Ainur Alipkaliyeva, MD, RP
Locations: Phone/Video
Disciplines: Individual Therapy and Couple Therapy
Languages: English and Russian
Top Specialties: Trauma & PTSD, Anxiety Disorders (GAD, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder), Mood Disorders, Stress Management, and Relationship Difficulties
Education
- Medical Degree (Psychiatrist), Aktyubinsk State Medical Institute*
License
- College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario: #004755
Ainur’s Story
Having a medical degree in psychiatry, I provided diagnoses and treatments in Kazakhstan for over twenty years. I studied clinical psychology, clinical therapy, and Gestalt therapy in addition to my formal medical education. Once I had begun gaining professional experience, my niche within the field became apparent. As a psychotherapist, applying Gestalt approach to psychotherapy, I engaged in issues related to clients’ psychological boundaries, emotional responses, their awareness of and satisfaction of needs, the nature of their interpersonal relationships, and the influence of childhood trauma and experiences on the formation of neurotic response patterns, and patterns of thought and behavior.
I consider the effects of trauma to be a basis for anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, in the country I came from, domestic violence and violence in school were seen on a daily basis. I worked with clients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder or having a history of trauma, including sexual assault in childhood or adulthood, domestic violence and violence in school. Another area of interest to me was therapy focused on personal development which I considered as crucial to reaching an individual’s full potential.
*Note: Though I may be flattered when clients address me as “Doctor” given my Medical Degree (MD), I am not a Medical Doctor in Ontario. While I continue to practice as a psychiatrist in Kazakhstan, in Ontario I am a Registered Psychotherapist.
People enter my office for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they find it difficult to make a decision or feel that they cannot get out of a vicious circle of problems, struggle to adapt to new conditions or don’t feel safe, and sometimes it is simply difficult for them to live from day to day due to mental health or physical concerns. Sometimes they want to help their loved ones and don’t know how. They often want to feel free from feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, overcome the struggles and move forward.
Even when we feel weak and vulnerable, we use our great adaptive and personal resources, but we sometimes stop seeing it. Together we explore these strengths and external resources if needed, experiment with new cognitive and behavioral patterns to become flexible and adaptive again. I use emotionally and solution focused, humanistic and experimental approaches, and do my best to support my clients in their self-acceptance and finding the integrity.
For more information on my training and how I do individual or couple therapy, feel free to contact me through my email and phone. If you and I are not the right fit, I am happy to help you find the right therapist for you.