Ahmad Alftieh (he/him)

MA, M.Sc, PhD Student Therapist

Ahmad is an incoming PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University. He recently completed his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University. He also holds a Master of Science in Neuroscience and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Neuroscience and Mental Health from Carleton University.

Ahmad has provided psychodiagnostic assessment and psychological treatment for individuals at St. Michael’s Hospital. He has worked with individuals presenting with a range of clinical concerns, including mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia disorder, substance use disorders, borderline personality disorder and complex comorbidities. He also has experience supporting individuals navigating life transitions, migration and resettlement-related stressors, emotional dysregulation, and perfectionism.

Ahmad is also experienced in neuropsychological assessment and will soon be conducting assessments with adults across the lifespan through his training in the neuropsychology program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. He has previously administered neuropsychological assessments and provided cognitive remediation therapy for individuals living with severe mental illness, with the goal of supporting cognition, executive functioning, and day-to-day functioning.

At Forward Thinking, Ahmad provides psychodiagnostic assessment and psychological treatment services to individuals with a range of clinical concerns, including mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, personality disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

Ahmad has worked with a range of individuals with OCD concerns, including intrusive thoughts and obsessional doubts related to contamination and harm, as well as compulsions related to cleaning/washing, checking, and reassurance seeking.

Ahmad’s therapy work is grounded in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and integrates elements from other evidence-based approaches, including exposure and response prevention (ERP), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), emotion-focused therapy (EFT), and mindfulness- and compassion-based approaches. He is also able to provide inference-based CBT (ICBT) for individuals with OCD. 

Ahmad approaches his clinical work with warmth, curiosity, and openness. He strives to create a supportive, non-judgmental, and affirming space where clients feel heard and understood. He believes in a patient-centred, collaborative, and strengths-based approach built on a strong therapeutic relationship that fosters respect and openness. He aims to adapt and tailor evidence-based interventions to the unique needs of clients from all backgrounds and identities. Ahmad is deeply committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to providing culturally responsive care that recognizes how broader social, cultural, and systemic factors shape mental health.

Outside of clinical work, Ahmad’s research focuses on identifying disparities in mental health outcomes and barriers to accessing and engaging with mental health services in Canada, with a particular focus on how intersecting social identities and structural factors can influence these outcomes. He is also involved in research on microaggressions in clinical practice and neuroimaging research examining brain markers associated with psychosis-spectrum disorders and verbal memory impairments.

In his spare time, Ahmad enjoys strength training, spending time in nature with his two dogs, watching sports and skiing in the winter.