Dr. Mahsa Yaghoubirad (Ph.D., RCC) is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia and founder of Yara Psychotherapy. She specializes in supporting adults with ADHD, couples navigating relationship conflict, and individuals exploring gender identity and questions of self.

Many of the adults Mahsa meets are capable, intelligent, and high-functioning, yet privately exhausted by cycles of overwhelm, self-criticism, shame, and emotional intensity. ADHD often shows up not just in focus or organization, but in hidden shame, relationship strain, burnout, and feeling chronically misunderstood. Whether things look mostly ‘put together’ from the outside or daily life feels more chaotic and hard to sustain, these experiences are real, valid, and common. No matter where you are right now, Mahsa offers a compassionate space to unpack these patterns without judgment and build steadier, kinder ways of living and relating.

In her couples counselling, Mahsa helps partners stuck in repetitive cycles of criticism, defensiveness, distance, or tension, especially when ADHD, past trauma, or chronic stress shapes the dynamic. Instead of focusing on “who’s right,” she helps uncover emotional patterns and rebuild connection with practical tools. Her approach integrates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and the Gottman Method, grounded in emotional regulation and meaningful change.

Mahsa holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and has published research on topics including gender identity development and lived experiences in cultural contexts, personality dimensions and their links to mental health (such as alexithymia), identity formation, and evidence-based interventions for emotional challenges. She has collaborated with initiatives at the University of British Columbia (UBC). In her work related to gender identity, she provides an affirming, thoughtful, and exploratory space, allowing deep reflection and forward movement at your own pace, free from pressure.

Across all areas of her practice, Mahsa works through a transdiagnostic lens and gently focuses on the underlying patterns and processes that maintain distress, such as stress dysregulation, trauma responses, and rigid coping strategies, rather than relying solely on diagnostic labels. This helps create a collaborative, whole-person path toward deeper understanding and lasting change.

As an immigrant herself, she brings genuine sensitivity to themes of identity, belonging, and cultural transition.

Sessions are virtual across British Columbia including the Lower Mainland, Vancouver, and Coquitlam areas, in English and Farsi.

“Through my own experience in counselling, I learned that facing and expressing our deepest emotions takes tremendous courage. Today, as a counsellor, I honour your fears and believe that together we can heal old wounds and find greater inner peace.” – Mahsa