Ziad Elshafei

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) (CRPO #19962)

Client Focus: Adults, Adolescents (18+), Couples, Families, Athletes, First Responders

Modalities: Family Therapy, Couples Counselling

Common Concerns: Anxiety and Stress, Depression, Relationship Difficulties, Self-Esteem, Life Transitions, Workplace Difficulties, Grief and Bereavement, Athlete Burnout

Specialties: Trauma and PTSD, ADHD, Relationship Difficulties

Who are you and what led you to this work?

I come from a family of healers, and I like to think of my work as a bridge between what I learned early on through Eastern philosophy and what I later trained in through Western psychology. I've always been drawn to the relationship between body and mind, long before I had the language for it. My background started in kinesiology, studying how the body moves and holds stress, which naturally pulled me toward a bigger question: how our bodies carry what our minds haven't yet processed. That curiosity led me into somatic trauma training and eventually a Master's in Counselling Psychology.

As a multilingual immigrant, I've also lived the experience of feeling caught between cultures and identities, sometimes fluent, sometimes lost in translation, in more ways than language. That in-between space taught me a lot about resilience and what it takes to feel grounded when the ground keeps shifting. It's part of why I'm drawn to working with athletes, executives, and high-functioning people: many of them are holding it together while quietly negotiating pressure, identity, and change beneath the surface.

What is your approach to therapy or mental performance coaching?

High performers often live in their heads; part of my work is bringing the body back into the conversation, because sustainable performance and genuine well-being both depend on it.

As a multilingual immigrant who has navigated multiple cultures and identities, I bring a culturally attuned, trauma-informed lens to this work, one that resonates with clients balancing several worlds at once, whether cultural, professional, or personal.

What areas do you specialize in?

With a background in kinesiology, training in somatic trauma work, and a Master's in Counselling Psychology, I help clients move through anxiety, depression, life transitions, and past trauma using both evidence-based tools and body-based awareness.

What types of clients do you typically work with?

I work with athletes, executives, and high-achieving individuals who are exceptional at performing, but sometimes disconnected from what's happening underneath the performance. Many of the people I support are intellectually aware that something is off, whether it's burnout, anxiety, a difficult transition, or the weight of holding it all together, but unsure how to actually process it in a way that creates real change.

How do you help clients overcome mental roadblocks and perform at their best?

I strive to be a true witness to my clients' journeys, creating a space of safety, understanding, and growth beneath the surface of achievement.

What evidence-based methods or strategies do you use?

My approach draws from CBT, EFT, Somatic, and Interpersonal therapies, adapted to the pace and pressure of high-performance environments.

What can a client expect in their first session with you?

The first thing I try to offer is the dismantling of urgency towards changing the self. So many of the people I work with arrive already in fix-it mode, wanting to identify the problem and resolve it as quickly and efficiently as they'd approach any other high-stakes goal. Part of the work from the very first session is slowing that down: change doesn't happen faster because we push harder against ourselves, and a lot of what keeps people stuck is the pressure to have already changed.

So a first session is less about diving into everything at once and more about getting oriented, together, without an agenda to fix anything yet. I want to understand what's bringing you in, what's already working, and what hasn't. We'll talk through your history and current life, but I'm also paying attention to how you're holding things in your body, not just what you're saying. My goal is for you to leave that first session feeling actually heard, with a shared sense of direction for the work ahead, not a to-do list for who you're supposed to become.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about therapy or mental performance coaching?

That it isn't only for when things fall apart. Much of the work I do with high performers is proactive: building the internal resources to sustain performance, process pressure in real time, and stay connected to yourself even when the external demands are high. The body is usually part of the answer, not just the mind. Lasting change tends to happen when we integrate both.

What makes your work at The Mental Game unique?

As a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) working under clinical supervision, I strive to be a true witness to my clients' journeys, creating a space of safety, understanding, and growth beneath the surface of achievement. If you're looking for a therapist who sees you holistically, mind, body, and spirit, I'd be honoured to support you.

Performance Interests:

Outside the therapy room, movement has always been central to how I stay grounded. I grew up as a competitive swimmer/ water polo player, spent time teaching kickboxing, and currently practice Animal Flow, a form of bodily expression that keeps me connected to strength, play, and presence. The ocean remains where I feel most at home; I regularly travel to the Red Sea to dive, drawn to the same sense of depth, quiet, and immersion I try to help my clients find within themselves.