About Linah

My Therapeutic Approach

A therapeutic approach is a lens through which your therapist understands your world. The approach will inform what type of questions your therapist will ask, the exercises they ask you to do and how they will guide you towards your goal.

My therapeutic approach is “compassion-focused.” Compassion means the willingness to be moved by the suffering of others, and of ourselves, and then to work towards alleviating it. It means acknowledging the truth of our hardships, healing the wounds and moving forward to repair and build.

In order to work within this framework, I focus on three key elements of therapy:

Connect

The relationship you and I will build together is crucial to your healing journey. Consider it the fertile earth in which we will plant the seeds of your growth. And so, I care deeply about my clients and do my best to make them feel heard, understood and accepted. This connection between us allows us to explore who you are in an authentic, non-judgmental way.

Learn

With therapy, you gain a deep understanding of how your strengths, weaknesses, fears and emotions, came to be and how they impact your daily life. This is where you and I will explore your inner workings using curiosity, empathy and different therapeutic techniques. I help you discover patterns and strategies that give you the freedom to choose how you respond to life.

Grow

Your goal for therapy is probably to grow into a person who is more peaceful, functional and healthy. We achieve this by creating the optimal environment where you can try new ways of being, without the fear of failure and shame. As therapy goes on, you will realize that you can trust yourself to be there when you need support, encouragement or change, allowing you to grow into the wise person you are meant to be.

About Me

I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec to South Asian, Muslim parents. I did my undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology at McGill University. I took a gap year to volunteer abroad and explore my options before deciding to pursue a Masters at University of Toronto in Counselling Psychology in 2008. For nearly ten years, I have thrown myself into the field of mental health, working with a diverse population, with a special focus on minority groups. I work diligently to offer an inclusive therapy practice for all my clients, including those who are part of the LGBTQQIP2SAA community. I have been a member in good standing with the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario since 2015.