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Hear the Child reports

Tasha Ryder, rcc &
Ana gauthier, rcc

What is a Hear the Child Report?

The purpose of a non-evaluative child interview  is to listen to the child so that the child can express his or her views in relation to family breakdown or transition, and have them considered in decisions made about their best interests. The Interviewer does not assess the child, his or her best interests, or the parents. The interviewer’s job is to relay the child’s views to adult decision-makers. The Interviewer prepares a report of the child’s views, and shares it with those involved in making the decision affecting the child’s best interests so they can consider the child’s views.

The Role of A Child Interviewer

Members of the BC Hear The Child Interviewers Roster are qualified, neutral professionals trained to listen to children and provide written reports of the child’s views to decision-makers and others involved in family law cases where the child’s best interests are being determined. The interviewer does not assess the child or the parents, but rather reports the child’s views, so that the views can be heard and considered by those making the decisions about the child’s best interests.

The Interviewer generally follows an interview structure: (introduction; establish rapport; separation specific information; explore; review (periodically and/or at the end of the interview); debrief and closure);

The Interviewer explains to the child the reasons for the Interview (to provide input NOT to make the decision), gives the child an opportunity to ask questions, and asks the child if he or she wishes to be interviewed;

If the child wishes to be interviewed, the Interviewer meets with the child, typically for no more than one hour at a time, (generally at the Interviewer’s office) to interview the child, with an emphasis on listening to and writing down the child’s views;

The Interviewer captures the child’s views verbatim as much as possible in writing during the initial interview and then reviews them with the child so they are accurate from the child’s perspective.

Source: BC Hear the Child Society, https://hearthechild.ca

Our Child Interviewers:

Ana Gauthier, B.Sc., MACP. RCC

Ana is a highly skilled therapist with over 10 years of experience working with children and families. Specializing in areas such as divorce, autism, and ADHD. Ana has helped many individuals and their loved ones navigate through these challenging situations.

A key aspect of Ana’s work with children is incorporating play therapy, which allows children to express their emotions and experiences in a safe and non-threatening way. Ana is also a firm believer in the power of cognitive behavior therapy, as it helps individuals develop healthier patterns of thinking and behavior. With a deep understanding of neuroscience, she strives to integrate the latest findings into her practice, ensuring the most effective interventions for those she works with.

Ana’s expertise extends to collaborative law, where she assists families in navigating the complexities of legal matters while prioritizing the best interests of the children involved. Her dedication to ensuring that children’s voices are heard and their needs are met led her to excel in preparing the highly regarded ‘Hear the Child’ reports.

Throughout her career, Ana has developed a strong understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism and ADHD. Her compassionate and client-centered approach empowers families to navigate the unique challenges associated with these conditions, providing practical strategies and support.

In addition to her work with children and teenagers, Ana also provides invaluable parenting support. She offers evidence-based interventions that help parents develop effective strategies to manage challenging behaviors, establish routines, and create nurturing and supportive environments. Her comprehensive approach emphasizes building healthy parent-child relationships based on understanding and effective communication.

Ana’s expertise also extends to addressing common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Through personalized therapy sessions, she helps individuals identify and challenge negative thought patterns, develop effective coping strategies, and regain control over their mental well-being.

Ana is known for her warm and empathetic approach, creating a safe and non-judgmental space for her clients to explore their emotions and work towards positive change. Her dedication to continuous professional development ensures she stays updated with the latest evidence-based therapies, guaranteeing the highest level of care for her clients.

Tasha Ryder, BA, M.Ed, RCC

Tasha received her Master of Education degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Victoria in 2002. Tasha has over 20 years of clinical experience providing mental health assessment and treatment, including crisis intervention, in community, hospital and residential treatment settings. Tasha utilizes Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotion Focused Family Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Attachment theory as well as Collaborative and Proactive Solutions in her work. Tasha also obtained facilitator training In Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk (RRSR) by the American Association of Suicidology and Tasha has trained Child and Youth Mental Health clinicians as well as other health care providers throughout the province in RRSR. Tasha has a genuine, warm, collaborative, supportive and encouraging style that, when combined with her experience and expertise, assists clients to obtain the knowledge, insight and skills to achieve their goals.

Areas of Practice:

Individual, group, and family interventions with adults, children, high-risk youth and families
Suicidality
Self-harm
Impulsivity
Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Substance use
Psychosis
Neurodiversity
Borderline Personality Disorder

 

It is all about the relationship

Relationship and collaboration with community, colleagues and families is at the heart of my practice and beliefs. I am very proud of our collaborative working relationships with agencies such as the Child Trauma Academy, NOW Canada, and the UBCO Social Work Department.

Members of the Stepping Stones team volunteer throughout the community on various committees, boards and projects. We are passionate about building and creating relationships that benefit the wellbeing of our clients and communities.

Our Mission Statement: Nurturing relationships and community is at the heart of our work. Our mission is to provide neurodevelopmentally informed therapeutic services to children, youth and their families.

Every effort is made to match you with a counsellor you will feel comfortable with, and who has the skills you require. Our therapists come from various educational backgrounds and have specialties that are wide-ranging.

It is our mission to help as many members of our community as possible, which is why we provide collaborative services that can meet your entire family’s mental health needs all in one place. Our goal is to reduce your stress, give you back time to spend doing what you love, and make getting to wellness easy and comfortable.