Heather Awad

As past experiences/trauma, postpartum depression/anxiety, or relationship and couples challenges make it hard to move forward, counselling can help you feel more grounded and in control again. With 18 years of experience across Canada, Egypt, and The Netherlands, I provide culturally responsive therapeutic support to individuals, couples, and families navigating trauma, depression, relationship stress, reproductive mental health concerns, and major life transitions in a compassionate and collaborative space.

Opening Pandora’s box of past traumatic memories and emotions is probably the most difficult thing you will ever do. It’s those very memories, and haunting thoughts and feelings that hold you down like an anchor and can surface in the form of anxiety, depression, low self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. I will be walking alongside you to process and reconcile your past and feel grounded in your present.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to begin, reaching out for counselling can feel like a big step—let’s start with a phone call, and together we can assess if it’s a good fit. 

I can support you with:

• Anxiety and depression

• Trauma (including PTSD and complex trauma)

• Postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety

• Reproductive mental health (pregnancy, pregnancy loss, fertility stress, adjustment to parenthood)

• Relationship and couples concerns (communication, connection, transitions, infidelity)

• Life transitions and adjustment challenges

• Immigration and cross-cultural experiences

• Self-esteem, identity, and personal growth

What you can expect from our work together:

• A safe, respectful, and non-judgmental environment

• Support at a pace that feels comfortable for you

• Practical tools to strengthen resilience and coping

• Help understanding patterns that may be holding you back

• Evidence-based strategies tailored to your needs

Therapeutic approaches used in sessions according to concerns, include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) – ‘used for trauma treatment’

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD (BEPP)

• Schema Therapy

• Solution-Focused Therapy

 

Sessions are offered virtually via video for your comfort and convenience. Services are available in both English and Arabic.

I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation, so feel free to email me to schedule a time that best suits you. During our call, we will have a chat about your concerns, goals and I can share more about my approach. Together we can then assess if this is a good fit. 

I look forward to connecting with you!