Akbar Safari

Senior Counsellor
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)

Pronouns: he/him/his

Akbar is a compassionate and dedicated Clinical Counsellor and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with over 20 years of experience in mental health and wellness. He specializes in individual and substance use counselling, with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic therapy. Akbar has extensive experience working with youth and families, providing support in both private practice and family service agency settings. His passion for mental health advocacy drives him to actively participate in workshops and training sessions to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental health challenges, substance use, chronic pain, and medically unexplained symptoms (MUS).

Akbar holds a Masters in Personality Psychology, is registered with the BCACC, and holds a Specialized Business License with Psychology and Counselling Organizations in Iran. He has completed training in adolescent substance abuse interventions (Matrix Model) and holds certifications in Clinical Hypnosis (ISSCH) and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the Tehran Psychoanalytic Institute (TPI). Akbar’s integrative, client-centered approach addresses a wide range of issues, including personality disorders, addiction, stress, anxiety, trauma, and parenting challenges.

AKBAR SPECIALIZES IN: Supporting clients with addiction , pain disorders and personality disorders.

Services

Individual Counselling
Co-Parenting/Parenting Counselling
First Language Counselling

Ages Served

Ages 19 +

Languages Offered

English
Farsi
Turkish

Support Topics

Addressing loneliness and isolation
Addictions (drug and/or alcohol)
Anger management
Anxiety
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Bipolar disorder
Body image issues
Borderline personality disorder
Chronic illness management
Chronic impulsivity
Chronic pain management
Co-dependency
Coping skills
Depression
Dissociative disorders
Dual diagnosis
Emotional disturbances
Emotional turmoil
Gambling
Impulse control disorders
Internet addiction
Mood disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Overcoming phobias, such as fear of death
Parenting children with special needs
Parenting issues (including child-rearing and education)
Parent-teen mediation
Personality disorders (narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder)
Psychosis
Video game addiction

Therapeutic Approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Psychodynamic Approach