Interventions

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework.

Neuro-Developmental

Neuro-Developmental Tracking

Advanced neurofeedback brain training to objectively support focus and emotional regulation.

You're Part of the Process

Parallel Support: Empowering Parents in the Process

Child therapy doesn't happen in a vacuum. To ensure long-term stability, parents are supported in parallel with their child's clinical sessions.

Our collaborative approach ensures you're fully equipped to support your child at home and school. Dedicated sessions frequently incorporate parental psychoeducation, giving you concrete, structured tools to navigate behavioural challenges, understand your child's developmental trajectory, and build cohesive routines.

Start With a Free Consultation

Family icon with parents and child, heart in speech bubble

Complete Peace of Mind

Verify My Professional Credentials

Your family deserves complete peace of mind. You can independently confirm active provincial registration and advanced national play therapy training benchmarks at any time.

Search Fatemeh's full name on the provincial

CRPO Public Register database.

Open CRPO

Locate Fatemeh's professional member profile via the public Canadian Association for Play Therapy Membership Directory.

Open CAPT

Who We Support

Our Areas of Practice

We provide dedicated clinical support for children, adolescents, and adults navigating a wide range of developmental, emotional, and situational milestones.

Book the free session

Book your child's free, 30-minute in-person introductory session — no cost, no obligation.

Your child explores, comfortably

Your child visits the clinic, explores the play therapy resources, and builds initial comfort with no clinical pressure.

We plan together

We connect to discuss parental support, psychoeducation, and custom treatment modalities if you choose to move forward.

Meet Your Child's Therapist

Meet Fatemeh Heshmati

Hello, and welcome. I'm Fatemeh Heshmati, the sole practitioner behind Polaris Counselling. With many years of experience across various organizations in Canada, I've dedicated my career to guiding individuals, couples, and families — including children aged 2 to 18 — through self-growth and mental health recovery.

Family conflict leaves no one untouched, straining bonds and deeply impacting a child's development. As a trauma specialist and family reunification therapist, I help you break away from exhausting, reactive cycles and move toward proactive, meaningful connection.

My practice is built on the belief that everyone deserves a compassionate, trauma-informed environment. Because "toys are children's words and play is their language," I provide specialized psychotherapy for children to help them communicate and process complex emotions — safely, and at their own pace.