Saara Kanji

Hi, I’m Saara, an Intern Therapist currently completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re quietly carrying too much, you’re not alone. I offer a space where you can put some of that weight down, speak freely, and start making sense of the patterns, emotions, and experiences that have been shaping your life.

If you’re often trying to make everyone else happy, you’re likely quietly struggling yourself; often feeling overwhelmed or unseen. You might be a student under pressure, a perfectionist exhausted by your own expectations, or navigating a relationship or familial dynamics that feel tangled and heavy. Maybe you’re a woman balancing cultural or family values with personal needs, or part of the Muslim or immigrant community, questioning your identity or carrying unspoken shame. These experiences can be deeply confusing and isolating. Together, we can explore where these patterns come from, what they’re protecting you from, and how you can begin to shift toward a life that feels more honest, grounded, and yours.

As a South Asian/East African Muslim woman and daughter of immigrants, I understand the complexities that come with layered identity and intergenerational expectations. I’ve also navigated a career change and continue to unlearn perfectionism, so I know how challenging it can be to find your own direction and practice self-compassion instead of chasing more goals. With this perspective, I welcome you as you’re looking to better understand yourself, break repeating patterns, and feel more at peace in your own skin.

Together, we might explore the roots of relationship or family struggles, uncover the origin story behind your inner critic, or gently begin to shift the narratives that keep you feeling stuck. I draw from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Psychoanalysis, and I also have a special interest in generational transference. If it’s important to you, I can also incorporate spiritual perspectives into our work.

Outside of therapy, you’ll often find me in bookstores, with friends and family, or unwinding through reflection and creativity. I believe that healing doesn’t mean becoming someone new, it means remembering who you are, with compassion and clarity.

If this resonates with you, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you. You don’t have to carry it all alone anymore.