Khadija (Khad) Bint Misbah

MA, Doctoral Candidate

Khad is a psychological associate at Forward Thinking Psychological Services with a passion for working with children, teens, and adults dealing with challenges related to autism, ADHD, and OCD. Moreover, she works with individuals struggling with emotion dysregulation, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, life transitions, relationship challenges, and conduct problems. Khad is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Developmental Psychology at York University, with a focus on the experiences of teens with siblings on the autism spectrum, as well as research exploring the impact of trauma on refugee families.

Khad employs a client-centered, genuine, and collaborative approach, establishing trust as the foundation of hope and strength for her clients, and tailoring treatment to each client’s needs by conducting assessments and involving clients in the development of treatment plans. Her therapeutic approaches incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), with a strong emphasis on cultural competence and evidence-based practices.


Khad has worked with individuals experiencing a wide variety of OCD symptoms, including obsessions and compulsions related to contamination, “taboo” thoughts, sexuality, perfectionism, harm, exactness and symmetry, and feelings of “just rightness.” Moreover, she has experience adapting therapy for OCD for clients, including children and adults diagnosed with ADHD and autism, utilizing both ICBT and ERP in a way that is more engaging and meaningful for these individuals. She emphasizes flexibility and creativity in her approach to accommodate attention, sensory, and cognitive differences, making therapeutic interventions more accessible and impactful. She has supported clients in both group and individual therapy settings, helping them build skills to manage and reduce their symptoms while increasing their quality of life. 

Khad’s clinical experience spans diverse populations and clinical issues across various settings, including schools, private practice, university counseling, and community mental health placements. Her work has consistently involved individuals of all ages and she adapts her therapeutic methods to a wide range of clients.

She has enhanced her expertise through participation in several clinical workshops and training, including training in CBT, including Exposure Response Prevention, DBT, ACT, and Emotion-Focused Family Therapy. Khad has also participated in a number of trainings to hone her skills in applying Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (I-CBT) for OCD. This ongoing professional development equips her with a broad array of tools to support her clients effectively.

Khad is actively involved in research, and currently focuses on examining the experiences of teens who live at home with a sibling with autism and how immigration and acculturation may impact these dynamics. Additionally, her research investigates the effects of PTSD on parenting among refugee families in Canada. This research deeply informs her therapeutic approach, which emphasizes cultural sensitivity and the need to address the unique experiences of diverse people.