Canoe Therapy

Canoe Therapy Multidisciplinary therapy clinic helping children and teens reach their full potential!

Exam season is the perfect time to talk about growth mindset. When teens are studying under pressure, their inner dialog...
01/19/2026

Exam season is the perfect time to talk about growth mindset. When teens are studying under pressure, their inner dialogue matters more than we realize. Thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “This is too hard” can quickly overwhelm an already stressed nervous system.

A growth mindset doesn’t mean pretending things are easy. It means helping teens reframe struggle as part of learning, not a sign of failure.

During exam time, parents can support this by:

1) Reminding teens that mistakes help the brain grow
2) Encouraging effort over outcomes
3) Normalizing stress instead of trying to eliminate it
4) Reducing extra pressure at home where possible
5) Focusing on progress, not perfection

For many teens, learning how to regulate emotions, manage stress, and shift negative self-talk is just as important as the material they’re studying.
Therapy can help teens build these skills, not just for exams, but for life.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

OR

Fill out a form and tell us what you're looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

A small creative pause can make a big difference. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, famously wrote: “Creativity...
01/17/2026

A small creative pause can make a big difference. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, famously wrote: “Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy, and energy is creative.”

Many kids today are growing up surrounded by technology, constant stimulation, and passive scrolling. Their brains are busy but often disconnected from creating, imagining, and expressing.

What if one small daily habit could help?

For older kids and teens, try introducing a 15-20 minute creative session each day (and who knows, it might turn into a much longer one!). Short. Contained. No pressure to be good at it.

One rule:
They must make something.

Ideas that work especially well in winter:

-Write a short story, poem, or comic
-Sketch freely or follow a simple drawing prompt
-Cook or bake one small thing
-Create a logo for a made up business
-Design a menu for a restaurant they would run
-Build something with cardboard, Lego, or recyclables
-Make a playlist and design cover art for it
-Invent a product and write a simple ad
-Redesign their room on paper
-Journal one page without worrying about spelling or grammar

Creative time engages the brain in a completely different way than screens. It builds focus, self trust, and emotional regulation. It gives kids a sense of agency and identity beyond likes, views, and scores.

Reducing screen time does not always mean taking something away. Sometimes it means adding something meaningful back in.

A small daily creative practice can help kids reconnect with their own ideas, voices, and inner worlds.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

OR

Fill out a form and tell us what you're looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

01/15/2026

Our clinics are closed today and so are schools! How about some ideas for you as the hours roll on and the kids get antsy and directionless.
When school is cancelled and routines disappear, kids often do better with simple structure and shared activities rather than endless screen time.

Here are a few snow day ideas that balance creativity, connection, and fun.

1. Make a Movie (No Screens Required)
Turn your living room into a film studio.

Give kids:
- Poster paper or loose sheets
- Markers, crayons, pencils
- Invite them to:
- Invent characters
- Map a beginning, middle, and end
- Draw scenes or storyboard moments
- Design a movie poster

They don’t need to film anything. Planning and imagining does the work.

2. Make a Fort Like No Other
Upgrade the classic fort into a calm retreat.

Add:
- Books or graphic novels
- Flashlights or string lights
- Snacks and water
- Sketch pad and pencils
- A quiet space to reset can be just as regulating as movement.

3. Snow Day Tournaments

A little friendly competition can go a long way.
Try:

- Go Fish Tournament (best of three rounds)
- Jenga Tournament (single elimination or team play)
Keep the rules simple. Winner gets a prize everyone helped make.

Snow Day Prize: Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats

You’ll need:
-1 cup chocolate chips
-½ cup peanut butter

How to make it:

1) Put chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
2)Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir.
3)Microwave another 20–30 seconds until smooth. Stir well.
4)Spoon into small paper cups, onto parchment paper, or into silicone moulds.
5)Chill in the fridge for 15–20 minutes until set.

Optional extras if you have them: crushed pretzels, oats, or a sprinkle of sea salt.

Snow days don’t have to be perfect. A little structure, creativity, and connection can help kids feel more settled when routines disappear.

