Ola Kuforiji (RP)

My goal as a therapist is to offer clients ways to narrow the gap between their current and ideal selves. I see it as my responsibility to provide a space that is anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and ultimately non-judgmental. In our time together, you can expect to expand the range of emotions you consciously experience and learn strategies to effectively express them.

I have over a decade of experience working in different areas of mental health – from programming in TDSB & TCDSB high schools (Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto District), to psychiatric research in major Toronto hospitals (CAMH, Sunnybrook, Toronto General) to facilitating Partner Assault Response (PAR) groups through the Regional Municipality of Durham. Most recently, I provided culturally responsive and trauma-informed psychotherapy services to Black students (campus wide) as McMaster University’s first Black Student Wellness Counsellor. These experiences have helped inform my range as a therapist.

I lead with a person-centred style of therapy. This largely focuses on the relationship between the client and therapist, creating a safe space where one can freely express difficult thoughts, feelings – and at times things they have never said or considered before. Guided exploration allows clients to come to solutions from within that resonate with their personal values. I combine this style with techniques from cognitive-behavioural therapy, brief-solution focused therapy, and mindfulness-based approaches.