Pooneh Mahdavi - Associate Therapist - Farsi Speaking Counsellor
Bio | Treatment
Philosophy | Education
Biography
Dr. Pooneh Mahdavi joined the CoreQuest counselling team to specifically serve the strong Persian community of the North Shore. She offers her counselling sessions in both Farsi and English. Pooneh has a Medical Degree from Tehran, Iran, and holds a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology, Toronto. She works as a Registered Clinical Counsellor and is a member of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and Canadian Counselling Association. She has extensive experience in working with a wide range of problems, including relationship problems, separation/divorce, parenting, grief/loss, life transitions, and multicultural issues.
In addition to her knowledge and experience in the medical and psychological fields, Dr. Mahdavi is a certified personal trainer and yoga and dance instructor. Her passion for helping people to become their personal best, mentally and physically, drives her to pursue, and constantly maintain her expertise in both the physical and mental health areas. She is also a certified lifestyle and weight management consultant with the American Council on Exercise. She is well-known for helping clients break psychological barriers, and reach and maintain their ultimate attainable weight goals.
Dr. Mahdavi has given numerous presentations at a number of national scientific and professional conferences in a wide array of topics pertaining to mental and physical health. She has conducted lectures in North Vancouver community centres on subjects such as, “How to Balance Different Life Tasks”. Moreover, while residing in Toronto, she has given many presentations on different topics including post traumatic stress disorder, parenting workshops and stress management.
Dr. Mahdavi’s counselling sessions can be conducted in either English or Farsi.
Treatment Philosophy
Dr. Mahdavi’s extraordinary background and knowledge of mental and physical health has given her a unique insight and understanding of how mind and body are intertwined. This holistic approach has led her in choosing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which means that counselling involves changing thoughts and behaviours to influence and improve how one feels. She specialized in balancing mental and physical health. Dr Mahdavi also uses other modalities such as Brief Solution Focused Therapy where the focus is on strengths and resources, and exceptions to the problem. Brief Solution Focused Therapy helps to achieve goals in the fastest and most effective way. Her commitment to clients is to provide the highest quality in care, using only evidence-based therapeutic techniques.
Typically, couples seek help when they feel they can no longer deal with troubling issues, such as:
- Poor communication
- Persistent conflicts and power struggles
- Lack of sexual intimacy
- Infidelity and feelings of betrayal after an affair
- Emotional disconnection (leading separate lives)
- Reconciliation after separation
The advantages of couples counselling are many. In couples counselling, when both partners are present, you have an opportunity for greater understanding, while appreciating the differences between you and your partner in real time. I will listen to what you each have to say. During the sessions, I will outline concrete steps that will help give your relationship a new lease on life. New skills to deal with conflicts will be learned, and encouragement will be provided to develop tolerance, patience, and acceptance of your individual differences.
Life Philosophy
Happiness is an inside job…
One of my favourite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souse. He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough, and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will
certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
Have you been searching for peace and contentment? Happiness is, after all, an inside job. Since everyone is unique, what makes you happy is also different from anyone else.
During the couples or individual counselling sessions you will have an opportunity to explore your unique path to happiness.
Primary Areas of Practice:
Dr. Pooneh Mahdavi has extensive experience in dealing with a range of problems, including:
- Relationship Problems
- Conflict Resolution
- Life transitions
- Divorce
- Parenting
- Grief and Loss
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress Management
- Self-esteem issues
- Multicultural Issues
If you are looking for a counsellor who specializes in balancing mental and physical health, please feel free to give Pooneh a call.
Education, Training & Professional Registrations
- Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the B.C. Association of Clinical Counsellors
- Master of Arts degree (MA) in Counselling Psychology from Adler School of Psychology
- Medical Doctor Degree, Tehran, Iran
- Member of Canadian Clinical Counselling Association
- Couples/Sexuality Counselling Training, Sunnybrook & Women’s College Hospital, Toronto
- Certified personal trainer, yoga and dance instructor, American Council on Exercise (ACE)
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