Our Team​

Meet the Compassionate Healers Guiding Your Journey

Get started on your healing journey and book your free consultation today.

Tara Salehi Varela, MSW (She/Her)

Social Worker & Therapist

Virtual Therapy

Areas of Focus

  • Queer Oppression
  • Neurodivergent and Racialized People
  • Intergenerational Trauma

I support queer, neurodivergent, and racialized people to embrace the fullness of their being and find healing from racial, intergenerational, and relational trauma. Through a collaborative and non-pathologizing lens, my goal is to disrupt conventional understandings of therapy and co-create meaningful healing with you. Through building a genuine connection based in radical trust I aim to create a space to explore the expansive possibilities of your authentic self.

My work is rooted in recognizing the ways systemic oppression impacts mental health, and my understanding of healing is based in an anti-oppressive, anti-colonial, anti-racist framework that pursues justice and liberation for all oppressed communities. I offer both cognitive and embodied therapies to support healing from trauma and navigating life’s challenges and embrace ancestral forms of healing that are culturally and spiritually resonant with you.

Therapies Offered:

  • Narrative Therapy
  • Somatic Trauma Therapy
  • Mindfulness
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Samira Alam (She/Her)

M.A., Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual Therapy

Areas of Focus

  • Religious Trauma
  • Post Trauma Stress Disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

Meet Samira Alam, a compassionate and dedicated Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying). Samira takes pride in offering a secure, empathetic, and judgement-free environment where clients can feel at ease sharing their most intimate and personal experiences, aiming for greater self-exploration and understanding.

Through their therapeutic journey together, Samira focuses on leveraging her clients’ inherent strengths, fostering resilience and the development of coping mechanisms, tools, and strategies for more effective life management. She views therapy as a mutual endeavor, a path towards growth, introspection, self-discovery, and constructive change.

Samira’s therapy approach is client-centered and trauma-informed, incorporating and adapting techniques from Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) to best serve her clients’ needs.

Chloe Levy Branding Mini

Chloe Levy (She/Her)

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Areas of Focus

  • Identity Exploration
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

You’ve likely made your way here because you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety and depression, or grappling with feelings of isolation, self-doubt, and disconnection. Perhaps you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), feeling misunderstood and trapped, yearning to rediscover your authentic voice in a world that seems too intense. You may also be struggling with identity exploration, wrestling with societal pressures that have led you to overlook or suppress parts of your identity, leading to feelings of emptiness or confusion.

I’m Chloe, a final year master’s student in Counselling Psychology, and I deeply understand the challenges you’re facing. I hold a strong belief in the profound interconnectedness of all living beings, recognizing the distinct ways in which anxiety and depression can make us feel disconnected from ourselves, our purpose, and our sense of belonging. I am wholeheartedly committed to guiding you through these struggles, utilizing a warm, empathetic, and antioppressive approach to counselling.

Given my Indigenous-Jamaican (Maroon) heritage, I’m passionate about helping you reconnect with the discounted or neglected parts of your identity, racial or otherwise. I recognize the spirit as a component of identity and believe in the profound impact that reconnecting with our authentic selves can be toward healing and cultivating self-empowerment.

I look forward to connecting with you, understanding your journey, and collaborating with you every step of the way!

AngelaKaruhan

Angela Karuhanga (She/Her/Hers)

MSW, RSW

Areas of Focus

  • Racial Trauma
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Self-Esteem

My name is Angela, I am a Black Canadian therapist of Ugandan/British
heritage. With a decade of experience, I have worked with children, youth,
and families across various settings. My training in Applied Behavior Analysis
allows me to observe patterns of behavior that impact a person’s ability to
develop meaningful relationships. Using an interpersonal approach, I operate
from a Trauma-informed, Anti-Oppressive, and Strengths-based lens. I draw
from several modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Motivational
Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness-based Stress
Reduction.

You are the expert on your life and determine the direction of your growth.
Together, we will work on your social-emotional goals, develop new skills, and
uncover your inner strengths. It can be nerve-racking to begin therapy,
especially if you have never engaged in therapy before. Anything new and
unknown can be scary! It would be my honor to support you in reclaiming your
joy for life. Individuals of all genders, sexual orientations, and cultural
backgrounds are welcome to book with me.

Francesca Serwaa

RSW, MA Counselling Psychotherapy Candidate

I’m Francesca, a dedicated student pursuing a Masters in Counseling and Psychology. I am dedicated to supporting individuals in managing stress, overcoming depression, and easing anxiety. With a compassionate approach, I strive to cultivate meaningful connections and guide you towards mental wellness.
Grounded in anti-oppressive and anti-racist principles, I am rooted in empathy, active listening, and a genuine commitment to understanding your individual path. My aim is to foster a courageous and non-judgmental space where you feel empowered to openly explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, ultimately leading to transformative therapeutic growth.
Through ongoing learning and personal growth, I am committed to providing cognitive therapies and empowering you to overcome obstacles while fostering growth.

Melissa Taylor, MSW (She/Her/We)

Clinical Director & Therapist

In Person & Virtual Therapy

Areas of Focus

  • Trauma
  • Racial Trauma
  • Intergenerational Trauma
  • EMDR
  • 2SLGBTQ+ oppression

Certifications 

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy  
  • Narrative Therapy 
  • Mindfulness 
  • EMDR Therapist 
  • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level 1

Registered to practice in Ontario and Nova Scotia  

Navigating both physical and virtual spaces, Melissa is a third-culture individual deeply versed in cultural nuances and intergenerational trauma. Driven by a mission to reconnect with her ancestors and to help others on their own journeys of reconnection, she specializes in addressing relational and intergenerational trauma as well as oppression.

Melissa’s practice is grounded in principles of anti-racism, anti-oppressive practices, and Black feminism. She’s committed to working with individuals impacted by colonization, enslavement, and 2SLGTBQ+ oppression.

Melissa’s certifications span Cognitive Processing Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, EMDR, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. She’s registered to practice in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Through her empathy and expertise, Melissa illuminates the path towards healing and reconnection at Ancestral Memory Therapy.

Begin Your Journey Today

Every step towards healing is a victory. Join us at Ancestral Memory Therapy, where we’ll walk alongside you on your unique journey towards understanding, integration, and healing. Book a free 15-minute consultation to start your journey today.