Anam is currently accepting new clients for September
Anam Hassan (she/her)
HBSc., MACP (in progress)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Therapist Intern
Anam works with:
Individuals (18 years+)
(905) 527 - 6337
anam.hassan@everwellcounselling.ca
Anam Hassan
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) Therapist Intern
I have a lot of respect for what it can take to come to therapy. There’s something really meaningful to me about a person deciding to make that appointment, show up, and let someone else into parts of their life that may be difficult to understand or even put into words. I don’t take that trust lightly.
I don’t see myself as someone who is supposed to have all the answers. I see therapy as a place where we can slow things down, get curious about what’s happening, and try to make sense of it together; particularly those times when you may be trying to figure out who you are, what you want for yourself, or how to find your own voice. Having navigated different cultural worlds myself, I understand some of the complexity that can come with balancing family and cultural expectations with your own needs, values, and hopes for your life. My path into psychotherapy has grown out of many years of working with children, youth, adults, and families in community and crisis-support settings. I’m now completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and I see this next chapter as an opportunity to deepen something I’ve valued throughout my work: listening closely to people, understanding the context of their lives, and helping them recognize the strengths and possibilities they may not always see in themselves.
Outside of therapy, I’m a mom to two girls, an enthusiastic reader of romance and fantasy (even better when they’re combined), and someone who believes there is a lot to be said for finding joy in small things. I love baking, watching Formula One, coffee (probably more than is reasonable), and adding a little bit of whimsy wherever I can. You’ll also rarely find my desk without a collection of fidgets nearby. I think there is something meaningful about making room for both the difficult parts of life and the things that bring us comfort, curiosity, laughter, and a sense of being ourselves.
Q & A with Anam
What made you decide to choose your role as a therapist?
“I have always been interested in psychology; but I think choosing psychotherapy was a process; it happened more gradually. Through years of working with people in community and crisis-based roles, I realized that I was often most interested in what was underneath the immediate reason someone had come to me: like how their experiences and relationships had shaped them, why certain things felt so difficult, what strengths they were already carrying, and what they wanted their life to look like moving forward. I’ve also come to believe, both personally and professionally, that we are never really finished learning about ourselves. Sometimes life forces us to question things we thought we knew about who we were, and sometimes we simply reach a point where we want something to be different. Therapy has shown me how meaningful it can be to have a place to explore those questions with another person. Becoming a psychotherapist felt like a way of bringing together something I’ve cared about for a long time: understanding people, building genuine relationships, and being there while someone discovers more about themselves and what they want for their life.”
What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about mental health?
“I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that ‘struggling’ automatically means there is something wrong with you, or even that every difficult emotion needs to be fixed. Sometimes anxiety, sadness, anger, grief, or feeling lost make a lot more sense when we understand what someone has experienced and what is happening in their life. I also think people still believe therapy is something you turn to only when things have become really bad. Therapy can certainly be a place to work through pain, but it can also be a place to become curious about oneself; to understand patterns, relationships, identity, what matters to you, and what you might want to do differently.”
What do you like most about what you do?
“What I like most is getting to know people in a way that we don’t often get to know one another in everyday life. I think it’s such a privilege when someone trusts me enough to share the parts of their story that may be difficult, confusing, painful, or even hard to put into words. I love the curiosity of trying to understand something together — noticing connections, looking at things from a different angle, or finding language for something that has been sitting there without a name. And I think some of the most meaningful moments are the quieter ones: like when someone understands something about themselves with a little more compassion…or recognizes their own strength, finds their voice…or realizes they may have more choice than they thought they did. Getting to witness those moments is probably what I value most about this work.”
What would you like a client to say about working with you?
“I’d hope they would say that they felt safe enough with me to be genuinely themselves, even with the parts of themselves they might normally feel they have to hide, explain, or apologize for. I’d want them to feel that I really wanted to understand them and that whatever they brought into the room wasn’t something I was going to shy away from. And hopefully, somewhere along the way, they were able to understand themselves differently, feel a little less afraid, and become more confident in trusting their own voice and making choices for themselves.”
What is your personal mantra?
“Stay curious. There is always more to the story.”
Areas of Practice
Self-esteem
Life transitions
Anxiety
Relationship and family concerns
Grief and loss
Parenting
Cultural identity
Emotional regulation
Newcomers to Canada
Identity exploration
Education & Memberships
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (In Progress), Yorkville University
Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Student Member
Average Cost
$85 / 50 minute session
Sliding scale available
Check with your insurance provider for coverage opportunities
What personal qualities are important for the job that you do?
Curiosity Warmth Humility Compassion Openness Patience
Just for fun
How do you drink your coffee?
“With serious enthusiasm. But really, coffee in almost any form is awesome. Hot, iced, latte, cappuccino, affogato…within desserts like a good tiramisu, in ice cream, or cupcakes flavoured with coffee. I’m really not picky as long as there is coffee involved.”
Do you have a favourite season?
“Spring and Fall, but winter is usually quite awesome too. Give me cooler weather, cozy sweaters, changing leaves, a warm drink, and an excuse to stay inside with a book and I’m happy.”
What is your favourite place to find inspiration?
“I think my favourite places that inspire me are within stories, whether that’s in books, conversations with others, movies, or within music. And in new places: if I get to travel. And a really good coffee shop too likely!”