Setareh Shayanfar

About

Setareh believes that a strong therapeutic relationship is the foundation of the psychotherapy process and strives to create a safe, warm, and empathic space in her practice. She offers psychological services for a broad range of concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, perfectionism, low self-esteem, and relationship difficulties. She also has extensive
experience supporting individuals who live with chronic health conditions such as cancer, chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. She is passionate about helping clients adjust to life after their illness, process their diagnoses, manage health-related issues, address existential concerns (e.g., meaning of life, death anxiety), or cope with a
loved one’s chronic or terminal illness.

Using an integrative framework, she draws from a number of evidence-based methods depending on each person’s unique needs and goals. Her work is strongly grounded in client-centred, emotion-focused, and other process-oriented approaches. In addition, she is well-versed in cognitive behavioural therapy, schema therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions. She highly values each client’s lived experience and is committed to providing culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed care. Her practice is inclusive of all gender and sexual identities, racial/ethnic backgrounds, and abilities. She offers services in English and Farsi.

Setareh is a Clinical and Health Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. She obtained her PhD from the University of Toronto and completed her clinical residency at The Ottawa Hospital, where she worked closely with individuals dealing with a wide range of health concerns, disabilities, and co-occurring mental health issues in both outpatient and inpatient services. Prior to her residency, she received clinical training at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, where she provided assessment and therapy to patients at different stages of their cancer trajectory as well as sexual health counselling to patients and their partners through Prostate Cancer Rehabilitation Clinic. She also conducted comprehensive psychodiagnostic assessments with patients pre and post bariatric surgery at Toronto Western Hospital. In addition to her hospital placements, she has trained and worked at university counselling centres and private practice settings. Her research has looked at the interpersonal patterns between therapists and clients including how therapists can effectively navigate and resolve ruptures in therapy to facilitate a successful change process.

Residency – The Ottawa Hospital
Ph.D. – Clinical and Counselling Psychology, OISE, University of Toronto