Janet Alexanian, Ph.D. Anthropology, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Therapy Areas: anxiety, stress, depression and mood concerns; grief and loss; trauma and PTSD; life transitions and adjustment difficulties; relationship and attachment issues; self-esteem, identity and belonging; immigration and second-generation identity, cultural concerns; caregiver stress; parenting and family-related challenges; autism, ADHD and neurodivergence; coping with cancer and other health concerns, working through hospital and intensive care experiences; academic and professional stress; personal growth, creativity and self-enhancement.

I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) completing my Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University and practising under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Bradford, a clinical and counselling psychologist. I also hold a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine. For more than two decades, my work as an anthropologist has focused on intensive care, medical education, immigration, identity, and representation. This background informs my therapeutic approach by helping me listen for the cultural, family, professional, and institutional contexts that shape a person’s experience, while remaining attentive to how each client understands their own life.

My approach to therapy is primarily person-centred and relational. I work collaboratively with clients to examine their experiences, clarify what feels difficult or important, and develop a clearer sense of what is happening and how they wish to respond. I aim to be actively engaged while respecting each client’s pace, values, and own understanding of their life. My work is non-judgmental and informed by a neurodiversity-affirming lens.

I am also a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.