Meet Atessa

"I offer a space where both your thoughts and your emotions are welcomed, and where we can explore your experiences with care and curiosity."

Hi, I'm Atessa, a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) offering virtual therapy to individuals across Ontario. I hold a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and bring a background that is genuine. Before transitioning into clinical practice, I spent nearly two decades working as a senior IT analyst in the health technology sector, including with eHealth Ontario. That experience gave me a deep familiarity with the healthcare system, an analytical mind, and a profound appreciation for what it means to navigate complex systems while carrying personal struggles at the same time.

I work with clients navigating trauma, grief, chronic illness, life transitions, and questions of identity and personal growth. I also have a particular commitment to supporting immigrant communities, refugees, and individuals from cultural backgrounds that are often underserved by mainstream mental health care. Alongside my clinical work, I serve on the executive boards of two non-profit organizations dedicated to immigrant families and seniors, and that community-rooted perspective informs how I show up in the therapy room.

I am also a practising visual artist with solo and group exhibitions across Canada, and that creative lens directly informs my use of Expressive Arts Therapy in clinical work. For clients who find that words alone do not capture what they are carrying, the creative process can open doors that traditional talk therapy sometimes cannot.

My approach is integrative and collaborative. I draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Schema Therapy, Existential Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Jungian approaches, adapting what I use to suit who you are and what you need. Whatever has brought you here, I will meet you with compassion, cultural attunement, and genuine curiosity about your story.