The Youth Fairy Halton

The Youth Fairy Halton A modern, solution focused approach to positive change for children, teens and young adults.

Hello I'm Gill, child specialist at The Youth Fairy, a growing team of solution-focused therapists who help children, teens and young adults struggling with anxiety, stress, anger, emotional control and low confidence. We use modern, brain-based approaches, including Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, that actively encourage young people to:

🧚Re-focus more on the positive aspects of

life
🧚Recognise strengths and capabilities
🧚Improve quality of sleep
🧚Engage more in positive interactions
🧚Feel more in control of their emotions

I work in a solution-focused way, which means your child won't need to relive past traumatic or negative experiences to feel better. Instead, we focus on the changes they would like to make in their thoughts, behaviours and emotional responses, paving the way for a brighter future. I work with children from 6 years to young adults, and areas I can help with include;

🧡 Anxiety
🧡 Stress and overwhelm
🧡 Low mood
🧡 Anger management
🧡 Social anxiety
🧡 Low self-esteem
🧡 Low confidence
🧡 Emetophobia (fear of vomiting)
🧡 Fears and Phobias
🧡 Exam anxiety and stress
🧡 Trauma
🧡 Self-harm
🧡 Sleep problems

⭐ Your child's well-being is my priority and I understand the importance of building trust to provide a safe environment for every individual I work with.

⭐ This is why I offer a free one-hour initial consultation, held face to face in Runcorn or online. It is not just a meeting; it is an opportunity to understand your child's concerns and for you to gain insight into the therapeutic process.

⭐ I'll explain to you and your child how the brain works to create their specific problems and what we can do to help them feel happier, calmer and more confident in themselves.

⭐ This understanding can be really motivational to children as they realise there is hope, see more clearly what we can do about it and how to promote more mentally healthy behaviours in the future.

⭐ This knowledge is super helpful for you as a parent too - it allows for greater understanding, creates a common language to talk more easily with your child about their well-being and gives you specific ideas of how you can best support the process (and beyond).

😴 You’ll also get my relaxation audio downloads to help improve any sleep problems they are having and support the process.

🧚About me🧚

Before I became a child therapist I started my journey as a key worker in a local mainstream primary school, working extensively with neurodiverse students, developing my knowledge and dedication in supporting children's social, emotional well-being to equip them with the skills to thrive in life. This led me to train and qualify in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, and, in addition to this, completing a Medical Hypnotherapy Diploma. I am also trained in supporting children for Emotional Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA). Alongside my private therapy practice, I continue to deliver Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy in a local school as part of their pastoral and safeguarding team. I am fully insured, have an up-to-date Enhanced DBS certificate and I am a member of the following professional bodies:

⭐ National Board for Modern Psychotherapy
⭐ National Council For Hypnotherapy
⭐ Association For Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
⭐ Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council

🏃‍♀️ Sports Day Anxiety? Sports Day isn’t exciting for every child, for some it can be a day of stress and worry. While ...
17/06/2026

🏃‍♀️ Sports Day Anxiety? Sports Day isn’t exciting for every child, for some it can be a day of stress and worry.

While some children can’t wait to race, others may feel worried about being watched, making mistakes, or coming last. Big events, crowds, and new expectations can feel overwhelming for little nervous systems. 🌤️

If your child is feeling unsure about sports day, they’re not alone, lots of children experience this. But the good news is, with understanding and the right support, it can still be a positive experience that builds confidence and resilience.

📚 In our latest blog, we explore why sports day can trigger anxiety for some children and how parents can help them feel more comfortable and supported.

Read more here: https://www.theyouthfairy.com/sports-day-anxiety/

15/06/2026

It’s your child’s sports day or football match and you are stood at the side of the field shouting words of encouragement…only that’s not what your child hears! 🤯

Sports Day can be so much fun and an annual highlight for some children, but for others, school sports day, or any sports performance, can bring anxiety and self-doubt and a fear of letting others down 😢😫😳 And a lot of that pressure doesn’t necessarily come from the race or game itself, but from what they think is expected of them.

