Hoping to Help Support Children, Youth & Families through Online Counselling and Play Therapy

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Hi! I am Dallas Shirley, a mom in a neurodiverse family, a partner, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a friend, a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) through the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, a BC Registered Play Therapist (BCRPT) through the BC Play Therapy Association. I am focused on supporting, as much as I can, with grief, loss, and the safety of children everywhere.

I work alongside children and families residing on what is often called British Columbia, Canada.

I have been so grateful for all the lands that I have lived and worked on in my life which are the lands of the (S’ólh Téméxw) Stó:lō nation, the (səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ) Tsleil-Waututh Nation, the lands of the (Á,LEṈENEȻ ȽTE) W̱SÁNEĆ People, the Katzie First Nation (sq̓əc̓iy̓aɁɬ təməxʷ), the Tk̓emlúpsemc people and (Secwepemcúl’ecw) Secwépemc people. If you are not sure whose land you live on, you could go to native-land.ca to find out more.  

As someone who helps to support children, it is my responsibility to advocate for the safety of children everywhere. It is hard to focus on feelings, such as grief, when our safety is not mostly guaranteed. The significance of where I currently live and work is a place that brought more awareness to the tragic grief and losses that Indigenous people have experienced and continue to experience. The history of what has happened to Indigenous children and families through colonial systems such as residential “schools” is the opposite of safety. There is still so much work that needs to be done to create systems where children can hopefully feel safe so we can better focus on their feelings and what they need to help support them.

Through my role as a children’s counsellor, I am an advocate for children all around the world. It is my responsibility to speak up when witnessing injustice towards innocent people, especially children. I stand for the freedom for all those oppressed and actively challenge people and systems to create spaces where lives can be lived with dignity, safety, and respect.

Since 2004, I have been dedicated to learning about and working in the helping field; focused on helping to support families with grief and loss through specialized training and two decades of either volunteering in or working at hospice organizations such as Chilliwack Hospice Society, Abbotsford Hospice Society, and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

I am honoured that I also get to work with children, youth, and families through online counselling for families and play therapy and counselling support for children and youth. I never thought I would be doing this work online, until we had to switch online and I recognized who helpful it is for families to be able to access support from the comfort of their homes. It is wonderful to connect with people from all over and especially to help support communities where there are not always options for support specializing in grief and loss and child and youth support.

I often work alongside bereaved families who have experienced the death of someone in their lives. I also work with children and families who are experiencing anxiety and challenges with processing and expressing feelings in healthy ways.

I do not have the experience or expertise to work with families who are hoping for support with divorce/separation, substance use, or abuse. I do however have access to referral sources. So, if after reading this page, you believe that I may not be a good fit to help support your family please still feel free to reach out if you would like some help finding a referral source for support. I can help you find directories for support or perhaps I may know of some people who specialize in other areas of support that I could refer so you can connect with them to see if they may be a good fit for you and your family.

Grief is the experience of loss and the feelings that connect to that grief do not go away with time. They change. They shift. It is about how we hope to process our thoughts and feelings of grief and loss that can create helpful shifts in our lives.

My hope is to provide a non-judgmental space for your family to process thoughts, feelings, and experiences whether that would be making art, creating stories, scrapbooking, writing music, talking, or whichever ways feel most helpful for you. My goal is to provide a safe space to process thoughts and feelings of grief, loss, anxiety, anger, shame, love, frustration, joy, or any other feelings. As we work together we will find healthy ways to express those feelings.

I love working alongside caregivers. Sometimes this is where I see much of the magic of this work. Caregivers are the most important person in a child or youth’s life. They have such a huge influence and can have such a lasting impact on the lives of children and youth as they grow through the years. If you as a caregiver are doing as well as you can, under the circumstances that you are living, then the child or youth you are caring for will likely be doing as well as they can be doing too.

If you are interested in online child and youth counselling, caregiver support counselling, or family counselling support, connect for a free phone consultation. This call will give us the opportunity to learn more about each other to see if we would be a good fit to help support your family.

Descriptive Text for the above Infographic “Did You know? Approximately 1 in 14 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the time they turn 18. https://www.childrenandyouthgriefnetwork.com/” 14 people with one a lighter shade of green.
“There are Many More Who Have Experienced the Death of Someone they know. Such as a Teacher, a Coach, a Friend, a Family Friend, an Uncle, an Aunt, a Grandparent, a Cousin, a Classmate, and/or a Neighbour.” A broken heart in different shades of green.
“However, They May be the only ones who have experienced a death in their friend group, in the classroom, or on their Team.” Two swings with one person on one swing.
“Grief groups can be so helpful in creating a space where they can feel less alone.” Three people with their arms around each others’ shoulders.
“If they are not quite ready for a group, or would like extra support, it might be helpful to reach out to a children’s counsellor or Play Therapist that specializes in grief support.” A play button.