Special interests: Sexual Trauma, Self-Defence, Identity
fares@insightstherapy.org
When life challenges you, you don’t need to face it alone. I’m here to support you to regain perspective on who you really are, and to reconnect you to your purpose. I work in a Person-Centred way, meaning that I offer a space that is empathetic, accepting, and real – a place for you to be understood, and for us to explore your psyche unbounded.
Consider our conversations to be the space and time for reflection; where you set your goals and determine the direction, and I pave the path to support your pursuit. My approach is a blend of talk, posture, meditation, and breathwork; I tender these tools as honed throughout my lived, yogic, academic, and therapeutic journeys to best support you to achieve an elevated understanding of yourself.
We come from distinct walks of life and are undoubtedly complex in our own ways – after all, we are human at our core. I believe that the healing process begins by honoring this humanity, and when this healing takes the form of team work between therapist and client, with mutual if not equal vulnerability, we both benefit from our co-creative humanity.
Thus, between hardship and ease, wherever you go, be assured that I’m right there with you; quelling anxieties, and sculpting the textures of your internal experience. Alongside, we can tap into your infinite inner wisdom; a place of resilience, power and harmony. So arrive as you are, this space is yours.
Qualifications and Experience
- Registered Healthcare Professional | National Health Regulatory Association (NHRA)
- Registered Member (MBACP) | British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Master of Science (MSc) with Distinction | Counselling and Psychotherapy | Keele University Faculty of Medicine | Accredited by British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP | UK)
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) | Major in Psychology & Minor in Critical Studies in Sexuality | The University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Diploma is Clinical Hypnotherapy | Royal College of Berkshire of Clinical Hypnosis (UK)
- Certificate in Fundamentals of Cognitive Therapy with Depression | Cleveland Centre for Cognitive Therapy (USA)
- Certificate in Cognitive Therapy with Stress and Anxiety Disorders | Cleveland Centre for Cognitive Therapy (USA)
- Certificate in Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy for Individuals, Couples & Families (Levels 1, 2, 4) | With Patricia Bragg, Satir Institute of the Yukon (Canada)
- Certificate in The Art of Dying | With Eman Nooruddin, Capital Knowledge and Royal Berkshire College of Clinical Hypnosis (Bahrain | UK)
- Certificate in Breathwork for Transformation | With Shaima Aseeri, Capital Knowledge and Royal Berkshire College of Clinical Hypnosis (Bahrain | UK)
- Certificate in Understanding Love and Relationships | With Eman Nooruddin, Capital Knowledge and Royal Berkshire College of Clinical Hypnosis (Bahrain | UK)
- Certificate in Attachment Informed Psychotherapy | With Linda Cundy, Capital Knowledge (UK | Bahrain)
- Certificate in Understanding Sex, Sexuality, and Sexless Marriages | With Eman Nooruddin, Capital Knowledge and Royal Berkshire College of Clinical Hypnosis (Bahrain | UK)
- Certificate in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Trauma in the Body | With Esther Perez, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute (USA)
- Certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing | With Eman Nooruddin, Royal Berkshire College of Clinical Hypnosis (UK)
- Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) | Semperviva Yoga | Yoga Alliance (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Clinical Attache | With Dr. Mariwan Husni, Psychiatry, King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) (Bahrain)
- Behaviour Interventionist | Fairview Behaviour Consulting, ABA (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Workshop Organiser & Support Volunteer | The Healthier Masculinities Program | UBC Sexual Assault Support Centre (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Workshop Organiser & Support Volunteer | UBC VICE | Substance mis/use (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Research Assistant | UBC Hewitt Lab | Perfectionism and Psychopathology (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Research Assistant & Lab Librarian | UBC Motivations and Goals in Context (M.A.G.I.C) Lab (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Research Assistant | UBC Culture and Self Lab (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Research Intern & Service Learner | Research Topic: “The TASO Experiential HIV/AIDS Mentorship (TEAM) Project: A qualitative investigation of civic involvement in an Ugandan medical context.” | The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) | (Kampala, Uganda)
- Publication: Husni, M., Al Nashmi, H. Alzayed, A., Farag, A. E. M., Zubari, F. (2023). Electroencephalography (EEG) results of patients referred for cognitive and seizure disorders and their association with brain MRI findings. Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, 51(3): 42763 – 42767. doi: 10.26717/BJSTR.2023.51.008111
- Masters Dissertation: “Perceptions of intimacy after experiences of sexual trauma: A qualitative exploration of Bahraini individuals’ lived experiences.” (Submitted to Keele University | Marked with Distinction)
Testimonials
“Fares empowered me to change the narrative of my life and write my own story, to dare and ask the intimidating questions, to dig deep and look inwards and see things as they truly are.”
“Fares is an excellent therapist with effective results. His sessions have been the best I’ve attended equipping me with practical techniques and mind shifting ways of approaching life’s challenges however large or small they may be – I’d highly recommend his great service!”
“I am incredibly grateful for the instrumental role Fares has played in my transformative journey. When I first sought his guidance, I was navigating an existential crisis and struggling with transitions in my life. His unwavering support and guidance has been invaluable in helping me find grounding, liberation, and connection.”
“His expertise has empowered me to embrace life’s challenges with newfound resilience and adaptability. I am now better equipped to navigate uncertainty and find solace within my own space and support network. I credit Fares for this transformative odyssey , which feels like a beautiful rebirth. His professionalism and dedication has made an ever lasting impact on my life, and I am forever indebted.”
“I went to Fares looking for a solution to anxiety and came away feeling not only stronger and happier, but also with tools that I can utilize to guide me from here on out. I found Fares incredibly flexible (depending on what I brought to the table that day) and highly knowledgeable – he helped me to identify patterns and trauma, discover coping skills and was an amazing and nonjudgmental individual. As a therapist, his manner is gentle yet direct and he is easy to talk to and genuinely interested in his clients. I recommend Fares highly to anyone!”
“Fares taught me to dig so deep into myself, to get into places I was so afraid to look at but was surprised to find out that it wasn’t so scary after all. It taught me to stop feeling small, to love myself for my mere existence without having to earn it, to unpuzzle my childhood wounds and traumas, to break the cycle and face my demons. Throughout this year, I learned to stop seeking approval, stop judging myself so harshly and to stop perceiving life as a constant state of emergency.”
