A meeting for the parents
We gather the history and the context: family, school, sleep, health. If an assessment by a doctor or another specialist is needed first, I say so directly.
Child psychologist
We always start with the parents — a meeting without the child, to map the situation and decide together whether the child needs sessions at all. Often changing the environment changes the child.
- we start with a meeting for the parents
- the format follows the child's age
- a child is never forced into sessions
child session 50 minutes — 60 € · parents meeting 50 minutes — 60 €
What parents come with
- “Before school my child gets very anxious and asks to stay home”
- “Afraid of making mistakes, checks everything over and takes marks hard”
- “Has withdrawn and says everything is fine, though the behaviour has changed”
- “Can't fall asleep for a long time, or wakes often after tense days”
- “Is taking our divorce hard and blames themselves”
- “Has run into conflict or bullying among peers”
More situations (4)
- “Gets angry or cries quickly, then can't explain why”
- “Every agreement about the phone and schoolwork ends in a row”
- “Compares themselves with others and is sure in advance they won't manage”
- “A move, a new school or a new family member — the adjustment is hard”
If you recognise your situation, you don't have to choose a method in advance. Write in your first message what is going on — I'll tell you whether I work with a request like that.
How the work goes
Contact with the child
I explain the rules in plain language and choose ways of working that suit the age — talking, play, images. A child is never made to tell more than they are ready to.
Feedback to the parents
We discuss what I notice and what concrete support looks like at home, while keeping the child's own space. From time to time we check what has changed and decide whether a next stage is needed.
Ages and how the work differs
Through play
Small children don't describe feelings in words — they show them in play and drawing. The work goes in short play sequences and through the parents: most of the change you make at home, and I show you how.
Play plus conversation
A school-age child can already talk about what makes them angry and afraid, but does it more safely alongside an activity — a game, a drawing, a story. Sessions with the child alternate with meetings for the parents.
A conversation between equals
With a teenager I work as I would with an adult, respecting their territory. Online is often easier for them than a consulting room. Parents take part less often, but stay informed about what matters.
Session length and price
| Format | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Child session | 50 minutes | 60 € |
| Parents meeting without the child | 50 minutes | 60 € |
In-person sessions take place in Almaty. Whether online works for your child, we decide at the first meeting, based on their age.
What I tell parents and what stays with the child
For a child or a teenager to trust the work, they need a space of their own that is protected. So the rule is this: I tell parents about the dynamics — what is changing, what to pay attention to, how to help at home. I do not retell the content of the sessions — what the child said, what they drew, what they shared. There is one exception, and everyone knows it: if a risk to life and safety appears, I tell the parents immediately. With a teenager we say this rule out loud at the first meeting — in front of them and in front of you.
This is not about keeping secrets from you. It is the condition that makes the work possible at all: a child whose words are handed to adults verbatim usually goes quiet very quickly.
Before you book
A short set of rules the work is built on. They are the same for every format and do not change from session to session.
- Sessions are confidential: what is said in them is not discussed with anyone. The exceptions are a direct threat to life — yours or someone else's — and cases directly provided for by law; I explain these limits at the first meeting.
- I am a psychologist, not a doctor: I do not make medical diagnoses and do not prescribe medication. If I see that you need a doctor, I say so plainly and help you find your bearings.
- The work rests on accuracy: when you tell me about your health and any medication you take, say it as it is. Withholding something important puts you at risk and is a reason to stop the work.
- Come to the session sober. If a person arrives intoxicated, the session does not take place and the payment for that day is not returned.
- If you feel very bad right now and are having thoughts of harming yourself, don't wait for an appointment: call your local emergency number. In Kazakhstan that is 112 or 103 — free, around the clock; across the EU, 112 works in every country.
Questions parents ask
What do you tell parents after a session?
I tell you what you need in order to understand your child's state and support them, but I don't retell every personal sentence. The limits of confidentiality are explained to the family in advance.
How many sessions will it take?
Fixing a number in advance would be wrong: it depends on the age, the request and the contact with the child. We'll talk about a rough guide after the first meeting with the parents.
Does a parent sit in on the child's session?
The first conversation is with the parents. After that it depends on age and task: sometimes the child works separately, sometimes an adult stays for part of the session.
My child doesn't want to see a psychologist. Should I make them?
No — work under pressure doesn't help. We start with a meeting for the parents; often the first changes come from what you change at home. We explain to the child in simple words what the session is for and how it goes — without labels and without threats.
My teenager says they don't need a shrink. What now?
Often that is a teenager trying to keep control of the situation, not a final refusal. We start with the parents and offer the teenager a format that is easier to accept — online, from their own territory, is sometimes easier than a consulting room.
How do I prepare my child for the first session?
Tell the truth in simple words: “you'll talk and play with someone who helps when things feel anxious or hard”. Don't promise that they will be fixed there, and don't turn the visit into a punishment or a surprise.
Payment and rescheduling
Online sessions are prepaid in full at booking. Free rescheduling up to 24 hours ahead.
Start with a conversation about what has changed
You don't need to put a label on your child in advance or look for someone at fault. At the first meeting with the parents we'll go through the context and work out what kind of support fits right now.
- we agree a time that fits you
- a consultation does not replace medical care
- confidential