Not all motivation feels the same to a child and sometimes, what we think is supportive can actually feel like added pressure to them. Here’s how to spot the difference:
You say: “Come on, you have to win this one!”
They hear that their value is tied to performance

You say: “Don’t come last like you did before.”
This reinforces fear of failure and embarrassment

You constantly shout instructions or their name from the sidelines
They get distracted and feel overwhelmed rather than supported

You comparing them to siblings or classmates, saying “Your friend was much faster than you”
They hear: I’m not as good as them, my mum/dad thinks they are better.

You focus only on the result afterwards “What place did you come?”
This implies that their value relies on where they placed.

What Encouragement Can Sound/Look Like:
✨“Just have fun and try your best.” - this takes the pressure off the outcome.
✨“I love watching you take part.” - this demonstrates pride in their effort, not results.
✨Smile, clap, and being present; non-verbal reassurance matters.
✨“It’s okay to feel nervous, I’d feel that too.” - this normalises their emotions.
✨Praising effort afterwards, for example “You kept going even when it was hard, that was amazing.”

Performance anxiety in young children can be linked to any event where they feel pressure to succeed or be at their best. It’s our role to make sure our child knows they don’t have to be perfect or put in a perfect performance, and that we are proud of them for effort no matter the outcome 👏🧚

This weeks blog was all about After School Restraint Collapse.  🌿What does after school time look like in your house?😌 C...
13/06/2026

This weeks blog was all about After School Restraint Collapse.

🌿What does after school time look like in your house?

😌 Calm and settled
😅 Emotional ups and downs
😡 Meltdowns and overwhelm
🍎 Hungry + tired chaos

No judgement, just real life 👇

This   we were…Understanding big reactions 🧠🔴 When the brain senses threat, it can switch intofight, flight, or freeze…e...
12/06/2026

This we were…Understanding big reactions 🧠

🔴 When the brain senses threat, it can switch into
fight, flight, or freeze…even when we’re not actually in danger.
🟡 So we pause…✋ STOP! Ask the brain a simple question: “Am I safe right now?”
🟢 If the answer is yes, we help the body calm using breathing, grounding, and gentle focus until the brain is ready to GO again 😁

Simple tools.
Clear steps.
Helping the brain feel safe enough to reset 💙

You collect your child from school and their teacher says, “They’ve been brilliant all day!” Fast forward 20 minutes and...
11/06/2026

You collect your child from school and their teacher says, “They’ve been brilliant all day!” Fast forward 20 minutes and you’re met with tears, shouting, slammed doors or a total meltdown 😭😤🤯

When your child falls apart after school, it can feel confusing, frustrating and maybe even a little personal, but this moment has a name: after-school restraint collapse. It’s what happens when children spend the whole day holding it together; following rules, managing friendships, coping with pressure, only to release it all when they finally feel safe - at home with you!

Underneath the tears and the anger, or the silence, is a child who has run down their emotional energy battery and in that moment, bringing some calm and connection is the priority. Only then can your child begin to regulate their emotions 🥰✨

So instead of jumping to reprimand, or try to fix, or question your child, try making a connection with them first by swapping some of these phrases:
❌ “What’s wrong with you? You were fine at school!”
✅ “It looks like today took a lot out of you. I’m here.”

❌ “Stop crying, it’s not a big deal.”
✅ “Something feels really big right now, doesn’t it?”

❌ “You need to calm down.”
✅ “Let’s sit together for a minute.”

❌ “Why are you being so difficult?”
✅ “I can see you’re having a hard time, do you need space or company?”

❌ “Tell me what happened right now.”
✅ “We can talk about it when you’re ready. No rush.”

❌ “There’s no need to be upset.”
✅ “I don’t really understand yet, but I can see this feels upsetting.”

❌ “You need to use your words.”
✅ “It’s okay if you don’t have the words yet, I’m here with you.”

❌ “Big kids don’t behave like this.”
✅ “You’re allowed to feel this.”

