Dr. Khalesi

Dr. Zahra Khalesi
PhD, C.Psych
Clinical and Counselling Psychologist
(she/her) 

I am a 1.5 generation middle eastern immigrant and am fluent in English and Arabic. My area of expertise is adult mental health, where I have focused on using evidence-based interventions to collaboratively tailor treatment plans for everyone I work with in order to best meet their goals. I completed my Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at McMaster University, where I have been providing psychological services since 2017. I have worked and trained in a variety of clinical and hospital settings.

I believe that individuals are the experts of their own experiences. Because of this, I often begin treatment by fully trying to understand how your prior circumstances, culture, significant life events, and individual differences (e.g., shyness, inhibition, sociability, etc.) contribute to your unique experience. My interest in cultural differences stems both from my research and personal experiences. I am passionate about how culture impacts the individual’s perceptions and life, and I draw from my own cultural experiences while living in the U.A.E, working in Switzerland, and integrating practices in Canada, to develop a holistic framework. My framework aims to foster your strengths while simultaneously introducing concrete tools to help improve your well-being. I believe that the therapeutic process ought to be collaborative, intentional, and flexible to your needs.

I have been involved in psychological research for over a decade, and am committed to providing evidence-based treatment that is informed by current research. My own research has closely examined how individual differences in temperament (i.e., shyness and sociability), influence the presentation and quality of life of individuals experiencing psychopathology (in particular, schizophrenia). I have also been involved in the development and evaluation of treatment protocols for mindfulness based treatments and integrative neurocognitive therapy for individuals with psychosis. I am committed to ongoing learning and collaboration in the field of psychological research with colleagues from various university institutions.