Safa Ali, MA, RP

I have always been driven to understand and support people, and care deeply about helping my clients connect to their inner worlds, experience emotional relief, and move their lives in more fulfilling directions.

I’m a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario and have been practicing with individual adults and adolescents for 10 years. I did my Bachelors degree in Philosophy and Psychology and my Master’s degree in Clinical and Counselling Psychology at the University of Toronto. I work with individuals experiencing a wide range of challenges including depression, relationship and parenting issues, trauma, anxiety, grief, gender dysphoria, unwanted substance use, impacts of migration and marginalization, and self-harm. I also work with people who want to use therapy to know themselves better, exploring topics like meaning and fulfillment, personal values, authenticity, sexuality, and engagement with the world.

I have worked in wide variety of settings over the course of my career and have had the privilege of working with people from diverse backgrounds, relationship arrangements, walks of life, and communities. These practice settings include student counselling, hospital-based child and family services, community mental health, and private practice. I have also taught at the university level, facilitated workshops on trauma, parenting, mental health and substance use for clients, and supervised student therapists.

Outside of therapy, my main activity is spending as much time outdoors as possible, whether hiking, camping, skiing, or just being in natural spaces. I’m passionate about cooking and eating and love immersing myself in different cuisines. I’m an avid weightlifter and have a long-term mindfulness practice that is a cornerstone of my own well-being. Finally, my most cherished hobby is looking at my dog Zoe many times per day and telling her she’s perfect (I’m still working on my inner self-talk sounding like that, though!).