❌ “You’ve just had a whole day at school, why are you acting like this now?”
✅ “Holding it together all day is really tiring. Home is where you can let it out.”

Save this for those tricky after-school moments 🧚

Feeling incredibly grateful for making memories with my beautiful nieces as we celebrated the first of their birthdays t...
10/06/2026

Feeling incredibly grateful for making memories with my beautiful nieces as we celebrated the first of their birthdays this year! 🎉💖

Watching them laugh, smile, and enjoy a special day was such a joy. Time spent together like this is truly priceless, and my heart is so full.

Here's to many more celebrations, adventures, and unforgettable moments together. 😍🎂✨

💕

💛 Is your child struggling or having a 'meltdown' after school? Check out our latest blog where we explore 'after school...
10/06/2026

💛 Is your child struggling or having a 'meltdown' after school? Check out our latest blog where we explore 'after school restraint' and the signs to look out for…

Some children seem fine all day at school, but then the second they get home its tears, frustration, or withdrawal 😢

This is called 'after-school restraint', it’s important to acknowledge that this is not your child's misbehaviour. It’s your child’s way of releasing the stress and demands they’ve carried all day.

For most children, home is where their brain and body finally feel safe enough to let go. 🏡💛

📖 Check out our latest blog for more information on after school restraint, and how you can support your child with this 👇👇👇
https://www.theyouthfairy.com/after-school-restraint-collapse/

If your child melts down after school, try this instead of jumping straight to discipline:✔️ Keep demands low - don’t as...
09/06/2026

If your child melts down after school, try this instead of jumping straight to discipline:
✔️ Keep demands low - don’t ask them to do things straight away, try some downtime first
✔️ Don’t ask too many questions straight away
✔️ Validate what you see: “That looked like a busy day”
✔️ Stay close to them, but don’t overcrowd
✔️ Focus on calming, not correcting

After-school emotional outbursts are often the release after a day of holding all the feelings and behaviours in, so if your child is shouting, crying, or shutting down, it’s not a great time for consequences or discipline.

A calm connection will help your child to regulate their emotions 🥰🧚

Feeling very grateful today. 💚After our final Solution Focused Hypnotherapy session, a lovely client surprised me with t...
08/06/2026

Feeling very grateful today. 💚

After our final Solution Focused Hypnotherapy session, a lovely client surprised me with these beautiful flowers and thoughtful gifts. Over the past year, they have achieved the goals and changes they hoped for when we first started working together.

Wishing them every happiness and success for the future. 🌸✨

08/06/2026

Not every meltdown is a tantrum, and the difference between those matters more than you think 🤔

It’s really important to understand the distinction between your child throwing a tantrum and your child displaying after-school restraint collapse, because how you interpret that behaviour shapes how you respond to it and therefore how you will help your child to regulate ☺️

Here are 5 clear ways after-school restraint collapse is not a tantrum, and how they differ:
🧚‍♀️Intent vs Release
A tantrum is often goal-driven, for example, your child wants something like a toy or attention or a different outcome to the one they received. After-school restraint collapse is not intentional, it’s an emotional release after holding it together all day.

🧚‍♀️Control vs Overwhelm
In a tantrum, a child usually still has some level of control and may adjust their behaviour if the outcome changes. In restraint collapse, the child is overwhelmed, their nervous system is flooded, and they genuinely can’t regulate in that moment.

🧚‍♀️Timing & Pattern
Tantrums can happen anytime, often linked to frustration or boundaries, whereas restraint collapse tends to follow a predictable pattern - right after school or a structured environment where the child has been “on” all day.

🧚‍♀️Audience Effect
Tantrums may escalate or de-escalate depending on who is watching or how others respond. Restraint collapse happens in a child’s safe space, it’s actually a sign they feel secure enough to let go with you.

🧚‍♀️Underlying Need
A tantrum is often about wanting something external, restraint collapse is about an internal need for rest, or connection, or decompression, and emotional safety.

Understanding and being mindful of these differences really matters because one behaviour calls for boundaries, and the other calls for connection 🥰✨

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