Sofian Ayyad

MA, Registered Psychotherapist

I enjoy providing a kind, accepting, and non-judgemental space where you can relax and feel comfortable exploring your thoughts and feelings.

My past experiences help me to appreciate you for who you are, and I would consider it a sincere privilege to have the opportunity to work with you. I lived in Europe and the Middle East for various parts of my life before calling Canada home more than two decades ago. Having lived in diverse environments helped me develop a great appreciation for various cultures and sensitivity to the specialness of every person I meet. As a result, apart from my formal education and extensive clinical training, I bring a well-rounded set of real-life experiences that I believe will benefit you.

I enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds, regardless of gender, age, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender expression. I know that positive change is possible, no matter how difficult and complicated our life situation might be at the moment. If I may paraphrase a famous proverb, each journey begins with a single step, and so it is with healing journeys as well.

Professional Credentials

I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University. I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, authorized for independent Practice. I am also a member in good standing with the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals.

I am currently completing doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University (APA accredited).

Continuous Learning

Conferences, Training, Workshops, and Webinars:

  • Expressions of Psychopathy in the Films of Patricia Highsmith, 2-hour Presentation
    Feb 2025 | Online | Mary Eleanor Yack, MD
  • Integrating Psychodrama Techniques into Psychotherapy Practice, 1-Day Training
    Nov 2024 | Cincinnati, Ohio | George Nitzburg, PhD
  • Personalizing Psychotherapy: Assessing & Accommodating Patient Preferences, 3-hour Workshop
    July 2024 | Online | John C. Norcross, PhD
  • Psychodynamic Case Presentations, 1-Day Training
    July 2024 | Washington, D.C. | April Fallon, PhD
  • Multicultural Therapy & Assessment, 1-Day Training
    July 2024 | Washington, D.C. | Anthony Greene, PhD
  • Meaning-centered Intervention Groups, 2-hour Workshop at CPA 2024 National Convention
    June 2024 | Ottawa | Marnin J. Heisel, PhD
  • Malingering in Psychological Assessments: New Developments, 4-hour workshop
    May 2024 | Online | Gerald Young, PhD
  • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), 1-Day Training
    Jan 2024 | Santa Barbara, California | Heather MacDonald, PsyD
  • Psychodynamic Case Formulation, 1-Day Training
    Jan 2024 | Santa Barbara, California | April Fallon, PhD
  • Existential Issues in Psychotherapy, 1-Day Training
    Jan 2024 | Santa Barbara, California | Susan G. Goldberg, PhD
  • Contemporary Psychoanalytic Seminars, Group Consultations, 2 hours/week
    Sep 2023 - April 2024 | Online | April Fallon, PhD
  • Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale: 4th Edition (WAIS-IV) administration, 2-Day Training
    Jan 2023 | Santa Barbara, California | Nathan Griffith, PhD
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 1-Day Training
    Jan 2023 | Santa Barbara, California | Carmen Pulido, PhD
  • Suicide Assessment and Intervention, 1-Day Training
    Jan 2023 | Santa Barbara, California | Kjell Rudestam, PhD
  • IFS - The Self-Led Helper, 2-Day Workshop
    Nov 2022 | Online | Richard Schwartz, PhD
  • Unified Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Pain, Fatigue & Somatic Symptom Disorders, 1-Day Workshop
    Nov 2021 | Online | Sanjay Rao, MD
  • Adlerian Psychotherapy, Group consultations, 7 hours/month
    Sep-Nov 2021 | Cardinal, Ontario | Edward Murray, PhD
  • The Farther Reaches of IFS, 2-Day Workshop
    June 2021 | Online | Derek Scott, RSW
  • Reconsolidation Therapy™: Foundations and Practice, 2.5-Day Workshop
    May 2021 | Online | Daniel Saumier, PhD & Alain Brunet, PhD
  • Intimacy from the Inside Out -Informed Couples Therapist Workshop, 2-Day Workshop
    Mar 2021 | Online | Liz Phillips, RP
  • Stepping Stones IFS, 16 wk course, 3 hours per wk
    Jan-Apr 2021 | Online | Derek Scott, RSW
  • Hack Your Mind for Better Health, 1-Day Workshop
    Jan 2021 | Online | Judson Brewer, MD
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Beyond the Basics, 2-Day Workshop
    Nov 2020 | Online | Sheri Van Dijk, RSW
  • Treating Complex Trauma with Internal Family Systems (IFS), 2-Day Workshop
    Oct 2020 | Online | Frank G. Anderson, MD
  • Systematic Behavioural Activation (BA) Treatment for Depression, 1-Day Workshop
    Oct 2020 | Online | Sanjay Rao, MD
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Understanding & Treating Clinical Perfectionism, 1-Day Workshop
    May 2020 | Online | Martin Antony, PhD
  • Clinical Applications of Internal Family Systems (IFS), 2-Day Workshop
    Apr 2020 | Online | Frank G. Anderson, MD
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Group Consultations, 12-hours
    Apr-Nov 2020 | Phone-Conference | Philippe Gauvreau, PhD
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Basic Training - Part 2, 3-Day Training
    Mar 2020 | Ottawa | Barbara Horne, RP & Philippe Gauvreau, PhD
  • Resilience in Mental Health Conference
    Nov 2019 | Ottawa | Hosted by Ontario Psychological Association
  • Structured Psychotherapies Conference
    Nov 2019 | Ottawa | STRC, University of Ottawa, Department of Psychiatry
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Unified Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Approach, 2-Day Training
    Nov 2019 | Ottawa | Sanjay Rao, MD
  • Trauma & The Struggle to Open Up: Relational Strategies to Effectively Treat Challenging Trauma Clients, 2-Day Workshop
    Nov 2019 | Ottawa | Robert T. Muller, PhD
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Basic Training - Part 1, 3.5-Day Training
    Oct 2019 | Ottawa | Barbara Horne, RP & Philippe Gauvreau, PhD
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Integrating EMDR into your Clinical Practice, 5-Day Intensive
    May 2019 | Lexington, Kentucky | Carole Lovell, PhD
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) - Clinical Training for Mental Health Professionals, 5-Day Intensive
    Feb 2019 | Ottawa | Kafui Sawyer, RP & Mark Vegh, RCC
  • Introducing the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual-2 (PDM-2), 1-Day Workshop
    May 2018 | Ottawa | Robert Gordon, PhD
  • Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), 2-Day Workshop
    Nov 2015 | Ottawa | LivingWorks

Let's start working together!