Daya
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depth-oriented therapy that goes to the root, not just the symptom.
psychodynamic, somatic, and holistic therapy for adults — in-person in Edmonton and virtually across Alberta.
working with what's underneath
Daya Montakhebi (CCC, CT) works with adults who have a sense that something deeper is driving their patterns — the recurring relationship dynamics, the inner critic that won't quiet, the feeling of being at a crossroads with no clear direction forward.
She doesn't just help clients understand their experience intellectually. She helps them feel it differently — at a body level, a relational level, and a historical level — so that something actually shifts. Daya's approach is psychoanalytic and depth-oriented at its core, woven through with somatic, holistic, and integrative practices.
Sessions are exploratory and unhurried, focused on the roots beneath the surface: the early experiences, the attachment patterns, the parts of you that have been managing quietly for years.
She works with individuals and couples, and offers services in English and Farsi.
her therapy approach
Daya believes that therapy is a space to reconnect with yourself—mind, body, and nervous system—without judgment or pressure. She emphasizes understanding how physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions are interconnected and uses this awareness to guide practical strategies for change.
Her work integrates:
Somatic therapy and mind-body techniques to support nervous system regulation and emotional processing
Trauma-informed and integrative methods including CBT, mindfulness, and creative expression
Practical tools for stress management, emotional awareness, and resilience
Breakthroughs in therapy often come as quiet shifts: a moment of clarity, eased tension in the body, or the realization of self-trust and agency. Daya supports clients in noticing these moments and using them as anchors for ongoing growth.
Daya works best with adults who feel stuck in patterns they can't seem to break, who are navigating a significant life transition or crossroads, or who carry a sense that therapy hasn't quite reached the thing that needs to change. She also works with couples navigating disconnection, conflict patterns, or a relationship that feels like it's lost its momentum.
Specific areas she supports:
→ Deep-rooted trauma and its lasting effects
→ Anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and nervous system dysregulation
→ Relationship and attachment patterns — individual or couples
→ Life transitions, identity, and self-worth
→ Feeling stuck, low on motivation, or plateauing in growth
→ Farsi-speaking clients seeking care in their first language
who Daya works best with
Daya offers sessions in-person in Edmonton and virtually across Canada, providing clients with flexibility and accessibility while maintaining a safe, confidential, and supportive environment.
location and availability
Sessions with Daya tend to be exploratory and unhurried. She's less interested in giving you strategies to manage your experience and more interested in helping you understand it — where it comes from, how it lives in your body, and what it's been trying to protect.
Progress with Daya often feels less like acquiring tools and more like something quietly becoming clearer. Clients often describe a shift in how they relate to themselves — less self-criticism, more honest self-understanding, and a growing sense of momentum that doesn't require force.
She believes that growth doesn't happen by pushing harder. It happens when the thing that's been in the way is finally seen.
what working with Daya feels like