Ariana Malekzai
HBA, MACP Student, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Ariana (she/her) is an Afghan-Canadian woman who calls Mississauga home. She is currently a student of Yorkville University’s Masters of Arts Counselling Psychology (MACP) program. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts (Criminology/Women & Gender Studies) at the University of Toronto, where she became invested in supporting individuals and families in navigating personal, interpersonal, and institutional challenges.

Over the past decade, Ariana has held various roles supporting children, youth, adolescents, and adults in overcoming a wide range of issues by tapping into their self-determination and strengths, as well as community resources. Her work experience has allowed her to work with clients of diverse populations and socioeconomic backgrounds, in settings like private and public schools, colleges, universities, and community-based organizations. Most recently, Ariana’s work and passion have been dedicated to providing counselling and advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence in the Region of Peel.

Ariana’s approach to growth and healing is client-centered, as she believes everyone’s needs are unique and the therapeutic process should reflect this. Her approach is also rooted in the tenets of positive psychology, which emphasize the positive events and influences in a person’s life. Clients working with Ariana can expect to explore their strengths, optimism, life satisfaction, happiness, well-being, gratitude, compassion, self-esteem, self-confidence, hope, and elevation. Also, to increase accessibility of services to all Ontarians, Ariana will be providing counselling services virtually.

In her personal time, Ariana enjoys cooking new recipes with friends, spoiling her cat Cece, and ensuring that no Netflix documentary has gone unseen.