Alan Kian

MA, Doctoral Candidate

Alan is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at York University. He has experience providing psychological treatment and assessment at the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the York University Psychology Clinic.

Alan has worked with adults of all ages for a range of OCD presentations, including obsessions and compulsions relating to contamination, perfectionism, committing accidental harm to oneself or others, sexual intrusions, intimacy and relationships, and “just right” feelings.

Alan also works with individuals experiencing a wide variety of other concerns, including generalized and social anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues, emotion regulation, low self-esteem, high stress, life transition difficulties, and existential concerns.

Alan always strives to create a warm relationship when working with others. He works at establishing this relationship with empathic and active listening, being genuine, and holding a nonjudgmental, unconditional positive attitude toward his clients. An essential ingredient in Alan’s approach to therapy is the creation of an open space between the therapist and the client, allowing the client to explore their thoughts and feelings in a collaborative manner while feeling understood.

Alan’s clinical approach is integrative, allowing him to draw on several evidence-based treatments tailored to each individual’s situation, need, and preference. These treatments include Client-Centered Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (I-CBT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Existential Psychotherapy.

Alan believes that all individuals have numerous strengths and skills. He aims to provide a strength-based approach to allow individuals to flourish, realizing their full potential in the process and succeeding in achieving their aims while healing.

Alan is currently the editor for The Integrative Therapist, a publication of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI). He is also the producer and director of two video series: Talking Therapy, hosted by Dr. Marvin Goldfried and Dr. Allen Frances, as well as Awakening from the Meaning Crisis, created by Dr. John Vervaeke.

When not working, Alan enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, reading classic literature, watching films, and walking.