Saba Salemi
Saba Salemi is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) who takes a compassionate, exploratory approach focused on self-understanding and emotional awareness. She believes healing begins with self-compassion and learning to understand the emotions we often hide or feel ashamed of. As an immigrant who has navigated identity struggles and self-doubt herself, Saba brings authenticity and empathy to her work. Clients can expect expressive, supportive sessions where seriousness is balanced with warmth and lightness. She has a special interest in helping clients build confidence, self-esteem, and self-love by understanding their emotional patterns and personal story. Saba warmly invites you to take the first step toward therapy in a space where you can show up fully and authentically without fear of judgment.
- The importance of shared experience in the therapeutic relationship, and how meaningful it can feel to work with someone who truly “gets it.”
- Women navigating self-esteem concerns, relationship patterns, life transitions, cultural expectations, and identity development.
- The internal experience of balancing achievement with self-doubt and high personal standards.
- Feeling pulled between personal desires and family or cultural expectations.
- Iranian.
- While I do not speak Farsi fluently, my cultural background has deeply shaped my understanding of identity, family dynamics, and belonging.
- Growing up within a collectivist cultural framework while also navigating Western values, giving me personal insight into what it means to live between worlds.
- The unspoken expectations around loyalty, achievement, reputation, and family responsibility—and how these can both enrich and complicate one’s sense of self.
- Warm and kind
- Trustworthy
- Funny
- Welcoming and helpful
- Calming
Expertise
Areas of Focus
- High-achievers, perfectionists, people-pleasers, or the “responsible one” in their family.
- Professionals, graduate students, or individuals in demanding careers who feel burnt out, disconnected, or unsure of their next direction.
- Individuals from first- or second-generation backgrounds who feel tension between cultural expectations and personal desires.
- People navigating themes of guilt, loyalty, achievement pressure, and complex relationship dynamics.
- You look put-together on the outside but feel anxious, self-critical, or “not enough” on the inside.
- You’re tired of overthinking every interaction and second-guessing yourself.
- You struggle with people-pleasing, guilt, or feeling responsible for everyone else’s emotions.
- You feel pulled between cultural or family expectations and your own desires.
- You want to understand your emotions more deeply, and not just manage symptoms.
- You notice patterns in your relationships and want to stop repeating them.
Therapeutic Frameworks & Approach
- Understood: even in the parts of you that feel messy, contradictory, or hard to explain.
- Emotionally safe and unjudged. I aim to create a space where you don’t have to perform, achieve, or hold it all together. You won’t be rushed, minimized, or told to “just think differently.” Instead, we’ll slow down and make sense of what you’re feeling and why.
- More grounded over time, clearer about your needs, and less reactive in relationships.
- Greater self-understanding as we explore patterns with curiosity rather than criticism.
- Increased self-compassion and confidence as deeper insight develops.
Populations Served
Practice Details
Service Offerings & Rates
- What’s bringing you to therapy right now and what feels most important to you.
- Your goals, what you may have tried before, and what you’re hoping will feel different this time.
- A brief overview of how I work and what ongoing sessions might look like.
- Any questions you have, and whether working together feels like the right fit.
- Help you understand your emotional patterns, not just manage them, but truly make sense of them.
- Work together to explore the roots of your anxiety, self-doubt, or relationship struggles with curiosity rather than criticism.
- Gently guide you in identifying recurring patterns, unmet needs, and internalized beliefs that may be shaping how you see yourself and others.
- Create a space that is warm, steady, and emotionally attuned, while also thoughtfully challenging you when needed.
- Not rush you, but I also won’t keep us stuck on the surface.
Insurance & Benefits Coverage
Schedule
In Person Sessions
Virtual Sessions
More Info
Education
Yorkville University
Masters of Counselling Psychology
2025
Toronto Metropolitan University
Bachelors of Arts in Psychology
2021
Certifications
Languages
Booking FAQ
First Session charges each session directly to your credit card. Once each session occurs, and your card is charged, you will receive a PDF receipt to your email with all of the details you will need to get reimbursed (therapist name, license/designation, license number, address, etc). You can then submit the receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement if you have coverage.
We always recommend you check with your insurance provider to confirm what coverage you have.
You are the expert when it comes to knowing who is the right fit. Ensure you’ve watched the therapist video at the top of their profile and see if you get a good feeling from the message and the energy they are putting out. If you feel drawn to speak with them, listen to your gut! Booking a free consultation is a great first step to asses fit.