Seyed Ahmad Hel Ataei
LMFT
I am Hel Ataei, a psychologist and counselor with 15 years of therapeutic experience in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, grief, relationship breakdown, immigration, couple's issues, marriage, and family. Instructor of professional therapist training, member of the American and Canadian Psychological Associations.
Specialties and approaches
Therapeutic Approaches
Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT)
Therapy that strengthens the ability to understand your own and others' minds: the feelings and intentions behind behaviour, especially under strong emotion.
Who may it suit?
- Stormy relationships and frequent misunderstandings
- Intense emotional swings
- Borderline personality traits
Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP)
A structured psychodynamic therapy that examines relationship patterns as they show up with the therapist; developed especially for personality difficulties.
Who may it suit?
- Unstable relationships and fear of abandonment
- Anger or impulsivity that harms relationships
- An unstable sense of who you are
Humanistic–Experiential Therapy
A warm, non-judgemental approach focused on your present experience, meaning and capacity for growth.
Who may it suit?
- Wanting to be heard and accepted
- Questions about meaning and direction
- Low self-worth or feeling cut off from your emotions
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
A practical, well-researched approach that helps you spot unhelpful thoughts and stuck behaviours and change them with concrete exercises.
Who may it suit?
- Anxiety, panic attacks and constant worry
- Depression and negative thoughts about yourself
- People who like clear tools and practice between sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Instead of fighting difficult thoughts and feelings, you learn to make room for them and act on what matters to you.
Who may it suit?
- Anxiety and overthinking
- Chronic pain or illness
- Feeling stuck or far from your values
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
A skills-based therapy for intense emotions: distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness and effective communication.
Who may it suit?
- Overwhelming emotions that are hard to control
- Impulsive behaviour or self-harm
- Up-and-down relationships
Group Therapy
Sessions with a small group and a therapist; you learn from others' experience and see you are not alone.
Who may it suit?
- Loneliness and social isolation
- Social anxiety
- Shared experiences such as migration or grief
Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)
An approach that sees the mind as made of "parts"; by getting to know and reconciling conflicting parts, you find inner calm and steadiness.
Who may it suit?
- Inner conflict ("part of me wants to, part doesn't")
- Trauma and old wounds
- Harsh self-criticism
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Therapy that replaces shame and self-blame with self-compassion and helps calm the mind's threat system.
Who may it suit?
- Shame and feeling "not good enough"
- Self-criticism and perfectionism
- Depression or anxiety with a lot of self-blame
Type of Therapy
Individual Therapy (Adults)
Private one-to-one sessions for adults, about whatever matters to you.
Who may it suit?
- Anxiety, depression, stress or grief
- The strain of migration and a new country
- Wanting to understand yourself better
Individual Therapy (Adolescents)
One-to-one sessions for teenagers, in age-appropriate language and with suitable involvement of parents.
Who may it suit?
- Anxiety, school difficulties or withdrawal
- Conflict with parents
- Teens adjusting to the family's move abroad
Couples Therapy
Joint sessions for partners who want to improve communication, trust and closeness.
Who may it suit?
- Repeating arguments that go nowhere
- Emotional distance or less intimacy
- Big decisions such as moving, children or separating
Family Therapy
Sessions with several family members to improve communication and resolve conflict across the family.
Who may it suit?
- Tension between parents and children
- Big family changes (migration, separation, illness)
- Generational and cultural gaps in the family
Individual Counseling
Focused, usually shorter-term conversations to work through a specific problem or decision.
Who may it suit?
- Important career, study or personal decisions
- Stress during a particular period
- Trying professional support for the first time
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Couples therapy based on the Gottman research: concrete tools to manage conflict, rebuild friendship and restore trust.
Who may it suit?
- Couples who fight often or have drifted apart
- After an affair or a breach of trust
- Couples who want to strengthen things before problems grow
Issues & Conditions
Depression
Help with lasting low mood, lack of motivation, fatigue and loss of enjoyment, aiming to bring back energy and hope.
Who may it suit?
- Feeling down for weeks
- Everyday tasks feel heavy
- No longer enjoying what you used to
Anxiety & Panic Attacks
Working on constant worry, fears and panic attacks, learning skills to calm both mind and body.
Who may it suit?
- Worry that won't switch off
- Racing heart, breathlessness or panic attacks
- Avoiding situations for fear of anxiety
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Treatment for intrusive, repeating thoughts and the rituals you feel "forced" to do to ease anxiety; often with ERP.
Who may it suit?
- Repeated washing, checking or counting
- Unwanted thoughts that distress you
- When rituals take up much of your day
Trauma & PTSD
Treatment for the after-effects of overwhelming experiences: nightmares, flashbacks, being on edge and avoiding reminders.
Who may it suit?
- A memory that keeps coming back
- Experiences of violence, war, accidents or forced migration
- Feeling unsafe all the time
Grief & Loss
Support through grief for a loved one, a relationship or a former life, so you don't carry the pain alone.
Who may it suit?
- Losing someone, especially far from family
- Grief that isn't easing with time
- Grieving the home you left
Bipolar Disorder
Psychotherapy alongside medical treatment to spot early signs, build daily stability and manage mood episodes.
Who may it suit?
- Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and on medication
- Strong swings between highs and lows
- Families who want to support better
Sleep Disorders
Help with insomnia, waking at night and poor-quality sleep, often with drug-free methods such as CBT-I.
Who may it suit?
- Taking hours to fall asleep
- Waking at night and not getting back to sleep
- Tired by day despite enough time in bed
Interpersonal Difficulties
Working on how you relate to others: boundaries, expressing needs, handling conflict and building healthier relationships.
Who may it suit?
- Finding it hard to say "no"
- Conflict with colleagues, friends or family
- Loneliness and difficulty making new connections abroad
Marital Issues
Help with problems in a marriage or long-term partnership, together or on your own.
Who may it suit?
- Arguments, long silences or mistrust
- Strain from migration, children or money
- Deciding whether to stay or separate
Infidelity Issues
Support after an affair or hidden relationship: understanding what happened and deciding whether to rebuild or part.
Who may it suit?
- The partner who was betrayed
- The partner who strayed and wants to understand why
- Couples wanting to rebuild trust
Sexual Issues
A confidential, non-judgemental space for sexual difficulties, desire, satisfaction and intimacy.
Who may it suit?
- Low or mismatched desire
- Anxiety or pain around sex
- Strict beliefs or shame about sex
Coaching & Skills
Life Skills Coaching
Building practical life skills such as stress and time management, decision-making and problem-solving.
Who may it suit?
- Feeling overwhelmed by daily life
- Starting over in a new country
- Wanting practical tools rather than deep therapy
Life Coaching
Forward-looking support to clarify goals, make a plan and move ahead personally or professionally.
Who may it suit?
- At a career or study crossroads
- Looking for motivation and direction
- Personal growth without a specific problem
Parenting Support
Guidance for parents on discipline without punishment, handling defiance and getting on the same page.
Who may it suit?
- Parents feeling exhausted or ineffective
- Raising children between two cultures
- Parents who disagree on parenting
Nonviolent Communication Coaching
Learning Nonviolent Communication: expressing feelings and needs without blame, and listening to others with empathy.
Who may it suit?
- Conversations that quickly turn into fights
- Couples and families
- Managers and teams
Professional Credentials
PhD Candidate in Psychology
A PhD candidate in psychology completing advanced training and working to professional standards.
Who may it suit?
- Looking for an up-to-date, research-informed therapist
Book your session
This therapist is not accepting new clients right now.