If your child struggles with regulation or transitions when schedules change, our team is here to help.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

OR

Fill out a form and tell us what you’re looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

You’re not raising a “difficult” child. You’re supporting a sensitive nervous system.That means your days may include mo...
01/14/2026

You’re not raising a “difficult” child. You’re supporting a sensitive nervous system.
That means your days may include more transitions, more regulation, more advocacy, and more emotional labour than most people see.It means behaviours often show up when your child feels overwhelmed, not when they are being defiant.It means progress can be quiet and uneven and still very real. It means the strategies that work for other families may not work for yours and that is okay.

Parenting a neurodiverse child asks you to slow down, tune in, and respond to what is underneath the behaviour. That takes patience, resilience, and support.

You do not have to carry all of that on your own. Support matters for your child and for you.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

OR
Fill out a form and tell us what you're looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

If your child struggles after routine disruptions, you’re not alone!And you don’t have to figure it out alone.Call us to...
01/13/2026

If your child struggles after routine disruptions, you’re not alone!
And you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

OR

Fill out a form and tell us what you’re looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

01/09/2026

Big worries can feel overwhelming 💭
The Worry Shredder helps kids put anxious thoughts outside of themselves, so they feel calmer and more in control.
Small tool. Big relief. ✨ canoetherapy

At Canoe Therapy, speech therapy supports kids with:• Clearer speech• Stronger language skills• Better understanding and...
01/09/2026

At Canoe Therapy, speech therapy supports kids with:
• Clearer speech
• Stronger language skills
• Better understanding and communication
• Confidence in social and learning environments

When kids can communicate effectively, it opens doors at school, at home, and with friends.

We meet children where they are and build skills that help them connect with the world around them.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905 257 5555
Burlington: 905 633 9222

OR

Fill out a form and tell us what you are looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

01/07/2026

Sometimes resilience shows up on crutches.

On the second day after an injury, one young child was determined to carry his own crutches up the stairs at home. He insisted on putting on his brace himself. Getting dressed on his own. Doing things slowly and carefully, but independently.

Instead of focusing on what he was missing, he talked about how he was going to come back to sport faster, stronger, and better than ever.

That moment opened a conversation about resilience.

Resilience is not ignoring disappointment or pushing feelings away. It is acceptance.

And when children truly accept what is, something powerful happens.

With acceptance comes a quiet superpower. The ability to adapt, problem solve, and believe: "I can work with this."

In recovery, we often see that when kids feel supported rather than rushed, they begin to build:

• Confidence in their bodies
• Independence and self trust
• Emotional regulation during frustration and setbacks
• A sense of agency that carries into school, sports, and relationships

At Canoe Therapy, we look beyond the injury itself. We support the whole child emotionally, physically, and developmentally, so moments of challenge can become moments of growth.

Where in your child’s life might acceptance open the door to confidence and resilience? Let us know in the comments! We'd love to hear :)

Want to get in touch?
Fill out a form and tell us what you are looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

12/24/2025

Would your kiddo love this? 🎄
Candy cane + pipe cleaners = fine motor magic ✋✨”

12/22/2025

Today is Day 11 of Canoe Therapy’s 12 Holiday Ideas!

In today’s video, Hannah chats with Katrina Ward, one of our Senior Therapists here at Canoe Therapy. Katrina shares her Kindness Chore Cart and shows simple, meaningful ways to bring siblings together during the holiday season. These small acts encourage cooperation, connection, and shared responsibility at a time when families need it most.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

Or fill out a form and tell us what you are looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

12/21/2025

Today is Day 10 of Canoe Therapy’s 12 Holiday Ideas!

In today’s video, Hannah is with Megan Appleton, Psychotherapist (Q) at Canoe Therapy, to share her Feeling Beanbags. This simple tool helps kids identify, name, and express emotions in a hands-on way that supports self-awareness and regulation during a busy season.

Call us today:
Oakville: 905-257-5555
Burlington: 905-633-9222

Or fill out a form and tell us what you’re looking for. A family coordinator will get back to you quickly:
https://canoetherapy.ca/get-in-touch/

Address

3455 Fairview Street Unit 8
Burlington, ON
L7N2R4

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7pm
Tuesday 8am - 7pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm

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