Therapists in Clayton, ON

There is a wide range of people I work with. Many of them are kind, naturally empathic and are seeking help with boundaries, clarity and reciprocity in their relationships. There is humor, shared stories, moments of deep understanding and connection. Most clients are seeking affirmation that they are 'ok' and that their feelings and experiences are human. We are so much more than what we perceive our problems are. My goal is that you leave the first session with hope, optimism and courage to learn about old patterns and make changes to your life and relationships.

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, or just feeling unlike yourself? Are you struggling to separate yourself from past events/situations and finding yourself reliving similar thoughts and emotions? Do you struggle with constant repetitive thoughts and/or behaviours to reduce the uncomfortable thoughts? Is your child/teen struggling? If you said yes to the above, finding help can be challenging and tiresome. You may want to free yourself from the past to live your current life more fully. Whatever this life holds for you, I am are here to guide and support you.

If I could reach out to you in your search for a mental health professional, I would ask, "How can I help?". I have been working with clients for over 25 years, and the most important lesson I've learned is to truly listen to the person across from me, and create a therapeutic alliance based on that individual's personality and current needs. This is the essence of client-based psychotherapy. Contact me for a no-cost 30-minute intake appointment, and we can explore ways to work through the life challenges that have brought you to this search.

We often believe we must suffer on our own, having learned to be fiercely independent. Our suffering can show up as lack of motivation, burn-out, isolation, unhelpful habits, abuse, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, feeling stuck, or feeling like we just need to survive the day to day. We may even believe that we are meant to suffer. Perhaps we might believe that we cannot reach our potential or reach out for help, or we have forgotten who we are. When we receive the support that we need, we can all reach our full potential, regardless of what happened to us.

It takes true courage to reach out and ask for help. I am a registered clinical psychologist who provides individual services for adolescents and adults. Over the past 10 years I have helped my clients to reach greater states of awareness and empowerment to lead more fulfilling lives.

I have been helping persons improve their life circumstances to gain lives of greater achievement for the last 30 years in Ottawa. I have collaborated with persons from all walks of life. I practise Adlerian Psychology. I am adept in Adlerian, Existential, and Jungian counselling. Using a client-oriented, experiential approach, I provide Individual, Couples, and Family counselling, along with Addiction counselling. My approach is based on depth psychology, and accessing creative skills and processes. M.A. Adlerian Psychotherapy & Counseling (Concurring Disorders); Cell: 613-295-4026

Clients engaging in therapy with me can expect to feel valued. I listen to my clients’ successes and challenges and help clients capitalize on their strengths. I also treasure my clients’ background and culture. In the first session, I will listen to your stories and use current research and assessment tools to help with diagnosis. Collaboratively, we will set treatment goals and a treatment plan. Whether you are coming to treat mood, stress, or personality, or to learn how to deal with life’s difficult transitions, I will tailor the treatment plan to match your personality and goals.

To me, therapy is a warm, comfortable space we build together; it’s an hour outside of your everyday life, a shared place we can process whatever needs to be processed from the safety of. Care, compassion, non-judgement, and a genuine therapeutic relationship are the foundations of our work together and are my main priorities. My focus is always holistic: we have to look at every layer - from the cues your body and nervous system are giving you to the systemic messages surrounding you - to reach not just the bandaids but the deeper roots of distress and, ultimately, growth. I work from an actively affirming and anti-oppressive lens.

Are you a struggling with grief, low self-esteem, and mental distress? You may feel overpowered by your past or overwhelmed from thinking about your future. Everything that you have gone through and things happening today can become hard to manage at times, but the story of your life does not have to get stuck there. We can work together to bring forth the changes you need in your healing journey. You have landed on this page with hope and we can support you in developing the reality you are seeking in your life. I welcome you into a therapeutic space of empathy and authentic connection.

My philosophy is Existential, meaning that we are free and therefore responsible for our choices, We are the authors of our lives, and we design the pathways we follow. My basic premise is that we are not victims of circumstance because, to a large extent, we are what we choose to be. Life is a cycle of transitions and experiences, presenting opportunities and challenges. Often the most important life lessons comes from our suffering. My aim is to assist people to develop their meaning and purpose, by encouraging them to explore options, in order to achieve a more meaningful existence.

Empower your journey to healing. Take the first step towards self-discovery and transformation. Reach out today, and together, we'll walk towards a brighter tomorrow. My focus is developing a flexible treatment plan that best fits the needs of my clients. I work with clients who are struggling with anxiety/stress, depression, grief or loss, self-esteem, and life stage changes.

I believe that therapy is like building a warm and safe sanctuary together. A therapeutic space is one where we can comfortably be ourselves and process our past and present lives. Drawing from my South Asian and Muslim background, I bring an integrative and culturally sensitive approach to healing, rooted in trauma-informed practices. My aim is to provide you with a safe and non-judgemental space to share your life story and work collaboratively to discover or rediscover your values and meaning in life. Picture yourself as the driver, steering your life's journey, with me as your passenger.

As humankind, I genuinely believe that we all have something in common: The need and desire for Connection. It is my core belief that this beautiful common attribute we all possess enables me to better accompany you in the healing journey. In sessions, we will be holding the curiosity about your inner world and all levels of experiences, including emotional, cognitive, somatic, and relational. We will be exploring together what you deeply want for yourself and what is in the way of that.

Accepting New Clients! If you're battling with issues around self-worth, feeling like you're not good enough, or don't have a strong belief about yourself, I'm here to help. You probably experience lots of anxiety, as well as frequent experiences of putting yourself down. This is normal and likely reversible. By looking into the depths of your core beliefs to uncover what's causing these negative emotions, we can begin re-writing that script to help lead you towards a more positive, exciting and self-developed future.

Accepting New Clients! As someone who has been to counselling myself, I understand how comforting it is to have a supportive person to talk to about anxiety and life's challenges. Whether you're facing a variety of problems, feeling swamped by a big life event, or anything else, I'm here to offer help. We can partner up to help you overcome your struggles, to guide you towards a life where you no-longer feel constricted by what you're going through. I'm a solution-focused therapist, meaning I will work to get you to a place where you no-longer require therapy.

Do you ever wonder why you are so anxious? Are you struggling to identify the source of your depression? Do you ever look for answers about the purpose of the situation you are going through in your life? Are you sometimes discouraged, disengaged, demotivated to get back on your feet because you feel you have tried everything?

Now Accepting New Clients! Are you intelligent, "type-A", with a million things always on the go? On the outside you appear to have "made it", but on the inside your anxiety is crippling. You wonder if you have ADHD, you're working on 100 things at once, never seeming to be able to slow down until you crash (and then beat yourself up for resting). You start to wonder if you're depressed. Why does it feel like you're on such a roller coaster of emotions? You've tried journaling, meditating, maybe even medication or therapy, but you still feel stuck. You know you need to "love yourself", but you don't know how to actually DO that

We all experience challenging times in our lives and taking that first step in deciding to come to therapy can be difficult. I am passionate about supporting people by taking the time to understand my clients’ unique experiences, from their own perspectives and individual histories. With this knowledge in mind, I help clients gain insight and understanding into their difficult life experiences, identify challenges and goals, and create strategies for positive growth, as well as space for healing.