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Depth therapy in Toronto · for high-functioning professionals
Therapy for high-functioning professionals in Toronto
Many of the people I work with carry a lot of responsibility. They build things, lead teams, or do demanding, high-stakes work, and from the outside they look like they have it together. Underneath, it's often a different story: anxiety that never fully switches off, perfectionism, burnout, or a quiet sense of being disconnected from themselves.
Often the people I see have already done a lot of the thinking. They can name their own patterns, and understanding them hasn't changed how they feel. My background is in neuroscience, and my training is in depth-oriented work, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and psychodynamic therapy, so we work with what's actually driving the pattern rather than only managing it.
Does this sound like you?
- You're the capable one others rely on, and privately running on empty.
- You can already articulate your patterns, and understanding them hasn't changed how they feel.
- You hold yourself to a standard nothing quite meets.
- You've tried therapy that felt too slow, too general, or too surface.
- Achievement has become the thing holding you together, and you're not always sure who you are without it.
How the work is different
Depth-oriented. We work with the roots of a pattern, not only its symptoms, so change can settle in and hold rather than fade when life gets busy.
Rigorous and human. My background is also in neuroscience, so alongside how you feel, I keep in mind how the mind and nervous system work. IFS gives the work a clear framework to move within.
Warm and direct. I'll support you fully, and I'll gently challenge the patterns that keep you stuck.
What we tend to work with
High-functioning anxiety, perfectionism, burnout and over-functioning, impostor feelings and self-doubt, a sense of disconnection from yourself, and the relationship patterns that come with all of it.
A little about me
I'm Sevil Rahnama, a Registered Psychotherapist (RP, CRPO #15112) certified in IFS and IFIO, with postgraduate training in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Toronto Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and a background in neuroscience from UBC. Sessions are available in person in Toronto and online across Ontario, in English and Farsi.
Common questions
Do you work with people in demanding, high-pressure roles?
Yes. Many of the people I see look composed and capable on the outside while carrying a great deal underneath. What we work with isn't your title or how much you've done, it's what you're holding and how you've been relating to it.
I've tried therapy before and it felt too slow or too surface. How is this different?
Many people come to me for exactly that reason. My training is in depth-oriented work, Internal Family Systems and psychodynamic therapy, so alongside what helps day to day, we work with what's actually driving the pattern underneath. My background is also in neuroscience, so alongside how you feel, I keep in mind how the mind and nervous system work.
Is this therapy or coaching?
This is psychotherapy. I'm a Registered Psychotherapist (RP, CRPO #15112). We can absolutely work on clarity, performance, and the patterns that get in your way, but from the inside out, not as coaching.
Will you challenge me, or mostly listen?
Both. I'll listen closely, and I'll challenge you when it helps. My style is warm and direct: I'll support you fully, and I'll gently challenge the patterns that keep you stuck.
Do you offer sessions online?
Yes. Sessions are available in person in Toronto and online across Ontario, in English and Farsi.
Curious whether this is a fit?
The first meeting is free, a relaxed 20 to 30 minutes for us to meet and see if we're the right fit. You don't need to have it all figured out to reach out.