Things start to shift when you understand what lies underneath
Therapy and assessments for children, teens, and young adults when emotions, focus, or school challenges feel harder than they should
8+ years
of experience
Registered Clinical & School Psychologist
8+ years of experience
School-based experience
In-person + virtual across Ontario
You can see your child trying. But things still feel harder than they should.
You’ve tried explaining it, reminding them, backing off, and it still ends up going the same way.
They sit down to start homework… and just sit there
You step in to help, and it turns into an argument
Mornings feel rushed, everyone’s a bit on edge
Small things escalate quickly
Often, the struggle isn’t effort. It’s a pattern that hasn’t been understood yet.
At Elm Psychology Oakville, we look at what’s happening right before things break down so your child/youth can move through tasks, finish what they start, and handle emotions as they come up
Support that fits what you’re actually dealing with
We work with families across Oakville who are trying to understand what is happening and what to do next.
Assessments Services
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Mental Health Assessment
When emotions or behaviour don’t make sense, and you want to understand what’s actually going on.
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Psychoeducational Assessment
When school or learning feels harder than it should, and you need clarity on how your child learns.
Therapy Services
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Individual Therapy
When emotions escalate quickly, or your child starts to shut down at home, school, or with peers.
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ADHD Therapy
When your child knows what to do, but can’t get started or stay on track with daily routines.
About Elm Psychology Oakville
You’ve probably already tried to make sense of this. You’ve looked things up, tried different approaches, and it may help for a bit, but the same patterns keep coming back.
This is where we slow things down and look more closely at what’s actually going on. We look at how your child learns, thinks, responds, and experiences things day to day.
You know your child best. My role is to listen, understand what you’re seeing, and help make sense of it so you’re not left trying to figure it out on your own. When things become clearer, there is usually less second-guessing and a better sense of what to do next.
I’m Dr. Shabnam Paiwand, a Clinical and School Psychologist (Ed.D.,M.Ed., OCT), practicing since 2018. We take the time to understand what’s happening first, then build strategies that actually fit your child and real life, both at home and at school.
“Not trying” concerns
Homework battles
School avoidance
Morning resistance
Emotional outbursts
Task completion issues
Falling behind
Low confidence
Procrastination
School overwhelm
Social anxiety
Constant reminders
Parent–child conflict
My Specialties
What families I work with often come see us for:
“Not trying” concerns
Homework battles
School avoidance
Morning resistance
Emotional outbursts
Task completion issues
Falling behind
Low confidence
Procrastination
School overwhelm
Social anxiety
Constant reminders
Parent–child conflict
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is usually a good fit when you can see your child putting in effort, but things still aren’t working in the way you expected. Most families come in looking for clarity about what is happening, not just quick fixes.
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We don’t jump straight into strategies. We start by understanding what’s actually happening — how your child thinks, learns, and responds in real situations — and then build supports from there that feel realistic and manageable.
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I work with children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as their families. Many are navigating anxiety, emotional reactions, school stress, or attention and learning differences.
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Yes. Therapy is offered in person in Oakville and virtually across Ontario. Assessments are completed in person, with some parts of the process supported virtually.
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Sessions are meant to feel steady and predictable so your child knows what to expect. We take it step by step, first making sense of what’s happening, then working through what actually helps in real situations. Parents are part of the process too, so what we’re doing in session carries into home and school.
You don’t have to keep sitting with this.
Reach out to Elm Psychology Oakville to talk through what you’re seeing and get a clearer sense of what support could look like, either in person in Oakville or virtually across Ontario.