Carmel Firdawsi

Registered Psychotheraipst (Qualifying)

Languages: English

Types of Therapy: Teens and Adults

Pronouns: She/Them

Rate: $180

I grew up in the 90s in suburban Ottawa as a queer mixed-identities person. Needless to say, I did not fit in and felt very isolated. I coped with my anxieties and feelings by creating art and reflecting deeply on the meaning of life. At 8 or 9 years old I was asking myself, “what’s the point of life?”. My creative and spiritual pursuits carried me through my teens and 20s as I explored different faiths, visual art mediums, and design. I was transformed by a yoga teacher training in 2015 where I realized I felt more fulfilled being of service to others than from creating art. When I was 33, I felt confident and certain that I was ready to go back to school to become a psychotherapist so I could learn to support others struggling to make sense of life’s challenges.

I attended Saint Paul University and completed a BA in Human Relations and Spirituality as well as the MA in Counselling and Spirituality. During my Master’s I elected to write a thesis titled: People-place bonds on campus: An exploration of student experiences within spiritual spaces on their university campus. This process deepened my theoretical knowledge, helped me develop an understanding of the relationships between people and places, and strengthened my analytical and critical thinking skills.

My past personal, professional and academic experiences have shaped my approach to psychotherapy and cultivated my ability to maintain a warm, attentive, safe, and non-judgmental presence. I take an integrative approach to working with individuals which is informed by humanistic, relational, psychodynamic, attachment, mindfulness-based and trauma-informed theories. I believe in building a consistent and stable therapeutic relationship which becomes the basis from which we can explore deeper and more difficult topics. My interests lie in spiritual, religious, and existential issues; intersectional identities; life transitions; systemic and power issues; anxiety; complex trauma; social media; people-place bonds; and creativity. I hope to hear from you!

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